City Guide
Answers
Login
Home
/
Community
/
Forums
/ Post a Reply
Post a Reply
Thread: Tattoo cultures in China and the West
Title:
(100 characters at most)
Content: ( 3,000 characters at most, please )
You can add emoticons below to your post by clicking them.
[quote=GUEST60198,325885] Tattoos have been around forever, but only began to gain respectability in America probably around 30 years ago as more talented artists entered the field, all aspects of the art progressed, and people became more liberal in their thinking regarding self-expression, etc.. Before that, getting tattooed was pretty much limited to the military- primarily sailors, and to people of low socio-economic status, which is why many older folks look down on tattooed people. Anyway, to answer your question, yes, tattoos are very popular in America- especially among younger people, certain athletes, etc., etc., but just like in China and some other countries, I guess, many people still consider a tattoo to be sign of the lower class, or- at the very least, not a Great Idea… which is the view I hold, oddly, I suppose, in that I was a professional tattoo artist for more than 10 years. Don’t get me wrong, however: in general, I still like much about the art; I’m simply trying to address your concerns. FWIW, two hundred + years ago, Benjamin Franklin- statesman, scientist & writer, wrote, “… in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes”- a quote that probably every American knows. Well, I’d suggest that nothing is certain except death, taxes, and *CHANGE,* and that relates to tattoos because whatever image you might like to have tattooed on your body now... well, you might think Much Differently about it in the future. Just for example… well, who knows? Perhaps the tattooed TV star one wants to emulate now… will become an embarrassment & source of ridicule in the future. Yep… it's that pesky ol' “change” thing rearing its ugly head. I’ve seen it many, many times. Trust me on that one. Also, sorta’ related, is that I’ve heard many times, “tattoos are addictive,” and yes, perhaps for some people they’re “addictive,” but I believe that many people get more than one tattoo simply because the first tattoo didn’t accomplish its intended goal, whether the person consciously recognizes it or not. It just didn’t work. It didn’t make the person appear to be stronger or beautiful or more desirable, or whatever. Incidentally, as silly as this may sound: I’d recommend that you never get an image tattooed on your body that you wouldn’t even hang a picture of in your home. Incredibly, many people do. Not so incredibly, many soon regret the decision. A highly respected tattoo artist who was famous throughout the industry a couple of decades ago, and who contributed greatly to the current popularity of tattoos, once said that “tattoos are psychic armor,” which, for good or ill, is probably the best statement I’ve ever heard on the subject. So what’s the bottom line? > If it works for U… great. Just be aware that in the future, you might feel Very Differently about your choice of tattoos, and that some doors WILL be closed to you because you’re tattooed, so, frankly… you might *need* that “armor.” [/quote]
characters left
Name:
Get a new code