Why Do People Get
Tattoos?
There are nearly as many reasons for getting a tattoo as
there are people who have them. Each person has his or
her own particular reason; it may be a common reason or
it may be unique, but it is nonetheless individual.
People who get a tattoo on impulse or a dare, while
intoxicated, or to please someone else, are the ones who are
usually less satisfied with the results. Even while
holding it out as a spur-of-the-moment mistake, a person who
acquires a tattoo under these circumstances are rarely happy
with having it on a longterm basis. Unfortunately, these
types of situations do comprise a fair percentage of the number
of people who get tattoos-- and later regret it.
Most people who get tattoos primarily as a means of
rebellion are also dissatisfied in the long-run; as they
grow out of feeling the need to rebel, they grow out of
enjoying the symbols of it.
For those who make an informed decision about getting a
tattoo, whether they acknowledge it or not they are usually in
either of two categories: those who are identifying with
a group, or those who are identifying themselves as
individuals. Both are using tattoos as a means of
self-expression. On the extreme end of the spectrum are
inmates who belong to such groups as "the Aryan
Brotherhood." A tattoo shows both members and non-members
alike what group the inmate belongs to. These tattoo
designs are of various codes and other oddities which they
assume people who are not likewise affiliated will not
understand. Most inner-city gangs also have coded tattoo
designs for the same reason. In these types of instances,
tattoos serve a dual-purpose: they are a means of bonding
a person to a particular group, and they are a means of
separating oneself from those who are outside of that
group.
Some people get a tattoo simply because they want to have
one. Other than not putting much careful thought into its
longterm implications, nor being very selective about what
particular design they want, this is not necessarily
negative. For many, simply liking artwork on one's skin
is reason enough to visit a local tattoo studio, hand over a
relatively-large sum of money, and have something etched into
one's skin that is intended to remain there for the rest of
one's life. The most intricate design or the most plain
one can be a matter of speaking to the entire world, or
something which one chooses to keep solely to
oneself.
Others use this form of self-expression in a manner similar
to what generations past used to do with t-shirts: to
show the world what they wish to say. They choose
wording, or designs which symbolize something that is
meaningful to them. You can see everything from American
flags and crosses to the names of who they love, and,
occasionally, wording which pushes the limits of the First
Amendment. In the past, people wore what they believed,
stood for, and cared about on their shirts; these days
tattoos often serve the same purpose.
Many people use tattoos as memorials. Tattoos can be
designed for remembrance of a deceased loved one, of course,
but they can also be designed for the purpose of keeping in
mind other places or situations which a person does not wish to
forget. When there is someone or something that you wish
to hold close to your heart, a tattoo can be a beautiful way of
doing it. Photographs and other souvenirs are not
permanent-- tattoos are.
Why do people get tattoos? The reasons are as varied
as there are individuals. Whether you yourself have a
tattoo or not, if you know someone who does, it is important to
realize that you do not know what that person's reasons are,
unless he or she decides to tell you.
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