One thing I’ve noticed in the past couple years is a marked increase in the number of people I see with tattoos. And I’m not talking about a little heart on the bicep with the word “mom” in the middle, I’m talking about elaborate collages of imagery that run from the neck to the chest down the arm to the fingertips.
Additionally, I find the kinds of people with these tattoos surprise me. It used to be the tattoos were only imprinted on “outsider” types: punk rockers, heavy metal dudes, strippers, bikers etc. These days I see a lot of tattoos on what look to be essentially middle-class college girls. And, again, they don’t just have some small tattoo, they have a giant pair of eagle wings spread across their back, or a spiderweb that runs down their chest and ensnares their delightful pert nipples.
This increase visibility and acceptability of tattoos is, of course, destroying their “rebel effect.” It used to be that tattoos indicated some kind of courage, a willingness to embrace social ostracization. Soon the opposite may be true — people who have abstained from the ink needle will be the true individualists.
As some readers may know, I have a few tattoos myself, though nothing like these elaborate sleeves that run down some people’s arms. For a while I considered them to be reliable indicators of my awesome manliness. But, as I take note of some of the douchebags walking around with tattoos, I have to concede this can no longer be the case. I’ll have to go back to relying on my gigantic penis.
I’ve got a friend, Voodoo, who is a tattoo artist. One night I said, “Well, I guess I should get a tattoo.” He said, “Fuck that. You’re not the type. Tattoos are all about insecurity.” Now I understand that he was referring to my penis.
By all means: get a penis tattoo!
Tattoos are overrated.
Penises are overrated.
But not penis tattoos!
Tattoos of penises?
Do you think people are getting tattoos without having any idea what they mean. Or why they wanted it. My nephew explained to me that he got a full sleeve tattoo because he thought it would be cool. He is old enough to have a tatoo and had the money to pay for it. So everything was legit except for his reason. I have tats but they all have meaning and I had to earn the priveldge of wearing them. What’s you take on people getting tats for no reason.
Well, it’s tough to say what’s a legitimate reason for having a tattoo. I’ve got a Spiderman tattoo — what does that really say other than “I like Spiderman?” But, certainly you see these guys (and gals) with some elaborate montage of snakes and skulls and whatnot, and you’re hard-pressed to come up with a really deep, meaningful reason someone would want a skull with an eyeball popping out of it imprinted on their bicep for the rest of their life. But what do I know?
My idea of a legitimate tattoo is anything with a story. Something that,maybe,is in memory of someone,like my Jimmy Sullivan tatoo.Though I never met him,he was a great influence on my life and turned me in the direction of pursuing a career in the music industry.Yes,I have pointless tatoos on my body,but 90% of them have meaning. My “13” tatoo on my left thumb is completely pointless.It represents “friday the 13th”. Pointless,stupid,and randomly placed, but it doesnt matter. If I like the tattoo,I’ll get it.I fyour happy with it,who really cares what others think or whether or not they consider your reason legitimate.