Seems to me that in some cultures -- say the Maori -- that tattooing is a way of expressing solidarity with whatever the mainstream culture is.

Here, tattooing seems to be a way of setting ones self apart from the mainstream. That might explain both the attraction (I'm cool, unique, part of a sub-culture, etc.) and the negative reaction ("You dissin' my culture and values, punk?").

The tattooed guy on one of the Survivor series, Lex, lives in my town. It was kind of interesting for folks to find out that he shared lots of mainstream values. He worked in in marketing and, now, has been a TV spokesperson for local businesses.

Seems like wireless digital tattoos might eventually become a fad. Your Palm Pilot, iPod, or cell phone carries a personality profile (Look at me, I'm BAAD) which is broadcast to all?? These, at least, could be easily edited. This might take off if one wireless device or format gets dominant share??

Bring that person by the shop and Ill show you where and whats left behind instead of that tattoo. Id prefer a good looking female to examine too.

It is "your choice". The problem with these discussions is, they always come down to"it's what "I" want to do, and "I" don't care what anyone else thinks." So why ask the question in the first place??

Personally, my manhood has great meaning to me, but"I chose" not to put a picture of it on my wrist for the entire world to enjoy. But, thats just me.

Knew I should have just put my 2 cents toward tooling.
AL

I've seen this guys results, looks like normal skin. Like machining your result depends
on the operator.

I agree. I don't have any tattoos, but I have considered getting one done over the last few years. I may still do it. As long as you carefully consider what you want done , and place it where you can cover it if you need to, go for it. Tattoos are becoming so prevalent these days that no one may even notice tattoos that aren't on the hands or face (now that IS dumb, unless you are, and will remain in the tattoo industry for life). I work with a guy who has several tattoos, a couple of which are fairly large. All but one are covered when he is dressed in a short sleeve shirt. The one on his forearm doesn't draw much attention since the hair has grown back over it. The artist who did his work is very talented and his tattoos are very well done with incredible detail and shading that makes them almost three dimensional. He is pleased with them and says he will have more done in the years to come.

I have a vague memory that Barry Goldwater had a tiny tattoo between two of his fingers...part of the initiation as an honorary member of one of Arizona's Indian tribes. Charles

Don't judge a book by its cover. Lumping everyone with a tattoo into one category is just another type of racisim or descrimination. Not everyone gets a "Property of...", club colors or band logo, as has been pointed out in previous posts. Some people put a lot of thought into their tattoos and didn't choose something on a whim or dare at age 18. Would the Mona Lisa be any less of a masterpiece if it was inked on someone's skin instead of hanging on a gallery wall?

I don't have a tattoo but would like one. Mine would have a name; the name of my wife of 39 years and best friend for 5 more. Maybe I will follow that with the names of my children!-Jerald

Have two, one on each upper arm. Both marked the arrival of my two babies. A set of roses and her name for my first which represents my first love.
The second, a unicorn and her name which reminds me of the terrible time we had during her delivery and a drip tube attached to her poor little head in a unicorn fashion. Both girls are the light of my overwise drab life even if they think I'm a butt most of time. So, perhaps a chapter in my life which I'm so thankful.

I've been married to the same woman for 23 years and to this day have not have her name tattoo on me. The reason, I can always devorce my wife but the girls are my blood. Can't say I haven't thought about adding additional work but then the urge isn't strong enough.

Some folks who complete morons who really need a tattoo like a hole in the head. Tattoo's on women are sometimes sexy as long as it's small and hidden by everday clothes. I might add that this is alright as long as it isn't on my wife or girls. Sexist...very much but I am what I am.

Mine are covered by shirt sleeves, so no worries concerning customer thoughts or even the boss. And yes, I know only too well that many employers see tats on the lower arms or hands as possible trouble and many times decide not to hire based on that alone. But that as they say is life, you pay your nickle and you take your chance.

I am pretty sure that the fastest growing group of people getting tattoos now is women over 50.
And if there is one group of people I have learned not to criticise, its women over 50.

Incidentally, they are also the biggest growth market for buying Harleys.
No connection, I am sure, but just to be safe, and because I dont wanna get beat to death with a frying pan, I am going on the record as being in favor of both tattoos and harleys.

Actually, I have a couple of tattoos, but no harleys.
I am guessing that by the time this current batch of heavily tattoed people makes it to the old age homes, we arent even gonna notice tattoos any more.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/artic...01-000032.html

Here is a good read on the psycology of scars and tattoos for anyone interested.

Something that seems to be spreading here in the Tidewater area (where Virginia Beach is located) are temporary tattoos for little kids - citing parent's name, telephone number(s), any medical issues, etc.

Please do note - temporary - they last about a week even in the surf and sand - about right for a vacation away from home.

I understand there is now an on-line service where these can be had.

Only problem I can see is the kid getting use to 'admirers' and wanting a real one later in life - like - for their 7th birthday or something.

Stan Db

Another thing to consider for the young when getting a tattoo: How far do I plan on going in life? What opportunities could cross my path?Would you vote for President Bush if he had a full sleeve tattoo? How about investing money in Martha Stewart if she had her name tattooed around her neck. You may be "expressing yourself", but along with that you may be limiting future career opportunities. In life, doors open and doors close -- you need to be at your best when the door of opportunity opens. If you expect to be dealing with rock musicians all your life, OK, but who knows what tomorrow has to offer. Yes, it is prejudicial, but it is also life! What I expect out of motorcycle builder Jesse James and my dentist is completely different.

(Aren't you prevented from giving blood if you have tattoos? Probably can't even be a organ donor!)

Tattoos seem to be addictive in some people - an obsessive compulsive disorder. Get one and gain approval when they show it off and the reinfircement cycle begins soon followed by the if a little is OK then way too much is better.

I look at it this way. Get one tattoo if you must. Consider whether it makes you money, makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, gains you promotion, or approval from the people you need to impress. Look at the lives of people who sport tattos and talk of it with reverence. Then try to get rid of your tattoo.

Look at it this way: the more tattoos you have the fewer your personal options and the more restricted your life until you find the only friends you have are heavily tatooed, low accomplishment losers.

One tattoo? Fine. Two tattoos? Be careful of the obsessive compulive side of the tattoo subcultuure. Many tattoos, almost always bad.

A former employee came by wanting to get me to run to his father's house and load something with my forklift.

I turned him down. I gave short reasons, although none were needed because I pay for the forklift and its insurance.

Anyhow, he came in with this tattoo on his arm, and was wearing a sleeveless shirt to "show it off." I couldn't help but stare at it. It looked like $hit on a shingle, like all tattoos do, but it's NOT the reason I refused to move what he wanted me to with the lift. However, I will admit that it didn't help, and I'm an open minded person, basically Libertarian in thought. Still, I think it's poor business to show off that thing when going into businesses and asking for a man's important time and equipment.

I hope no one takes exception to my opinion of tattoos, but that's the subject asked about.

Richard

The 5,300-year-old Iceman found in Italy had tattoos ( http://archaeology.about.com/od/iterms/g/iceman.htm ). Similar adornment has been found on ancient inhabitants of every continent. It's one of the oldest documented forms of human adornment.

Do you object to people wearing red, or blue, or dying their hair? Get a life.

The seldom mentioned negative comment about tattoos is what if that person requires an MRI?

My understanding about the extremely strong magnetic field is that it will wipe/scramble credit/debit cards from a great distance and has caused more than one person to loose their life (after a oxygen bottle was pulled into the MRI.

And I believe the iron based ink in the tattoos may act like an induction heating system only in the persons skin.

I worked a temp job in San Diego Ca many years ago setting up a MRI at General Atomic (makers of one of the MRI sysyems). The Engineer made sure all metal items and credit cards were at a safe distance before the MRI was energized.

The system is kept in a superconducting state by being cooled with liquid nitrogen and once the MRI is energized it will maintain it almost as long as it is keep at this extremelly enviroment.

Yep. That is the whole point of the tattoo. It's about reaction. There is no possible way to have one that someone sees and not get a reaction. Even the idea of one is getting much reaction on the board.

You get to tell the one guy to "go to hell if you don't like it because YOU have a problem" and show the next one how "cool" you are, all while hiding behind the tattoo.

Richard

From the MythBusters

Exploding Tattoos:
The Myth: MRI machines can make tattoos explode!

The Experts: Fergus Coakley - Chief of Abdominal Imaging at UCSF - states that maybe one or two people out of a hundred might have some sort of minor reaction on their tattoo while in an MRI machine.
Mattie - Scottie's friend, who tattooed her arm, helps Kari tattoo the pork belly

The Action/Results: The build team tackles the exploding tattoo myth by trying several different experiments. First, after some fast talking by Adam, Scottie is persuaded to undergo an MRI herself, to see if her tattoos react. They don't, so the next step is to test the dyes and pigments that the tattoos are made from. The only pigment that reacts at all to an electromagnet is the iron oxide, so they decide to put that in the MRI. Before they can even insert it, however, the entire container is pulled right into the middle of the machine! Encouraged, Tory makes up a super-thick batch of iron oxide dye to use. Mattie, Scottie's friend, helps Kari to tattoo some pieces of pork belly - one with the super iron oxide dye, and one with regular iron oxide dye. Both pieces show up with abnormalities in the scan, but there is no swelling or redness, no leaching of the dye, and certainly no explosion.

End Result: Myth Busted

I would guess that the folks who are looking for a reaction from a tat, hair color or cut, or metal objects set tastefully into their foreheads are the first to complain that they shouldn't be judged by the 'enhancement'; but the whole point is to effect a change in how people judge them. If raising their score among their peer group is so important then losing points among the hiring managers of the world shouldn't be so bad.

I don't know how many folks I've hired with tasteful tats, I wasn't counting, but there are a number of really radical folks I've failed to consider. But then there are more that I never even looked at if they couldn't even fill out an application properly.