Why do people get tattoos?

I am guessing you don’t have tattoos ASM, but would you date a guy with tattoos? or befriend those who have tattoos?

Tattoos seem to have gone from Tribal, to stigma, to stylish.

I’m working on my sixth one currently. Haven’t decided what it will be quite yet.

I’m quite conservative however in that none of them are publicly visible.

No I don’t have any tattoos, but that is not what I am saying. It becomes troublesome when people become obssessive about them.

What I was referring to was something similar to this

julian-arahanga-once-were-warriors-1994-bpf07w.jpg

admittedly, these men wear them well as they are warriors, (New Zealand Maoris), but when your regular guy is covered in them it sends a different message.

Yes, it often still is tribal, or a rite of passage. There are several aspects: one is to demonstrate courage, another is to show solidarity - and, in that case it does have to show.
People also get them simply for fashion - everyone on the football team has one; or everyone in the social circle; or it’s simply an accessory to show off in a certain occupation, school or neighbourhood. People imitate one another and like to fit in.

Also, it’s a form of commemoration of a person or event. Somebody might get a tattoo in memory of a dead friend, a sad love-affair, graduation - all kinds of things that have meaning for them.
Sometimes it’s a personal statement or even manifesto; that is, it tells the world something the wearer considers important they want to communicate - about their character, values, convictions, faith, sexuality, etc.
And sometimes it’s purely decorative.

I’ve seen some very attractive tattoos, mostly on young women, and some quite ugly ones, mostly on men.
Individual pictures and patterns are interesting. When the tattooing is too dense, it just makes the person look in need of a good scrub.

…and very costly.

I would get taken aback when I first started seeing legions of overly-tattooed males (and some females) but stopped being so when I came to know that it was just body art, with little or no symbolic meaning, but meaningful to them.

The two Maori men I met at a neighbour’s party in the early 00s left an indelible impression in my thoughts… bullish, chauvinistic, demanding (“get me a drink woman”) but oh so funny… I got them and they got me. I haven’t met a Maori since… they seem to still be insular to their own.

The raw emotion being felt during this Haka is evidence of their still-tribal existence, but not a tattoo in sight…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KACrV4MUUz0[/youtube]

This is why I have mine as well. It’s not any different than dressing a certain way to express who you are, or speaking a certain way. Material things can all go away, but I will take my ink, and my story with me to the grave.

If you looked at me, you would never guess I had any. Most people describe me as your next-door-neighbor type, beautifully average and probably boring.

People see you not for who you are, but they see you for who they are.

I don’t hide my tattoos per se, I just don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks about them. So I get them in places that mean something to me, and only to me. They are personal to me and to my journey and all relevant to me in aesthetic and beauty.Their true meaning and purpose will go with me to my grave and become ash.

There are people who get tattoo’s as fetish, or trend or to feel like they are a part of a group… and that’s their journey. But no one walks in anyone’s shoes, so why would you judge them by appearance alone?

I have a friend who has “Diabetic” tattooed on both her arms where they would usually do an IV/injection. It saved her life.

Mags wrote:

Thanks for the vid, it was beautiful.

The Maori’s are the perfect example of meaningful tattoos and they wear them proudly as I think they may be ‘earned’. When they are young they are beautiful physically and like you said the men exude masculinity, the tattoos enhance this. I recommend if you have not already seen ‘Once were warriors’, but be prepared for tears.

Ta moko - traditional Māori tattooing, often on the face - is a taonga (treasure) to Māori for which the purpose and applications are sacred.

Kirituhi means skin art and describes more general tattooing.

youtu.be/_NV45ZuepZo

images-14.jpeg

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Somehow. to me, as an observer only, ‘white man’s facial tattoos’ seem to be a poor copy of the above

Aussenseite wrote:

“Good on ya”

Meaningful or not, it’s ugly. And I am speaking of Maori.

You are a white man.

No tribal instinct left in you.

Actually, I think I have too much of it. In relation to what is ideal, of course. In relation to some other people, I am sure, I appear as if I have no such instinct at all.

But what does that have to do with anything . . . they are ugly, period.

The fact that you can relate to it means nothing, certainly not that it’s beautiful.

You need to make a comparison, decide on what is better, reach closure. Simply being open-minded isn’t enough.

[b]MA wrote:

[/b]

if I recall correctly, you laid some pseudo claim as to your heritage with the Vikings.

HA!

Look them up and their tribal tattooing.

You recall incorrectly.

Enlighten me.

What is your ancestry again?

1/2 Serb
1/4 Montenegrin
1/4 Herzegovinian

Don’t see Norsemen in there.

But there may be some Celts . . . May-be. Noone knows. Slavs mixed with them, rumors have it, and most Serbs have significant percentage of Celtic genes, some claim. I have some Celtic traits, like Celtic skin, and keratosis pilaris, but that means little to nothing.

I mentioned Celts, not Norsemen. And even then, I wasn’t serious.

Tattoos are ugly.

I do not like asymmetrical tattoos only symmetrical ones and preferably black in
colour. And only on white women too. Though I prefer women without any at all

The motivation for getting a tattoo is all over the map. Some people what want to mark an event or person or religious/political position. Or just to have art on their body. Or some combination of the above. Having a tattoo is a way to make a statement – first to yourself – then to anyone else who sees it. We all want to express ourselves and be heard by others. We want to clarify what we think and relate that to others. If we don’t relate to others we feel alone – isolated. Being alone is painful. So it seems reasonable to say that one gets a tattoo in order to relate to oneself and others.

Of all the tattoo ideas I’ve come across, I must say this one is the most memorable! :laughing:

youtube.com/watch?v=UwXOAZDewuo

Well in all sincerity the penis should be revered.

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According to Taoist philosophy, the penis is completely Yang in nature, as the Vagina is completely Yin in nature. It is only when the two are together that there is true balance.
The penis has 5 virtues.

  1. The penis is Kind. It exists mainly as a tool for servicing the woman, and in this it keeps on giving and giving.
  2. The penis is Righteous. It is not selfish. It performs its duty, yet it is empty on the inside, a hollow tube, with nothing of its own.
  3. The penis is Courteous. It is polite. It advances or retreats at the right time. It is hard or soft at the right time. It is shaped neither squarely, nor is it pointed or sharp edged. It will neither hurt nor show lack of discipline.
  4. The penis is Wise. It knows how to find a way to please the woman, and it will do whatever is in its power to satisfy her.
  5. The penis is Honest. It will keep labouring until it completes its duty. If it cannot fulfill its duty it gives up completely. It is completely honest. If it likes you it stands up straight. If it does not it becomes indifferent.

No wonder women have penis envy. :mrgreen: