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And at that point the impact and meaning of the wrinkles will outweigh that of the tats!</p>
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Absolutely.</p>
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Yes, but the problem with judging ANYONE by the existence or lack of tattoos or piercings is that what you are judging is rarely significantly related to what you judging on. It is no more or less accurate than judging any book by any other cover.</p>
<p>A point I tried to make earlier which apparently has been ignored because it didnt support their argument, is that I see every day men & women in their 60, 70s, & 80s with tattoos when I go swimming.
They look * fine*, & are happy to tell you about it if you ask. </p>
<p>IMO, by that age, if you are upset by something that you chose to do 10,20, or 30 years previous, you have bigger problems than what your tattoo looks like.
If you are worried about becoming obese & having your tattoo disfigured, shouldnt you really be more worried about your weight?
That is a health risk not to mention will make you much more unattractive than most tattoos I can think of.</p>
<p>To me, getting a tattoo is like putting a “South of the Border” bumper sticker on your Maserati–and yes, everyone is a Maserati. To me, a tattoo suggests a lack of careful judgment–and that’s more true the bigger and more visible it is. The one we’re talking about here is no big deal, along with others that are covered up. But as this thread shows, tattoos have different associations for different people–for some, tattoos suggest “hipster.” For others, they suggest “carny folk.”</p>
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Exactly…</p>
<p>To me, my tattoo is like putting a solid gold pinstripe on my Maserati!</p>
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Why? A tattoo can be very carefully and thoughtfully considered, the fact that you and I might make different decisions after that consideration just means that we value different things. I see nothing in the decision that inherently implies any lack of judgment.</p>
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I look at the tattoos and make a guess from there. I suppose a moustache tattoo might suggest “hipster” but I am not sure what would suggest “carny” - I guess I just haven’t been around that many. But if you think (or instinctively presume) that all tattooed people are the same, then that is ludicrous.</p>
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I really wish there was a “like” button on here!</p>
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Because it’s permanent. And because it will limit your choices, the more visible it is.</p>
<p>My tattoo is the equivalent of a “Welcome to America, Speak Cherokee” sticker, but you know, actually written in Tsalagi. I have no shame in it.</p>
<p>Are there people who would look at a gold pinstripe on a Maserati and say, “Ugh, why would anybody spoil a beautiful car with a tacky thing like that?” I have to say that this is basically my reaction to every tattoo I’ve ever seen on anybody. To me, they are simply unaesthetic. Of course, it’s not necessary for anybody to care about my aesthetic preferences–but it might be useful to understand that not everybody will like your tattoo. Especially if it’s on your neck.</p>
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<p>What do you mean by that? As in, everyone in my house has tattoos? Or everyone in Austin has tattoos? Because obviously that wouldn’t be true if we are talking Austin. </p>
<p>Austin is a great city. It is beautiful, very liberal, and I’m sure that you’d find more folks with tattoos there than Dallas or Houston. But it certainly doesn’t approach the “everyone” number.</p>
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<p>This. This is why some people object to visible tatoos; because it reflects that the wearer has values that probably don’t correspond to their own. It’s the fear of what this person thinks, values, how he or she behaves because of those values- all of these subtle but very real judgements one makes based on the fear that this person is nothing like me.</p>
<p>I think that’s a normal conditioned response for many of us. We may know that it’s not entirely fair and that sporting visible tatoos really isn’t
a reflection of one’s character. But we can’t help but feel that person has some very different values than we do. And the closer that person is to us, the more bothersome it is, of course.</p>
<p>" And because it will limit your choices, the more visible it is. "</p>
<p>We ALL have limited choices. Those who are not adept in math are limited in seeking jobs that demand proficiency in math, for example. Someone who is not very physically fit would not be a good personal trainer. Someone my height-5’2" would not make the NBA. A sight-impaired person would have limits-the couldn’t drive for a living. And so on. I suppose your point is that tattoos create SELF-IMPOSED limits, but really, a person who has thought through his tattoo choices is likely quite aware of what those limits might be.</p>
<p>"-but it might be useful to understand that not everybody will like your tattoo."</p>
<p>I’m quite sure anyone with a tattoo understands that. But tattoos aren’t the only thing that “not everybody” will like. Some people don’t like “unnatural” hair colors, or hair styles (there was recently media attention to a school which sent a girl home for dreadlocks that were considered "unnatural). Others don’t like piercings. And there have been many a lawsuit filed over weight discrimination and age discrimination. Or disability discrimination. And we have people on these boards who can’t abide by "sloppy sweats.</p>
<p>My guess is that a person who chooses a visible tattoo is ok with some people “not liking” it. But tats, piercings, purple hair or sloppy sweats-to me, it’s always going to be what’s on the INSIDE. Many a clean-cut, unpierced, naturally colored hair-wearing person has been plenty ugly on the inside.</p>
<p>"And the closer that person is to us, the more bothersome it is, of course. "</p>
<p>Actually, if a person close to me made body modifications that were not in agreement with my preferences, I’d be more likely to reconsider my OWN prejudices against them, because I value that person and know that they are worthy people with or without the outward appearance change.</p>
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<p>It has nothing to do with being “a worthy person” or not. I don’t see it as a character issue at all. It’s a matter of affiliation. The fact that it’s permanent is also very relevant, as it indicates a strong and enduring value.
Someone with visible tatoos, at least at this point in our evolution, has made a very clear statement setting the person apart from some, and closer to others. (as one poster said above, often intended for a limited audience.) If you happen to be on the “apart” side, there is bound to be a little bit of rejection felt, if this person is close to you. Ok, maybe not for you, but for me.</p>
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<p>I think it’s hard for parents who have learned through experience that life is full of unexpected hurdles and difficulties to accept that our teens or young adults have the experience to be “well aware of what those limits might be” and especially about how they may feel about them in the future. For me, it would bother me to see my child voluntarily dismiss an entire range of options for himself or herself before they have barely set foot in the world. I would be much more in favor after they have established themselves, reached a measure of maturity, and then chosen to tatoo. I still would not like it aesthetically and it might make me feel a bit rejected, but I wouldn’t worry for them. As much.</p>
<p>I don’t understand how anyone can think that choosing to get a tattoo says anything about one’s values. Where does this kind of thinking come from?</p>
<p>I would like to point out that whether somebody is ugly on the inside or the outside are two different things, and they may or may not be connected. With a tattoo, you are making a decision to alter your appearance permanently in a way that some–perhaps many–people think is unattractive. I think it is interesting that this conversation always essentially breaks down into two factions: those who don’t like any tattoos, and those who think nobody should be judged negatively for having a tattoo. Isn’t there anybody who thinks some tattoos are attractive and others are ugly?</p>
<p>Obviously, I don’t know and haven’t observed “everyone” in Austin. But yes, everyone in my household has tattoos, everyone in my unit at work that is in the 22-40 age range has tattoos, and the majority of the people I know have tattoos. To think that I would know everyone in a population of around 7 million is ridiculous and just being contentious. </p>
<p>According to USA Today, Austin is the #6th most tattooed city in the nation:
[The</a> 10 most tattooed cities in America - today > style - TODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.today.com/id/38722211/ns/today-today_style/t/top-most-tattooed-cities-america/]The”>http://www.today.com/id/38722211/ns/today-today_style/t/top-most-tattooed-cities-america/)</p>