[manicdepressive07]

I just posted that pic on my fb wall and said "Basically how I feel about tattoos... Idk what I'm going to like or how I'm going to think and feel a month from now, let alone years from now. I know like 99.9% of you guys have tattoos so don't hate me for saying this lol, it's my opinion about getting them personally and I'm entitled to it :P"

Now I'm sitting here waiting for the backlash, eeek... Idk why I post some of the things I do on fb. I guess to "stir up controversy" lol. I get bored with the typical "look at my food" posts or "guess what i'm doing/where i'm at/who I'm with"

But that statement is totally true. I'm 25 and I'm actually proud of the fact that I don't have any tattoos. I can't think of a single friend off the top of my head (besides my bf) who DOESN'T have a tattoo. They're kind of becoming the norm and instead of asking "Do you have any tattoos?" It's now "What do you have a tattoo of and where is it?" lol. I don't have anything against people who have them, but personally there is nothing I think I would ever want permanently inked on my body...

[BlueInanna]

Lol, you sound a little bored and ... Idk I don't have any either, I just have t found anything I would love to have on my body forever. I'd like to someday I'm 39. My daughter 19th bday coming up and she wants to get matching ones with me. That would be meaningful to me if we could find some design we both love. Remains to be decided but low on my list of priorities.

I think you'll get responses like their tatt wasn't about a fleeting emotion but more symbolic of something major in their life. I've seen a lot that are really cool artwork. But my ex husband used to waste our money on them when we couldn't barely feed our 2 small children so that made me sad to say the least. And he'd have the tatt artist guy come over and it really scared the kids... So yea I'm not really in a hurry to get them, I'd rather eat

[newtus]

i dont have a tattoo but i used to have a snake bite peircing. which is two peircings on the sides of the bottom lip. and then i had my ears gauged pretty big.

it wasnt too hard but i made a decision to take them all out. just all of the peircings.

i thought it was SO cool. i still do KINDA. but not really. id rather just look at people with them but not me. been there done that. i finally decided my face especially lips were too beautiful to puncture. i always thought my body was too beautiful to cover with ink except for the pigment god gave me. i put many years of thought into this and have been around in the underground punk culture and seen way too many people who make horrible decisions with tattoos (and peircings at that) and lets not go down the pathway of people who tattoo themselves with little or no experience!..

im not against it but im not for it on me. i can say though it doesnt look good on most people who get alot or who get full sleeves and tattoos to a similar degree. likewise i have seen peoples bodies truly look like crap when they have various small or medium tattoos scattered in no real pattern like a high school notebook page.

[beauflow]

manicdepressive07

You are entitled to your opinion, your body and what to do with it

You make a very good point as well.
- Tattoos are permanent - unless someone wants to pay all the more to get the process of removing which potentially leaves scars! which those are permanent

I have tattoos , I like each one... and yes that is me as you are you are you

My S/O does not have any tattoos, we talked at one time of getting a tattoo together, but after the "yeah sure i will get one with you"... and "no lets keep waiting"... I finally told him that : "ya know, getting this tattoo is more my thing than your's (his)... and that is all right "

My tats usually represent a part of my life-- yes emotions are with that, which emotions change-- but none the less, they are meaningful to me in a very deep way.....
Last May I felt like I was going to either go back to drugs or completely do my plan and be gone, too much was going on back then with people for me.... I went and got my the tat on my hearts with in the puzzle piece...... Sure some could say it was a little impulse, but at the same time, I spent a while more than a month thinking on it.
(Sorry if that is a cliche for you all but hey... it is the truth)

And hey, I can totally respect someone that does not want to get tatted up.
It is THEIR BODY, Their Choice

Keep strong with your self-

reminds me of:
"Question what you are taught and dismiss what's insult your soul"



Many good thoughts your way

[THE16THDOCTOR]

Personally I also like to stir the pot lol

To each is own. It's not for everyone. I know more ppl who don't have them than do. I have them. Most ppl around me don't have any though. we have a massive family: me and my middle sister are the only 2 who have them I believe out of the lot of us.

I've seen some bad ones ppl don't put thought into or the art is terrible bc they didn't research before hand. It's forever.

[manicdepressive07]

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

Lol, you sound a little bored and ... Idk I don't have any either, I just have t found anything I would love to have on my body forever. I'd like to someday I'm 39. My daughter 19th bday coming up and she wants to get matching ones with me. That would be meaningful to me if we could find some design we both love. Remains to be decided but low on my list of priorities.

I think you'll get responses like their tatt wasn't about a fleeting emotion but more symbolic of something major in their life. I've seen a lot that are really cool artwork. But my ex husband used to waste our money on them when we couldn't barely feed our 2 small children so that made me sad to say the least. And he'd have the tatt artist guy come over and it really scared the kids... So yea I'm not really in a hurry to get them, I'd rather eat

Yeah that's what I mean about "backlash"... FOR ME I would never get at tattoo because I am so emotional and impulsive I know it would be something I'd prob regret later on... but I know a lot of people are going comment "Mine is meaningful because yadda yadda" and to each their own!

[manicdepressive07]

Originally Posted by newtus

. likewise i have seen peoples bodies truly look like crap when they have various small or medium tattoos scattered in no real pattern like a high school notebook page.

Omg those are the worst! lol... I know a few people like that, who have completely (seemingly at least) random tattoos all over the place with no connection... totally reminds me of random doodles on a high school notebook haha. I'm like "really?? you want that on you forever... well okayyyy"

[manicdepressive07]

Originally Posted by beauflow

.
It is THEIR BODY, Their Choice

Couldn't agree more! And thanks for the kind words

Originally Posted by manicdepressive07

but personally there is nothing I think I would ever want permanently inked on my body...

Well, that sucks for you. I can think of many things. I'm 100 % sure that I'm not going to regret the plant I have on my arm now. It doesn't have any specific meaning and it looks nice. I quit Facebook because I found out I was posting a lot of embarrassing stuff there.

[manicdepressive07]

Originally Posted by Mandrec

Well, that sucks for you. I can think of many things. I'm 100 % sure that I'm not going to regret the plant I have on my arm now. It doesn't have any specific meaning and it looks nice. I quit Facebook because I found out I was posting a lot of embarrassing stuff there.

Why does that "suck" for me? You have something tattooed you know you won't regret while I feel if I ever get a tattoo, there is a high chance I'll regret it. So I choose not to get one.

I know myself... and I know that I am very impulsive, indecisive, and am constantly changing my mind, therefore tattoos are something I would never want.

[TheDragon]

I very recently just got my first tattoo, and while it's possible that I may regret it in the future, I love it at the moment and most likely will for years to come. It's uploaded on my profile if anyone wants to take a look, and yes, it is a dragon.

Honestly, I don't have some profoundly deep reason for getting my tattoo, and though I'm not a vain person, it's as much an aesthetic appeal as it has a bit of meaning and reason to me. They're extremely attractive (when well done) on others as well.

Statistically speaking though, only 14% of the population has any ink done. With that said, admittedly around 35-40% of adults under 40 have tattoos, so while that all your friends having tattoo isn't unusual, it's probably more to do with the crowd you hang out with rather than all 20 somethings. There's no denying that now days there's a huge change in the culture of tattoos, and are definitely becoming popular, but I'd hesitate to judge the reason why people get tattoos. According to a few surveys, around 40% of people who got tattoos did it mainly for a personal meaning, and in my experience most people really do get it for the aesthetics more than anything so......yeah you're totally entitled to your opinion and gods know that you should NOT get a tattoo unless you totally want to (because it IS permanent....anyone who doesn't consider that before getting a tattoo is silly) but there's the other side of it.

[TheDragon]

One more thing I forgot to add - There's a reason why people find them addictive as well. I just got my first and already want more....aside from the whole looks thing, it feels frigging amazing getting it done and I know a lot of people love the sensation of it as well. Worth marking your body up for the rest of your life for an interesting sensation? No, not really, but hey if good art comes out of it as well, win win for people who like tattoos.

And just for the fun of it -

Originally Posted by manicdepressive07

Why does that "suck" for me? You have something tattooed you know you won't regret while I feel if I ever get a tattoo, there is a high chance I'll regret it. So I choose not to get one.

I know myself... and I know that I am very impulsive, indecisive, and am constantly changing my mind, therefore tattoos are something I would never want.

What sucks for you is that you can't think of anything visual at all that you know you'll still like when you're older, at least so much that you could have it tattooed. I can think of many such visual things, and they are an important part of my life, so naturally what I'm thinking is "that must suck". See?

[emgreen]

I don't have any tattoos, but I'm of a different generation (51). Back in my day, the only folks who got tattoos were old sailors...LOL.

I think many tatts are pretty cool, but it's my understanding that, without proper protection from the sun, they'll fade over time. My thought is that young folks also forget that skin tends to sag as one ages...get one on your breast & see what happens when you're 60! That said, saggy tatts will be common among this generation after I'm dead & gone, so what the hell -- I won't be around to see them.

[notALICE]

I think tattoos can be a wonderful form of expression. I have three. One is just a silly ankle flower bracelet thing I got in my early 20's. The other two have more meaning. One is simply "Carpe Noctem" - latin for Seize the Night, and I was always a night person.

The last tatt I got three years ago was "The Scream" by Edvard Munch (I recently found out he was thought to be Bipolar). It's on my left forearm (like a sleeve). Lots of interpretations: "The imagery of The Scream has been compared to that which an individual suffering from depersonalization disorder experiences, a feeling of distortion of the environment and one's self".

For me it covers up scars on my arm, reminds me not to drink & is also in memory of the person I was closest to in the world. (Died of this Disorder, a little over a year ago). The owner of the parlor/tattoo artist died also. He was a friend of mine, so I would never regret this tattoo. It's art filled with emotion.

Tattoos are more socially accepted. I was a very successful office manager, and I can always wear light sweaters to cover it up.



To add a side note: My son will be 18 in less than a month. He has been begging me for a tattoo for 2 years. I said I would not give him permission. It's his body - his choice and if he wants one - he is the one who has to consent.

[faerie_moon_x]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to decide on this issue. I have 3 tattoos, my husband has 0.

2 of my tattoos I drew myself. They are both based on my spirituality and I got both when I was 18 years old. They are still very true to me today. I'm 33 now. They are on my belly region. Last year when I was in the hospital I had to tell the surgeon that it was okay to cut through one if it would save my life, but he said he could save it, and he did.

The other is on my arm and pretty big. I didn't draw it and it's of a fairy. You may have noticed I have a thing for fairies. I love it but the guy did her face wrong and she has a zombie face. So, someday I want to get that fixed. But otherwise, I love it still. I got that one when I was 21.

I do know someone who got a tattoo when they were drunk. They hate that one. So, it all depends on the what the real story is behind the tattoo. I think some people do get tattoos for the wrong reasons, though.

[TheDragon]

Originally Posted by dark_heart_x

I do know someone who got a tattoo when they were drunk. They hate that one. So, it all depends on the what the real story is behind the tattoo. I think some people do get tattoos for the wrong reasons, though.

Yeah....like the stories you hear of people dating for a week and getting each other's names tattooed somewhere very visible. A great example of OP's picture.

[wadingthruemotions]

I have two tatts. One I just got recently. They both are meaningful to me and if or I should say when I get more, they will also. I am impulsive, very much so. But I do know enough to make sure something like this that is permanent is what i want.

The one I got recently is on my profile page. I had a very rough year last year, made it through and am still good to go with the health issue.

The other I got when I was 18. It is a skull tattoo, shading with horns out of the top. It is awesome. Both are awesome.

My hubby has one and only one. he doesn't want more, but me, oh heck yeah.

[Trippin2.0]

The people who don't regret their tattoos are the people who know themselves well enough to know what to get.... I could be polite and add "IMO" But lets face it I'm right

I am 28 and have 2 tattoos for now, nobody else I hang out with has any ink done, so I doubt its common among people in general.

I always knew I was going to get inked, decided at age 4, and when I was 15, I was itching to get 1 but I promised myself I would wait until I was absolutely sure of what I wanted, and by the time I had it done, well I knew myself well enough to know there'd never be any regrets

3 more on the horizen for me, but I still need to design the 3rd, inspiration hasn't hit yet

[Anika.]

Hmm, I have a lot of tatoos my bf has none. But even though I have some large and kinda out there ones I'm not a person who ever asks someone of they have any, nor ask about ones I can see. I don't know if I really notice them that much and I don't notice mine much at all. They are just there and sometimes I forget they are there. Even a tiny one that is near my eye. Most people I know don't have any either.

I got a tattoo of my head being stitched on when I was pretty young, I am 34 and I actually don't regret it. It's funny..people will ask about my other tattoos and that one people usually don't ask or say much, and if they do they keep it short and sweet. I don't have to get into the meaning..but that particular tattoos meaning has transformed many times over as have I.

Its just one form of expression, to me it's not a big deal to have or not to have. I am a very visual person, I paint, create things, anything that is a visual art or craft picks my interest, so in that case it makes sense to gravitate towards visual self expression. However I wouldn't say my tatoos are emotion based, life stories seem to be what a lot of tattoos tell, so the temperary emotion thing might not be to accurate for many people but might be true for you.

But ... why post about it to stir the pot? Seems like a more interesting question than .. what do your have tattooed and why or why not, to me at least. What I mean is that you said you are bored with the posts, and an interesting thing to look at is how you respond that and what might be a more congruent way to deal with boredom. When you say " don't hate me" I hear..I am not totally comfortable with this either. Just wondering cause waiting for the backlash followed by an eeek doesn't sound very fun.

[Trippin2.0]

Warm welcome back to my sister from another mister

You my dear have been missed ALOT ssss

[bluemountains]

Originally Posted by emgreen

I don't have any tattoos, but I'm of a different generation (51). Back in my day, the only folks who got tattoos were old sailors...LOL.

I think many tatts are pretty cool, but it's my understanding that, without proper protection from the sun, they'll fade over time. My thought is that young folks also forget that skin tends to sag as one ages...get one on your breast & see what happens when you're 60! That said, saggy tatts will be common among this generation after I'm dead & gone, so what the hell -- I won't be around to see them.

I, too, am 51 and many of my friends have just got their first tatoo. I don't know if this is their definition of middle aged crisis, but it is a desire of many in my friends circle.
I really don't have any desire to have one, but I don't have a bucket list either. Maybe all of the drugs make me less energetic about any changes.
Bluemountains

[Secretum]

I don't have any tattoos, but I would like to get one. I want a phoenix on my arm. Phoenixes are incredibly inspiring to me; I would see it as a representation of my determination to be reborn from the ashes each time life knocks me down.

[~Christina]

My Tattoo has meaning .. altho you said you didn't want to know anyone's reason and you don't deserve to hear mine.

Heres the thing...People with Tattoo's don't care if people don't have any.

You post seems like you are looking for an argument... Silly.

[~Christina]

Anikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa So glad to see you