Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Tattoo Views

Got a bit of a question for everyone, Im doing my 4th year Sociology dissertation on Tattoo's in Western Society. I'm just trying to get going on developing a good research question, i am looking for some views of tattoo'd and non tattoo'd people of all ages. So if anyone has kids from the ages of 18+ it'd be good if you could ask and just see what they think and add it to the thread, Im looking into how the view of them is changing over time.
The idea for this came about when i was at work reading a tattoo magazine and a woman in her 60's (not ignoring her to read it, was just open in front of me as i served her) told me not to "ruin my body" with tattoo's as i will regret it (bear in mind im already 40% covered so its a bit late haha, they are all cover up able though. It just annoyed me how someone with no knowledge of who i am or what im like is able to tell me that i will regret my tattoos and what to do with my own life.

So what i want to know is, what are your views? Do you like them? If not, why not, what puts you against them? Does anyone have any, if so what? What made you get them? Do you have any regrets?

Im not a big fan of the "I just dont like them" Statement haha, i like viable reasons, so if you can, tell us why you have the view you do and what lead to this, would be super helpful!!

I did ask a guy that was shopping in ASDA last week who had both his forearms covered why he got them (if he didn't mind me asking) and he gladly told me that it was all the rage when he was in the navy and he got them because everyone else did and then proeeded to tell me that tattoo's are just a fashion statement today unlike his ones (pretty sure this is a wee bit of hypocricy but i let him go on and decided not to argue) So one opinion so far . . .

What do the TM members have to say

(Thanks in advance, any pics would be really cool as well :D)

No Pics, no tattoos but always an opinion

Been tempted by a meaningful subtle 'permanent reminder' but never succumbed. Closest I ever got was my kids names in Arabic (there is a proper reason there not just some pretty/mysterious script). Didnt do it for a couple of reasons:

1) permanence (do you see what I did ther )
2) Can give out the wrong impression
3) Jordan has them (tattoos - not my kids names)

I don't dislike the odd tattoo, certain ones on the laydeees can be sexy (first time I saw a small swallow tattoo'd on the very sexy ankle of a very sexy lady dressed to the nines was a pleasant memory).

I do dislike excessive tattoos covering a great deal of skin and any thing on the face. But I appreciate that each to their own and it certainly doeasnt harm me, and thus if 'you' like it go ahead.

I strongly dislike the I'm tattooed 'cos I'm hard look and image with "hate" and/or "kill" and/or "fury" etc over obvious parts of the body (especially the "cut here" around the neck - don't tempt me!) those I can not even justify on anyone else.

I suppose the crux of the matter is a tattoo because it means something to you (loved ones names) or promotes soemthing you believe in (army regiment or even football club?) or something pretty or attractive (in the eye of the beholder I appreciate) is absolutely fine.

Something done to engender a reaction (other than the above) and particularly aggressive is not. All IMHO of course.

Oh and lastly, my FIL had one on his arm when in his teens that he greatly regrets and will always wear long sleeve shirts when able!

Hope it helps

BtG

olleyjp,

Don't like tattoo's even though some of them can be nice to look at. Why, is difficult to explain. I think I like to see the real thing, not the pimped version. Bit like excessive make up. Most of the times they do not give me positive vibes about the wearer. Often it is a spur of the moment thing, that must be the worst form. The "art" itself might be time-less but your taste can/will change over the years. At 16 you think a motorhead album cover is the db's, but later in life you might not be so chuffed with the whole scene on your body.
Many tattoos are just the latest fad and follow fashion like clothes and jewelery. Like all that tribal stuff. What does it mean, what does it represent? What does it tell me about the wearer? Maybe I am just old fasioned? Aside from discrete tatoos on easily covered parts, or tattoos with life long sentimental values, I would advise anyone against. But then luckily everyone can decide for them self. PS; Why do you need opinions on kids 18+ only? My oldest (girl) is 16, no tattoos, she wanted them when she was 13, we discouraged, now she is glad. Cheers JJW.

I just suggested the 18+ as 18 is the legal age of getting tattoo'd, but then again, everyone does have an opinion so maybe i was wrong in saying.

What is it that you think about the wearer when you see them tattoo'd? This is the sort of information im looking for
I definately agree with you JJW and Boshly on the "hate" style tattoos to provoke agression etc and the "album cover" but then again on the album cover, perhaps Motorhead and some of the music was a big part of the persons younger years and they will use the tat to represent this. Who knows.

My tattoo's have meaning to me and are all coverable. But it does annoy me that people view you differently for having them. But this stigma is changing and thats what i want to put my focus onto.

What do you think of people when you see them tattoo'd?

I quite like the idea of the armed forces tattos and can undertand the reasons for the Hells Angels form. They show you belong, like a rite of passage.

They also make me involuntarily react with concern in many situations where I see them. I guess this is the result of the press promoting the gang aspects of them. My reaction to people who have had fashion tattos as I call them is "sad fashion victim". A bit like wearing Victoria Beckham Jeans.

I think the aspect of tattos that is interesting is when they came out of the underworld and clan sides (hells angels, gangs) and into the "marketing" side with the Nike Swoosh moment. They then went "celeb" and it all got out of hand.

Clay Timon of Landor is reputed to have been in the vanguard of of this and was part of the program that identified the value of tatt's to the marketing organisation of large companies such as Nike. At this point the wannabes start to have Tatts of their own using the swoosh on their arm to emulate the high profile sports personalities Nike sponsored. I hear the sound of sheep

This could be a total shaggy dog story but some people I talked to a few years ago explained about the very word "branding" being stimulated through the first introduction to body art. Some Harley owners were asked why they had the Harley wings painted onto their body as a permanent tatto. They responded with the statement that they liked their "brand" (like a cow) as it showed they had the strength to take pain in order to be identified with what they aspired to. It was tough, unashamedly so.

So if the aspirational product/vendor/lifestyle you like is that important to you that you are willing to have your body branded like a cow then it must be good. So the goal of a vendor was to become a brand, if marketing have done their job so well that people will have their bodies disfigured for life to be identified then they have been successful. How odd is this world ?

So who's first for a Morgan Tatt then, we must have a few takers on this board.....perhaps a Henna one for a starting point.

Maybe Simon could organise a discount for a group booking at a quality emporium and provide the logo used for the window stickers.....form an orderly queue

Wouldn't have a tat myself and don't like to see them on other people, if someone came to me for a job in my business[retail sales, older conservative customers] with visible tats I wouldn't be keen to offer them a job. If they had tats out of sight then it's none of my business. I wouldn't make a judgement about someone purely on the basis of a tattoo either at work or socially but it would form a part of the overall impression. Son #1 is in his early 20's wouldn't have one, not because I disapprove but for his own reasons. Many of his friends do have them and they are often the subject of family mealtime mirth, ie the young man with a gypsy tattoed on each knee winking at each other, the bloke who couldn't afford the wizard tat or whatever so just had the words 'Harry Potter' instead.

A friend my age who was in a bike gang and has the knuckle tats to prove it wishes he hadn't. I find them disfiguring and can't understand why anyone would have them done.

I'm not qualified to pass judgement on this, but why make an exception as I pass judgement on everything else..........
There must be many complex reasons why people elect to mark their bodies permanently. Maybe there is only one reason why people don't. There's no question that kids have tats (and smoke) to "look hard". There also seems to be a link to body piercings. I don't understand any of this, except that some people need to belong to a group by exhibiting visual clues, by clothing, hairstyles, etc etc etc. Five days a week I belong to the suit & tie office worker group, who generally don't display tats. When off duty I belong to the checked shirt & jeans group. I make no attempt to be fashionable or fit in in any other way.
Anyone who doesn't fit my self image will be judged - that's human nature. At the moment tats are a fashion statement, so those who have them are at the very least, victims of fashion.
So - I don't have any real answers, just a ramble.........

i personally would say that the reason i dont have a tattoo is not because i dislike them but more because of their permanence. something you decide to get a tattoo of today may no longer hold its appeal to you in say..30 years time. not only that but as you get older the tattoo fades and distorts. I think that small, discreet tattoos that you choose for a particular reason can be very tasteful. Quite a few of my mates considered having very small tattoos done, in places such as feet/ankles/hips/shoulder blades - usually somewhere that could be easily covered. Most of them liked the idea of having a tattoo but didnt want it to affect other people's perception of them... or be something they have to explain to the grand kids

Young-one, you placed the key point right there,

"Most of them liked the idea of having a tattoo but didnt want it to affect other people's perception of them"

This perception (no offence to anyone, is generally linked to older people) and it needs changed i think. We're no different to anybody else.

Whether or not one approves/disapproves of tattoos, it must be remembered that they are effectively permanent - attempted removal is costly, painful and inevitably leads to scarring.
To paraphrase a popular proverb act in haste, repent at leisure: