A tattoo says, “Stupid & immature”. Multiple tattoos say, “Avoid contact with me if at all possible”.
I got my first tattoo (an American flag on my right shoulder) at 18 as a form of protest against a mother who raised us to despise them. Then the crest of my university after college graduation on my other shoulder. These weren't meant to be flashy, meaningless images but outward expressions of who I was. Then came Latin phrases on my forearms. I figured, "I can always wear long-sleeved shirts to the office." They were phrases embodying my morality and ethics (Truth and Justice).
After several long years going without, I have no desire to get any more. I understand the want to ink one's body as a form of social or parental protest, but to do so as simply a way to get noticed or to have an excuse to lift one's shirt or take off one's shorts is to be hopelessly lost in one's own mind. I filled my soul with the warmth of God and the love of a great woman, but that doesn't mean I was empty-souled before.
Stupid and immature? Okay, maybe. Avoid all contact? Well you might find yourself in a very silent sea of people in the near future, Mister Da. Some of us choose our tattoos wisely and realize that they're not only permanent but an expression of our own humanity.
A tramp stamp? Yeah, that serves no purpose, hence the name. But a woman who tattoos the names of her children on her body or a soldier who tattoos the names of his fallen friends on his body, are they equally inane in your eyes or do they represent thoughtful understanding of the meaning of this art form?
It used to be a means to convey a personal accomplishment of significance, or a remembrance of some one close.
Multiple tattoos say, “Avoid contact with me if at all possible”.
A friend of mine in the psychiatric field said that More than 5 tats was the sign of a sociopathic personality.
I stand by my original comment.
Are you aware that a wound to a tattooed area could cause blood poisoning or other complications? Did you know that if a woman has a tattoo in the small of her back, she may be refused an epidural for pain during child birth? The same holds true for anyone where their tattoos prevent certain medical treatments?
In our busy lives, we must make instant decisions every day that could deeply affect our lives. Most times, we don’t have the time or inclination to properly evaluate people with which we have brief business or encounters.
Our eyes are our best & most immediate tool to make these decisions. If something or someone is visually offensive, we reject it, pure & simple. Human nature. Also, a right as an individual.
I believe in free speech, but I also believe others can reject that speech as wrong or offensive - rejection is also free speech. Ultimately, if you want an audience, you must play to that audience.
A tramp-stamp means “this side up”