suomynona said:

funny thing is (I have posted about this be4) there is a guy out here at Laguna Beach TAT that has a tattoo of TATTOO...

matt said:

Well, I think the private distinguishing characteristics of any one of us might surprise those who accept the established "conservative appearance" found among those with highly visible business careers. But honestly,Matt, in contrast to the motley crew assembled here at the Prince.org, the prevalence of tattoos among bank presidents, lawyers, physicians, or even politicians is probably very low.

Whatever. The Prince.org body-"art" devotees are an outspoken bunch. No surprise to find such a cohort at a website devoted to musician. But remember the question here: "To tattoo or not to tattoo?" To ask the question indicates an awareness of the permanence and controversial nature of having one's skin altered.

I advise against it. My reasons are manifold. Lack of maturity among many who obtain tattoos, the lack of mainstream (not Prince.org) acceptance of visible tattoos, the characteristically limited quality of the "art" that becomes a permanent part of your body, and the difficuly in having the "art" removed are just a few reasons that come to mind. Trust me, I can think of others, but the limited emotional stability of many who have fallen victim to this fad has softened my remarks here.

If you love tattoos, get one. Hell, get several, although I very much doubt that having one or several has anything at all to do with your enjoyment of a fuller life. Frankly, I'd advise you to invest in art for your home - the sort that you can move around when it no longer inspires you.

But a word of caution: if you go the tattoo route, don't be surprised when you get the subtle brush-off in many of your interactions in the workplace, schools, or neighborhoods once you pass the age of 30. The tattoo may say things about you that you never intended. It's a fact, jack.

GeneMohawk said:

what if the hokey pokey is REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT???

Well, I shall think about that! Maybe I should practice.

TheMax said:

I'm a lawyer, and at a firm meeting last year, we were discussing the topic of body modification, and it seemed as if about half of us had at least one piercing (not counting earlobes) or tattoo. (I myself have several piercings.) They were all hidden, though.



Your use of quotation marks around "art" seems to suggest a bias against body modifications, independent of the issue of what others might think about them.



What about tattoos that are hidden under clothing? People aren't going to react to what they can't see. One of my good lawyer friends has "justice" in Japanese tattooed across his back... I had no idea until he told me. I simply don't see the danger of others reacting negatively.

I've got tattoo issues 2! I've wanted one 4 a long time now,I alwayz chicken out! I can't decide on what 2 get n also where 2 get it. I want a purple cymbal on my tailbone...OUCH!!! I would also like a beautiful son 4 my son(his name is Sol) n my daughters names as well Andie n Sky. My husband does NOT want me 2 get the Prince cymbal @ all! I wanted that WAY b 4 I met him,so I have a dilema as well...may b I'll figure it out...I AM gonna get one though. I know it's gonna hurt though,but I've had 3 kids,so technically I CAN handle it! Later on...

matt said:

Well, ( Gets out soapbox!) I for one would in seeking a lawyer have a group of questions. Certainly I would ask most immediately if You had tattoos and WORSE if you had piercings. I would feel that such an individual would be unable to properly defend me. I don't need to have a logical basis for my opinion. Your type simply would not understand! Tisk! Tisk!

This is the type of person I think The Max is referring to. Unfortunately they to are written into the binary code of planet earth. What to do? Basically? Fuck em!

matt said:

I am confident that most lawyers, even the youngsters like you, don't have tattoos. And as you acknowledge, a visible tattoo is hardly the right law firm "look," even on casual Fridays. Of course it may depend on what tpe of law you practice. For example, it may be the preferred look in an entertainment law firm.



Yes, something like that. I think we could have an interesting discussion about how society values art, especially whether or not objective criteria can be used to judge art. Are some paintings "better" than others? What standards can be applied? Which tattoos represent art? All of them, or just the free-hand drawings?

In that discussion, I would have no problem maintaining that objective standards are taught and practiced among those with more than a passing opinion on art.



Matt, we hide many things about ourselves that we don't want our work colleagues, neighbors, or other casual acquaintances to know about. Others can't react negatively to your nipple piercings if they don't know about them. But that doesn't mean that your credibility as a serious professional might not be questioned if the judge (or opposing counsel) finds out that you have a ten inch unicorn tattoo on your back. Who needs that disadvantage?

I maintain that body "art" (sorry, can't help myself), is far from mainstream, and in the case of tattoos, it runs a serious risk of becoming out of fashion in 10 years. Then you are likely to regret being a tattoo fashion victim. As Alex Hahn writes about the movie Purple Rain, "[it] has not aged gracefully. All of the goofiest fashions of the 1980s - puffy hairdos, garish clothing, pancake makeup - permeate the movie." The tattoo fad will likely fade, but the tattoo itself won't.

TheMax said:

m'gawd, i didn't know the corporate world takes 2 strippin folks in order 2 find out stuff! heaven forbid!! btw themax, i work 4 the government. i have a tattoo on my lower left arm...also, there is a woman in the office i work in who has an ankle tattoo. but check it: i'm 22...and the woman's 50. way older than me, and she had gotten the tat recently as well.

neither of us have been griped at, reported 2 our bosses, reprimanded, none of that. so don't come in here like mr. know-it-all and try and predict stuff, cuz nostradamus you're not.

ms. cleo, s'more like it.

TheMax said:

u cannot be serious!!! body art and tattoos have been in play 4 thousands of years, so i highly doubt that it's gonna be goin out of style. if it happens 2 do so, dont'cha know folks are gonna find more ways 2 augment their skin? shock and horror. and after that, guess what? it may go out in 10 years, but it'll come back in about 5.


autoclave edit
[This message was edited Sat Jun 14 8:43:05 PDT 2003 by Handclapsfingasnapz]

TheMax said:

Since when have tattoos been a "new" fad? They've been around for a very long time, and people have been getting tattoos for a long time as well, and not because it's some "fad" like you say. As for becoming a fashion victim in ten years, well, people like you were probably saying that ten years ago as well. And ten years before that...

BTW, I have no tattoos myself, but I do like them on other people.

To understand the recent surge in tattoo popularity or trendiness, it may be necessary to be more than 20 years old. Ask the 50 year-old woman with the ankle art why she waited so long. It probably didn't occur to her until recently (perhaps the past 10 years).

When I was 20, tattoos were hard to come by among anyone outside of enlisted military types, bikers, prisoners, or serious drug addicts. Don't believe me, no problem, but we're talking about 1982. I think one of the sage orgers on this thread, Handsclap, was merely 2 years old.

TheMax said:

tut tut, stereotyping is a bitch!

TheMax said:

TheMax said:

Well, now you just sound old and bitter.

minneapolisgenius said:

And you sound like you're incapable of reason. I and many others feel that tattoos are a faddish. Their recent surge in popularity has many potential explanations, but in my opinion, tattoos generally look ridiculous, and I feel there are many other ways to express ones individuality without resorting to permanent images placed on the skin. The fact is, about half of those who get a tattoo wind up wanting it removed.

If you don't agree with me, fine. But this place won't be very interesting if there are no alternative points of view, don't you think? Am I old? To some perhaps, but one day you might be impressed with the power of retropective analysis when you're able to clearly recall events over the past twenty years. The only bitterness I feel is wasting another word on this topic.

Do what I just did - a google search with two words: "tattoo fad."

TheMax said:

I AM able to clearly recall events over the past twenty years. What makes you think otherwise?

And I am aware that there are a lot of people out there that think tattoos are stupid, and do not like them. The title of the thread is asking for people's opinions on the subject. You gave yours, but took it a step further by making a stupid generalization saying that basically everyone who gets one is immature.

You got yourself into this discussion by responding in the way that you did, so it's your own fault for wasting your own time on this topic.

Whatever you decide, make sure you go to a reputable tatooist and not a drunken suicidal one like this guy did!

If I ever do a tattoo, it'll be a of a red feather

MissCute said:

MissCute said:

Like this one MissCute?

I think Red's avatar is nice..

I hope this might help you.


http://tattoo.about.com/l...s12_tattoo

Thanks RED! :HUG: Anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask!

TheMax said:

i have to disagree with you. i was 30 when i got my tattoo. i wanted one since i could remember. i didn't get it until i was thirty not because it was "in vogue" but because i wanted to wait until i choose a design i would love forever.

i CAN remember tattoo palors everywhere where i grew up and they were not hard to get and that WAS before 1982.

i got mine to distinquish myself from the rest of corporate america. i have no problem getting a job because of it and i certainly would rather work for an office (if i ever choose to again) that embraced individuality in their workers instead of making people hide it under monkey suits (not offence, miss cute and pook).

if you did a thorough research on tattoo, not just as a fad, you would see they are not a fad. many ancient tribes got them as bot a rite of passge and to distinquish themselves from one another. so how can something that's been around for so long be a fad?

sure, there are other ways for someone to express themselves, but not a way that is more personal and expressive than a tattoo or piercing.

before you write this off as a fad of the young, consider it was my MOTHER who talked me into getting one. and if you so much as question HER character, i would seriously think twice about that.

Chico319 said:

Anything???

Chico319 said:

That tattoo is cute...but I haven't got any and doubt I will

Why not Red? How about a large crucfix on your back? :Lol:

Chico319 said:

Personally speaking I could never have a tattoo I would regret it about 7 minutes after it is done...

REDFEATHERS said:

Yes, that tattoo looks good.
I'll make a deal with you Red. I'll tattoo a red feather and you will tattoo a monkey.

MissCute said: