“Do you think my tattoo is cool?” No, I don’t. There are no cool tattoos. “Check out my sleeve!” Oh god ew.
Tattoos themselves are stupid. Doubly so if it’s some media IP. “I put Batman on my body!” “Look at this image of Goku on my calf!” I can’t think of many things I’d want to do less than that.
There are a few narrow exceptions. Chances are yours isn’t one of them.
If you personally like tattoos, fine. I’m not saying nobody should get tattoos because I don’t like them. I’m stating my opinion that tattoos are stupid, and I am stating it here because it is probably not a popular opinion.
I firmly believe everybody has a right to do with their own body whatever they want. That said…
Tattoos used to be a symbol of anti-conformity. Over the past 30 years that has completely flipped. I have yet to meet a single person with tattoos who is an original thinker. I’m sure they exist, but they’re a needle (pun?) in a haystack.
So what do you consider “Anti-Conformity” with “Original thinking”? And have you stopped to think that tattoos being anti-conformity just kind of became a social norm on it’s own natural societal change?
Owning a car used to be a status symbol. Now everyone and their 16yo kid owns one.
Cars have become an engineered necessity in North America. Tattoos, at least for the time being, are not.
The clearest example I can think of for what I’m trying to explain is that folks these days get tattoos in lieu of developing an actual personality. Everyone I have met (featuring more than, say, one or two tattoos of regular size), is utterly obsessed with their tattoos. They talk about them constantly, peacock at every opportunity, and plan for more. Their opinions are all exactly the same, depending on political polarity.
If we dug into the psychology of it, I would hypothesize people get tattoos for the same reason people develop eating disorders, or compulsively clean: to gain a sense of control over their lives which feel out of control. You know who does that? People who can’t handle uncomfortable ideas. You know what we call those people? Conformists.
Tattoos have most definitely lost their former social stigma but the claim that they are a symbol of conformity now is a wildly absurd statement.
You have only to ask yourself, if that severe social stigma was still in place, would people still be getting tattoos? And we both know the answer is no, they would not. The only reason tattoos are popular today is because they have become socially safe, even preferable, to have. People who get them simply don’t have whatever it takes to go against the grain.
Lol this is nonsense. People were getting tattoos back when that social stigma still existed; so to answer your question: yes, people would still be getting tattoos even if the social stigma existed. Obviously.
Yes, more people feel free enough from potential discrimination to now allow themselves to consider getting a tattoo, but that doesn’t make it a symbol of conformity. No one is forcing people to get tattoos or else they face social punishment.
You’re not some rebel who “goes against the grain” by not getting tattoos. No one gives a shit if you don’t have a tattoo. Those of us who do just wish people would give the fact we have them the same respect and stop barring us from jobs just because we have some visible ones.
Touch grass, mate. This isn’t some high school popularity contest.
I agree with you that people shouldn’t be discriminated against for body modifications. I was speaking strictly about a particular kind of people with a particular kind of mindset who think their tattoos make them interesting. The fact I’ve touched a nerve and offended you (you’ll probably say I didn’t, but eh) tells me I’m on to something. Someone who values originality and individuality truly wouldn’t give a shit. Only a conformist would be afraid of losing status because their tattoos aren’t as popular as they think. But we’ll just have to agree to disagree. ✌️
Prime example of “moving the goal posts” cause you got called out for being a little shit.
Get your head out your ass, simpleton.
Sorry to tell you insults don’t really work on me, but feel free to continue if it feels meaningful to you.
What does bother me, however, is the way you misapply random internet jargon. You did it before with “touch grass,” which I was nice enough to ignore, but you’ve stumbled anew with “moving the goal posts.” Next you’ll accuse me of gaslighting, probably. I know I should be pleased since it kind of proves my point about tattoos correlating with conformity and lack of original thinking, but this is one of those “disappointed to be right” kinda deals.
Just to calibrate your definitions, “touch grass” is for people who are chronically online and have no real-world experience (like a virgin who picks up derogatory opinions about the opposite sex, for example). It doesn’t apply in this case because I know lots of people with tattoos; some of them are even good friends. I never said you were bad people. I simply pegged you as conformists.
Think about it honestly for a minute, if willing. You didn’t get your tattoos because you’re interesting. You got them to be popular. You got them because you saw other people with them and you thought those people were cool and you also wanted to be cool. But now you’re coming to the uncomfortable realization that tattoos don’t make you cool. Once upon a time, interesting people were the only ones who could get away with having tattoos. Nowadays only boring people get tattoos because they want to appear interesting.
Tattoos are mainstream. And, like it or not, you are mainstream. The most mainstream, frankly. If I were you I’d just own that instead of feeling butthurt over it. For one such as you, there is no other path to redemption. 🙏