When I was giving a blood sample for a thyroid level test the other day, I couldn’t help noticing and commenting about the tattoos on the technicians arm that were of lightly coloured flowers. I said, “They look so friendly.” She laughed and replied that it was a comment she hadn’t heard before.
Explorer Captain James Cooks sailing voyage around the world in the 1700s led him to the Polynesian islands where tattooing was openly practiced. The word “tattoo,” has been used ever since to define the permanent marks made. When tattoos first surfaced in the 1800s, they were deemed a sign of being a criminal or deviant.
Recent research demonstrates just how tattoos are perceived. Today, they are increasingly commonplace. It was found that 38 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo.
When I married in 1975, we afterwards discussed each getting a tattoo. We did consider that once the wound heals, the colors and designs show through but the tattoos are permanent and will stay with you for the rest of your life unless removed surgically or with lasers.
We even thought of a butt tattoo which was more expensive but at least hidden.
When we found out they were more painful that changed things. It was more fun to talk around the topic I guess as it never did come about.
What makes some people choose to get tattoos? This question was investigated in a recent study led by a psychologist and collaborators to understand why college students would choose to get or not get a tattoo, as well as their perceptions surrounding the practice.
The results were striking. Most of the partakers’ (44%) had tattoos – and almost half (47%) were considering getting a tattoo or another tattoo.
Their reasons for getting or not getting a tattoo were roughly equal, with 47% responding positively and 50% responding negatively.
The primary motivation for those who got a tattoo (25%) had to do with a personal meaning. Some participants (12%) also felt that their tattoos were an extension or expression of who they were. One respondent remarked, “My body is a book, my tattoos is my story.” Some participants also reported that they found tattoos to be an appealing form of art. They were for the most part non-judgmental of tattoos and respected the preferences of non-tattooed individuals. One stated, “They’re cool but just not for me.”
For the participants who chose not to get a tattoo, the main reasons revolved around social and cultural factors. Other reasons were disapproval from family and encountering negative views at work. Some participants (10%) shared concerns about the permanency of tattoos and sensed they look unattractive as they became older. Also (10%) referred to medical reasons or fear of needles. Some viewed tattoos as unappealing. One participant ranted: “I wouldn’t get one. Would you put a bumper sticker on a Ferrari?”
Tattoos were not always considered so taboo. There was the long history of ‘elites’ getting tattooed. A tattoo shop existed in the late 1800s in London, the heart of the high-end fashion district, and that Winston Churchill and his mother were both inked (really).
Perhaps it’s not surprising that tattoos have become more popular once again. Public figures such as celebrities, athletes, and people within the fashion industry began wearing them. Later, tattooers would be at the front of the movement to legalize tattooing where it had been outlawed decades earlier, pushing for regulation that would make the practice safe once again. In the 1970s celebrities were seen being visibly tattooed, such as Cher, Peter Fonda, and Janis Joplin as among the first to display their ink. NFL players started getting tattooed on their arms, along with basketball and baseball players. There were more and more kinds of people with them.
Tattoos are finally being recognized as a form of self-expression, and design styles have expanded from traditional tattoos to full body works of elaborate art that could tempt even those most wary into getting tattooed.
Planning the next, or even first tattoo is always fun. For some, it’s even difficult to not get inspired for another design, since tattoos are so addictive. More importantly is a plan after you start. Otherwise, you may end up with more than you really want or designs you later regret.
