h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tattoos are silly. First of all, you've got to bee pretty insecure about your appearance to need colored ink injected under your skin to make you look cooler. You have to pay a man to give you one, and the process is painful. Not only that, if you ever change your mind and want to get the damned thing off, you have to pay another man more money, and endure more pain. They also can be used by law-enforcement authorities as identifying marks, which would greatly aid in your identification and capture if you're ever on the run from the law.

My husband agrees with you, which is unfortunate, as I have recently had a tattoo of a bumblebee done on my shoulder. This was after much soul searching and discussion with said husband. I will also admit that my self image is perhaps not what it could be, but to be honest, who's is?

It is definately something you have to think about a lot before going ahead with. But it doesn't hurt that much. Which my husband says is a pity.

By the way, to fuel the fire of controversy a bit, was there a hint that tattoed people are more likely to be on the run from the police?

It is possible that people with tattoos may have more reason to be on the run from the police due to them assaulting the person causing them agony with a bloomin great needle. Still iam really looking forward to posh spice having a house full of kids just to see where Beckham is going to stick all their names because as all parents know you cant have one without the others.

It's tragic how some narrow-minded people can fail to see the reasons behind individuals exercising their freedom of choice. I assume those anti-tattoo types will also be against the use of make-up, trips to the hair dresser, non-uniform dress modes and other expressions of individuality? Yes, tattoos are generally 'permanent', although there is a sweeping craze of temporary tatoos at the present time. Is this also not acceptable? People have tattoos for all sorts of reasons, just as they choose how to style their hair, what clothes to wear, which football team to support, what to eat, etc. It may hurt, but again, that is the individuals choice. There are people who regret getting tattooed, just as they regret drinking too much last night, eating that last slice of pizza, or getting married (something else which used to be considered 'permanent'). As for being easily identifiable - 1) Isn't that the whole point? 2)Being recognised by the police if you're on the run is unlikely to be a problem, perhaps not least because being 'easily identifiable' is more likely to encourage you to be a 'law-abiding' citizen. If you did wrong, you should pay for it. Full stop.

just cos the police are after you doesn't mean you did wrong...

No, but that's not what I said.

accidental implication, then. sorry.

You misunderstand me. My post was not intended to advocate the outlawing of tattooing procedures, or to label all those who bear tattoos as felonious deviants. I simply outlined the train of thought that led me to my believe that the idea of letting another inject inks under my skin is silly, and I would present this argument to any friend who was considering the procedure. I might add that I do find many forms of make-up, hairstyling, and fashion silly as well. The final remark in my post was intended as a simple joke (shamelessly borrowed from George Carlin), and I apologize if I offended. I suppose this is simply a case of one man's trash being another man's treasure.

No offence taken, or intended in return. My comments were also meant as a personal statement on the subject, and not aimed at anyone in particular. Still, it's good to talk!

I believe you were you just provoking 'argument' or perhaps better said as 'discussion' with your comments about tattoos being silly. So, here's some.

From my POV, my tattoos were not done to make me look cool. I have 3, in places that are not usually shown off to the public. They are all quite large, and did hurt to a degree, tho. not actually so much. (As an aside, the last one I had done - which is a work in progress at this time - I was practically asleep under the artists hands. There are people out there with a deft touch!) I will not want them removed, as I thunked long & hard about having them done & the images that I chose. This is quite opposite to societies 'quick fix, want-it-now, disposable-everything' attitude. Think hard & be prepared to stick with your choices! - both novel ideas today.

On the subject of cost - of course they do. You are (or should be) paying for quality work from a professional artist. If they are not, RUN AWAY!

As for the pain - if you want something, have it. Life is pain, sometimes. Why should that put you off?

Anyway, thats my tuppence worth.

Zed

Saying that tattoos are silly and for people who are insecure, might be a little hasty. I got a tattoo about a year ago, and i had been thinking about it for a while. Tattoos are a way of expressing your feelings, but also a way for one person to communicate to another what group, for instance, he/she belongs to. I'm not saying it is the best way to express yourself, but i am saying that it's a better way than a lot of other ways. Some people express them sleves by painting or writing poems, but some people choose to express their feelings by being painted. Essentially what I think is that people who gets tattoos should be respected as much as painters or sculptors.

...And, like any art form, there are those who appreciate it and those who don't. I, for example, really enjoy things like jazz and contemporary literature, while I have only a passing appreciation for painting, and I absolutely hate musical theatre. I guess I would never get a tattoo for the same reason that I would never take up stonecarving: the end result, to me, is simply not worth the necessary sacrafices or risks.

That POV is fair enuff & easy to respect. Labelling the rest of us silly & insecure...? Still, a good discussion is much more fun than sitting round agreeing with each other yesno?

I haven't got one myself but Well Said!!!

I'm sorry to have to dissagree with you Researcher 44704, people deserve respect for the deeds the do, respect is something you earn whether you're a painter a poet a refuse collector or someone who is tattooed

YOU SHOULD NEVER SPEAK UNTIL YOU´VE DONE SOME SERIOUS THINKING... YOU SEEM TO HAVE A LITTLE PROBLEM MAKING UP YOUR MIND...? MAYBE ONE COULD SAY THAT YOU´RE A HYPOCRITE?

I might have it a wrong way. What I meant was that you can look at people with tattoos as the paper of the painter or the poet. Then think of it as an individual experience each time you see a different tattoo, and try to give it as much thought as when you see a painting or a poem. So respect the tattoo, and not the person who has it. (until you have talked to him/her).

Now your talking, that makes sense. I didn't think you mean't that we should respect painters and poets just cause they are P & P's

I think you may be stereotyping the tattooed a little,
not everyone who gets tattoed feels insecure or wnats to be cool.
Sure, you wouldn't get a tattoo if you thought it looked crap,
but then you wouldn't buy a car that wasn't what you would regard
as at least a little bit cool, (unless finances dictate of course).
Tattoos are for life, consequently having a tattoo that you may regret
is silly - I don't regret any of mine, but then I loved them on paper
before they weren applied to flesh.

Law enforcing authorities have dna typing, finger-printing and cameras
- I don't think a celtic band is gonna get me traced any easier if I am ever "on the run".

Peace y'all

I don't mean to be a 'negative nellie' but, given that most police captures rely on a:happy accidents - 'Oh hey that who jumped a red light had a body in the boot(trunk)' and b: members of the public going 'y'know, I remember the bloke with the balacalva and the bag of money now, didn't think anything of it at the time' when asked by 'CrimeWatch' or similar reconstruction shows, rather than dna or other gadgets, your celtic band may be the one thing that jogs their memory.

A case in point in the UK was the bank robber who carried on getting away with for 2 years merely by wearing different hats!! It was only when the police pointed out that he was only 4'6" tall that anybody remembered him.

Possibly we should either not rob banks or cover our tattoos when we do it. What does the majority vote here?

H&K
Z