Tattoos and body piercings used to be unusual expressions I guess, now everyone does it so it is more like someone saying "Im different! Im different!" while at the same time looking more and more like everyone else. Just another sheep.
Im sure I will get flamed for saying so - but seems to me that many (not all) people that get all excited about tattoos are the same attention seekers that stuck pencils in their nose and ate glue when they were kids. Now they cant wait to wear specially selected clothes to show of their special tat' or eagerly display ever increasing ear /nose rings to let everyone know how unique they are. Isnt that special. I'm inclined to say 'Good for you! Isn't that special?" ;-)
Go ahead. Let me have it. I am totally in the 'attention seeking' camp.
I suppose I must admit I find some tramp stamps kind of sexy - peeking up above a pair of low rise jeans in the same way a whale tail is sexy and suggestive. Tats are trashy though - and ultimately, eventually look like tired imperfections on naturally beautiful bodies - like graffiti in a park - and reminders of old beliefs that may or may not still fit the person.
Not judgemental - but in general, I think tats and egregious piercings a little silly.
...Scars and marks are the souls way of projecting a life that's been lived...
very pithy. Voluntary 'scars and marks' I would argue says less about a life well-lived than the mindset and aspirations of the person bearing them. Actualy 'being' something is FAR different from inking a sign on yourself proclaiming it - as well as feeling the necessity of making the anouncement.
Overall though - I agree mostly. If it makes you feel better about yourself, it cant be all bad. Not all - even if I somehow feel that the reasons for it are not well grounded or maybe misplaced.
Putting on makeup and perfume and hanging out in chic places makes some people feel better about themselves too. Shrug.
Clearly I have a stodgy old mindset, one in the minority. Wasnt there a TV show called 'Ink' or something recently? You know.. where all the 'special' people can get pumped up over all the drama and excitement and 'uniqueness' of it? Im not sure - I never watched it.
Sorry. Im not a D!cK really. Just poking fun. Enjoy them by all means.
I could scar and mark myself up all day and still live little of life... It doesn't necessarily follow.
You guys want real marks? Get involved in combat... Otherwise, the scars and marks are just art is all, art on the body... Let's not get carried away talking about "souls." lol
True, there's nothing wrong with art if it makes the person feel better. It's that person's personal choice what to do with their body regarding art, as well as regarding anything else appearance-related.
For many who refuse to ever tatoo themselves, like me, it's as personal a choice as the choice made by someone who will have one done.
Personally, my choice, is to have everything important to me inside my mind... No need to share my values with strangers at a glance... Through conversation, if I allow it, will someone get to know what kind of art I like, who has died, how much I love skulls/crosses/etc. or whatever else is important to me.
The context of combat/war can bring a highly complicating and historical context to the discussion, but that's all different.
Yeah, I'm tatted-back. I lucked out because my cousin knew someone who does real good work... he's well-known where I'm from. He hooked-me-up proper. My tats have personal meaning for me. I went through a rough spot in my life waaaay back in the day, so he went off in black and grey on my sleeve with some demons(my inner demons), skeletons(skeletons in the closet), and smoke(I couldn't find my way). I f@#$ing love the thing... I always get compliments on the artwork. This f@#$cking guy did everything free-hand and didn't have an idea what he was gonna do... he just starting going off on my arm, and 3 hours later I had a dope-ass tat.
My other tat is on my right shoulder. Its of an Aztec warrior(my heritage). This was actually the first tattoo he did for me. Again, I just showed him a picture and he went from there. This one has hints of gold around it, but still black and grey. It really stands out when I go shirtless at the lake in the summer months.
I'm not really into color, though. I like my tats black and grey.
Yeah, once upon a time they used to be unusual expressions, and now they are more mainstream so not everyone is actually trying to scream that they are different, just perhaps that they like tattoos. I worked with a man in a corporation who was fully, FULLY tattooed to right above his watch line and right below his neck line. Dude was very staid looking with his suit and his wristcuffs, I asked him before I got my first tattoo why he did all of his. He told me that he just got addicted to the culture of it all. He was right, the whole process of selecting a tattoo, finding a good artist, going in to the shop, the mild pain and the bzzz of a needle combined with interesting conversation with the artist is totally addictive. I have two, I got them a year apart with a year consideration for both. Love them both to death, but neither I got for attention or to show off or proclaim my differences. If I get the chance and find something I like enough to put on my body I'd jump at the chance to have the experience again.
Piercings are a different experience for me. I was deathly afraid of needles, so I figured the way to get over it was to shove one in me and then take care of the resulting stabwound. My first was my right nipple with my BFF standing by my side. I turned white, almost passed out but made it through it. I was 18, totally a virgin with nobody but myself looking at my breasts, but again the process itself is fun and mildly addictive. I think at one point I had ten done, now I'm down to four only because it's no fun having a toddler pull on your lip ring. I didn't start out looking to establish myself as counterculture, but over the years I've found that the people who are into body mods even only lightly are mostly awesome people, fun to talk to and at least slightly interesting. That's the biggest reason I keep going back, I've made lifelong friends just by shoving some metal in my flesh. Oh, and completely erased my needlephobia. Flu shot, what?
I don't care what anything will look like when I'm 70, age is its own tattoo and if I'm lucky I'll be sharing my wrinkled tatts with other grams. It's actually pretty fun to imagine actually. Posted via Mobile Device
I could scar and mark myself up all day and still live little of life... It doesn't necessarily follow.
You guys want real marks? Get involved in combat... Otherwise, the scars and marks are just art is all, art on the body... Let's not get carried away talking about "souls." lol
True, there's nothing wrong with art if it makes the person feel better. It's that person's personal choice what to do with their body regarding art, as well as regarding anything else appearance-related.
For many who refuse to ever tatoo themselves, like me, it's as personal a choice as the choice made by someone who will have one done.
Personally, my choice, is to have everything important to me inside my mind... No need to share my values with strangers at a glance... Through conversation, if I allow it, will someone get to know what kind of art I like, who has died, how much I love skulls/crosses/etc. or whatever else is important to me.
The context of combat/war can bring a highly complicating and historical context to the discussion, but that's all different.
Combat? Really?
Yea, somebodies getting carried away alright.
Scars are just art? Non of my scars were put there intentionally. Each of them is a reminder of both good and bad times in my life.
No. Not really... Historically, there is a tight connection between tattoos, face paint, markings, etc. and combat throughout human history for thousands of years, something beyond art.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistys dad
Scars are just art? Non of my scars were put there intentionally. Each of them is a reminder of both good and bad times in my life.
Regarding unintentional scars, reread my post please and add the word intentional, meaning intentional marks on the body... Typing quickly I omitted that word by mistake and it conveyed an inaccurate opinion. I wholeheartedly agree your scars are special! I have a few special ones too!
This is what I meant to write:
"You guys want real marks? Get involved in combat... Otherwise, any intentional scars and marks upon the body are just art is all, art on the body... Let's not get carried away talking about "souls." lol"
No. Not really... Historically, there is a tight connection between tattoos, face paint, markings, etc. and combat throughout human history for thousands of years, something beyond art.
You can say that, but many cultures also use tattooing as a form of ritual... kind of like a coming-of-age thing. Many Pacific Islanders, as well as South American tribes do this.
You can say that, but many cultures also use tattooing as a form of ritual... kind of like a coming-of-age thing. Many Pacific Islanders, as well as South American tribes do this.
Yes, as a rite of passage... Those are interesting to study, too, and are extremely far removed from getting a tattoo at the local parlor of some art someone likes... Unlike the natives you refer to, the person at the parlor gets to pick...
In the tribal practices for rites of passage, an ancient native wouldn't have been able to say, "Hey chief, I wanted to be different. I want a Trans Am logo and a Confederate flag, cool?" lol
In fact, unlike the artistic appeal of wanting to be "different," the tattoos for rites of passage, FAR FROM AN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OF INDIVIDUALITY, were actually the opposite. They were designed to identify you as one of the boys that went through the rites, just like the rest of them... Another crucial difference here from the kid that gets something he drew in 1st period based on magazine and pop culture art tattooed on his back to look unique.
Loyalty
Criminal organizations
Manhood
Marking wealth
Marking Status
Marking feats of strength or valor
Property ownership
Marriage
Incarceration
Religion
Spying
Childbirth
Travels
Nothing at all
and every other reason you can think of.
Some have the deepest meaning possible, some have no meaning at all.
So, the tattoos of today are just as individual or just as boring as they have always been.
Just out of curiousity what makes a tramp stamp different for you than tattoos on other parts of a woman's body that you don't find to be a turn off?
A tramp stamp is basically a target for a guy while banging them doggie style, or simply for something the guy can look at while getting them from behind.
And only women I would consider tramps have ever had them.
To me a woman with one is saying, "I want as many men as possible to see this" and not by just lifting up her shirt and pulling her jeans down a bit to show it off either.
Re: Tattoos & Peircings...what are your opinions 
Im not sure - I never watched it.
My first was my right nipple with my BFF standing by my side. I turned white, almost passed out but made it through it. I was 18, totally a virgin with nobody but myself looking at my breasts, but again the process itself is fun and mildly addictive. I think at one point I had ten done, now I'm down to four only because it's no fun having a toddler pull on your lip ring. 
