A tattoo is the mark of the lower class. It's doesn't matter whether your whole body is covered or you just got a tiny little butterfly that no one ever sees, you're still low class.

Indeed. The term "permanent bell bottoms" is perfect.

Riding a chopped Harley once identified you as a rebel

/now it identifies you as a lawyer

"A permanent reminder of a temporary emotion"

Jimmy Buffett

I guess I don't really care about anything enough to have it indelibly marked on my skin for anyone to see. And if everyone who is seemingly trying to be counter-culture now has a tattoo, wouldn't it be counter-culture to NOT have a tattoo?

If you are a pretty girl, having a tattoo means you have made a terrible mistake.

"The only difference between a tattooed person and a person who isn't tattooed is that the tattooed person doesn't care if you're tattooed or not."

My Dad tattoos for a living now. He apprenticed with Jack Armstrong in Texas, and Jack is the father of the style of tattoo gun used by a lot of industry. He learned Old School, tattooing on pig skins before he could touch anything alive. He went through a fairly long apprenticeship, and he's been a busy guy. If you want Celtic knotwork or tribal in Texas, he's the guy to go to. Amazingly precise and minute in detail, he's got it down. He was always a very precise sort when he was in the Army, and when he got out, he took that with him.

Having a tattoo means that you like tattoos. It's not a sign of rebellion. It's not a sign of low class. It means that you like the art, maybe you like the process, something in the piece speaks to you. I've designed a few tats myself, and it's amazing to see your work on skin. It's amazing to see art breathe and move and flex.

Are there dumb tats? Yup. A good artist makes for damn sure that you know what you're getting into, and that's one of the reasons that my Dad's shop doesn't do a lot of tats. He isn't afraid to tell a client "No, you're not getting that here. You're not getting that from me, and here's why..."

Good shops, responsible shops, do that. They like to get to know their clientele and they like people.

Scratchers? They just want to get paid, and they don't care what the damn work looks like. And that's why you always check folks out before you go in to get work done.

Go to responsible shops. Get good work, if you want it done. Be smart about what you get, and where you get it. If you show up drunk, and want a tat, and they say, "Yeah, let's DO THIS!" Run. Don't walk. Those are not the folks you want putting ink on you.

I wish I could get ink. I know some great artists, and I wish that I wasn't on blood thinners, because the folks my Dad has hooked up with, are amazing artists. And they are. Their medium is changeable, it is malleable, it ages, it has a shelf life, but to say that it touches folks is such a double meaning that it nearly breaks the heart sometimes.

If you're going to get work: get something that means something to you. From someone that you trust, that you've looked up, that you've compared to others, and find the artist that is right for you, as much as the art you want.

As for the haters? F*ck 'em. Not their body. Don't be stoopid, but if you find something that is right for you, and you have the right artist that you trust, and they are good with it--and that is where the trust thing comes in, because if they tell you Poo Bear on your forehead would be "Wicked!" then get the f*ck out of there--then drive on.

One of mine:


I've been stopped on the street by people who want to take pictures of it.

Jesus, can't you people wait three days for the swelling to go down before photographing your new tattoo?

Or is the swelling some kind of tattoo street cred.

Person with tattoos - "Hey do you have any tats?"
Person without tattoos - "Nah, I'm not a fan of them"
Person with tattoos - "Don't judge me! I don't give a fark what you think about them!"

bmihura: Tattoos are indeed useful, especially when making hiring decisions.

I always figure the kinds of people who say this are never involved in interviews, at least not for important positions. Maybe you check through stacks of resumes for entry level positions, but no one has given you actual responsibility, just another in the long line of tedious tasks. You're the mall security of the corporate world, itching to use the little bit of power because everyone laughed when you had an erection in class when the new girl walked in, and there was the first impression which haunted you until the day she declined your invitation to the prom, and Steve, who just got his first tattoo which was some inconsequential wall-art shouted out, "Aim lower erection boy!" which sparked the entire quad to laugh and point. Ever since, you have wanted a tattoo to be as cool as Steve but are too uncomfortable in your own body; and whenever someone comes in with the tattoo slightly visible, including a loving memory of a passed relative, you get this image of Steve and new girl f*cking, end the interview, and cry while masturbating.

I could get that on my left shoulder blade, keep it about .7cm square...

Mister Peejay: Mawson of the Antarctic: The clearest sign for me that someone needs the knowhowiknowyouregay.jpg is if a beautiful woman who has a tattoo throws themselves at them and they retch with disgust because "she's ruined her beauty with that horrid, whorish ink."

Someone who vehemently hates tattoos on women has something of a closeted Madonna/Whore complex going on. It's just ink! Look at it formally. It's a painting that is in continuous movement and is attached to a being who has an extraordinary realm of associations that enrich or drain the meaning of it on a regular basis.

It's not that at all.

It's... okay, and let's be realistic here: You know how hard it is to look at someone with an obvious disfigurement, like missing front teeth or a huge ugly scar or a missing limb? It's exactly like that. You stop seeing the person, you just keep looking away because you don't want to actively stare at the thing about them which is a disfigurement. Yes, I know you love your ink, and that's fine. But it is a disfigurement, at the very least in the sense that it is an alteration from expected norms.

I don't care if you have a tattoo. Just don't care that some percentage of the population is physically repulsed by them. There's plenty more people who aren't.

/actually isn't bothered by missing teeth or limbs as much as tattoos

What if, for example, you fell in love with me. Hypothetically of course. If you never saw a single tattoo on my body because I keep them well covered most of the time, then what if, as lovers do, you finally saw my body as we undressed to make love. Would you then suddenly see me as disfigured or repulsive because I had them? Wouldn't you care much more about the good person inside or how I make you feel?

In my opinion, you might as well say you're repulsed by brunettes. I am one. I could easily dye my hair to suit what you think is beauty, but why should I have to? Can't you love a person just on the actions they do, the good deeds, the way they treat people? Or will anyone with ink be forever branded in your mind as repulsive, even six months after you grew to love them as a person? How exactly does that light switch flip for you? That's completely ridiculous.

/you probably have a lot of friends with ink that you don't know about

MoronLessOff: kiwimoogle84: MoronLessOff: kiwimoogle84: You don't have to understand it, I do.

As one who used to yo-yo excessively, I might understand.
:'(

I used to tell people that yoyo tricks was how he got into my pants.

/I sound slutty

Not at all. Yo-yo tricks bring the ladies. I made sure I had two with me every time I went to a con.

Seriously, tricks take a long time to get down, and even longer to perform well. When someone puts that much time into it, they like to perform them for people. Once I was showered with so many panties they covered my head. I had to finish my set "blindfolded". Didn't even miss a beat.

That's awesome. AWESOME I SAY.

Ok I'll play. Here's most of mine.

Cherry blossoms on left ribs


Calvin and Hobbes on left ankle


Opus playing air guitar on right ankle


Just after blue rose was finished, with part of my remembrance angel on left shoulder, and you can see the chrysanthemum on my right shoulder

wedding vegetables: it means you're going to Hell, sinner.

I go to a fairly conservative church, and nice 30-something parent-of-toddler types with tattoos are part of the congregation. At least two sets of parents. And yes, they dress nicely for church like everyone else.

/only like tattoos if they are really creative or good artwork

Vangor: bmihura: Tattoos are indeed useful, especially when making hiring decisions.

I always figure the kinds of people who say this are never involved in interviews, at least not for important positions. Maybe you check through stacks of resumes for entry level positions, but no one has given you actual responsibility

THIS. What kind of job is so arbitrary that a tattoo takes precedence over education, experience, and skill? Riding lawnmower operator for a Mormon landscaping service?

craigdamage: gosh.

I just ain't cool enough for a rad tat. never got one. Not "original" enough for one.

No piercings either.


Company I work for....EVERY dude is visibly ink-marked but me. Has ear/nose/tongue piercings. We are onsite contractors at a huge corporate campus in Texas. Major customer service requirements. Conservative eviorenment.

I have been promoted twice in the last two years while other "cool tattoo" rock stars are still earning the same salary they got when they were hired 5 years ago.

Go ahead cool dudes! Stay behind in the warehouse where you belong. You tards can compare your awesome ink-stains and "body-mods" while I get elevated up and above your pitiful heads.

I'm not usually this smarmy of an asshole but I think this thread is appropriate.

There's also the quiet little claims representative with no strange hair colors or piercings who has 46 hours of ink no one ever sees. Hmm, yes. Clearly it's the ink itself that hinders earning potential.

/been promoted twice this year
//18 tattoos in total

Tempus fugit. Sitting around for hours while some dude enlivens your back with lotus blossoms, ghouls, and moonbeams is a colossal waste of time. You could be learning to tap dance or play the accordion.

Says someone who spent time complaining about tattoos rather than learning to write a worthwhile article...

pivazena: I have another bet with a postdoc in our lab, that if she asks me a question the first word out of my mouth has to be "hodor"

Nice. My adviser bet me $20 I couldn't work two quotes from Miss Teen South Carolina into my defense. Walked away with a PhD and $20, thank-you-very-much.

I don't think I've ever seen a tattoo that didn't look tacky, but people looking tacky is neither a crime nor something to be particularly concerned about.

Do what you want. I'll pass on the tattoos, the gigantic ear-widener loopy ring-things, and the mo-hawks.

LeroyBourne: [t2.gstatic.com image 275x183]
Some chicks look freaking hot covered in ink.
And she's got a voice to match.
Link (new window)

the Chick is hot, ink has nothing to do with it..

Tatoos have no fundamental ability to make an ugly woman look prettier.
A good one may not, but a bad one can make a pretty woman look uglier...

They are a signal that the subject probably isn't some kind of uber-bapist, so the chance of screwing on one of the first 3 dates is a little higher, but this is a loose correlation.

MoronLessOff: dforkus: My only advice to anyone contemplating getting a neck tattoo, would be to think long and hard before getting inked. Is this something you really want??

This goes for ANY tattoo. It's a long term commitment. I can't remember where I heard this, but someone once said if you're thinking about a tattoo, have it drawn up / printed and hang it on your fridge. If 1 year later, you still want it, go for it.

That's not how I picked mine, and a year might be overkill, but think about it first.

My strategy exactly. I designed mine three years ago as my dissertation was shaping up. IF I was able to complete my proposed research, my reward would be the tattoo. (Not "if I get my PhD," but "If I can demonstrate the genetic basis to natural variation in behavior and neurodevelopment")

/ ready to get inked late-may
//defense is 5/17

UHC2005: Have ink of Thor and Jormungandr on my shoulder, so I'm getting a kick...

Calvin and Hobbes on one ankle, Opus on the other.

/ no regrets

chewielouie: Remember that poster that hung on your wall back in college? You know why it's not longer there? Because it grew tired and lame, so you took it down and threw it away. Can't do the same thing with ink after you realize how stupid it looks. It's expensive and hurts to remove a tattoo.

My favorites are the douches who complete an Ironman triathlon and just can't wait to ink themselves with the M-dot tat. Love to attention whore and show off. "Look at me, I'm an Ironman!" Oh, the lulz.

I think anyone who completes an Iron Man within the specified time limit has damned well earned the bragging rights.

I'm not a judgmental person.

My only advice to anyone contemplating getting a neck tattoo, would be to think long and hard before getting inked. Is this something you really want??

Think long and hard, make the right choice for you...

And now for the teachers edition:
//don't get the farking tattoo..

Secret Polish Boyfriend: raygundan: kiwimoogle84: HailRobonia: The main difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that people with tattoos don't care that you don't have one.

This.

This isn't any more true than the rest of the stereotyping about people with tattoos going on in this thread.

Yep. No tattoos, no piercings, no judgments on those who do (except in egregious cases). I will admit to finding the larger gauge earrings to be funny; I once made it a point to watch an entire lecture through one. I've heard the larger ones don't usually heal if you decide that they aren't for you, and that you may need surgery.

kiwimoogle84: Just cuz my account is only three years old- lurking for a decade. Drew just got the drop on me this time.

I would think someone from New Zealand would be more alert about this sort of thing, what with the drop bears and all.

Uh... Just because the word kiwi is in my name doesn't mean I'm from New Zealand. Kiwi and Moogle are two words never found together in the English language so my chosen screen name is always available.

pivazena: Nogale: The only tattoo I can ever imagine getting would be a small 42.2 after I complete my first full marathon. But I think the marathon itself would entail more than enough pain to be going on with; not sure I'd actually go ahead with the ink.

Um... 26.2?

The distance of a marathon in kilometers is 42.2. But if I were going with the US system, it would be 26.3, not 26.2.

Family and Friends have ink, for some it was gotten as a permanent reminder of a life struggle or event. A really good friend has a mushroomed bullet tattooed over his heart with the words "bullet Proof" under it, it is in the spot where he was shot while responding to a domestic, thankfully he was wearing his vest.

My sister has a lion on her shoulder it has a deep meaning for her and the struggles she has over come. One of my nieces is almost fully inked, you talk to her and each one represents a life event for her. My other niece has 5 ask her about them and she will tell you they are "cool."

Inks mean different things; for some it is a permanent record of life events , a reminder of battles won or lost; for others it is a fashion accessory, today the majority fall into the fashion Accessory category.

PainInTheASP: UsikFark: [www.artifacting.com image 33x34]

I could get that on my left shoulder blade, keep it about .7cm square...

You know, that's the first tattoo that I've seen that I would even consider.

/Shave my head and put it on back--right between the ears.

Actually, I had a better idea.

NorCalLos: Tattooed wrists don't go over well in job interviews; nor in managers meetings with tax administrators/executives and elected officials.

Can you cover with a watch or are they too big/ awkwardly placed for that?

Unrelated, but I couldn't cover my tat when I got married (strapless dress). I thought about buying body makeup to disguise it (my mom said my grandmother would be mortified that I got a tat). I thought about it, and then decided fark it. This is who I am, nevermind the fact that guests at our wedding don't get to disapprove of the bride. At least not to my face

/haters gonna hate
//grandma loved the art

Chinchillazilla: kiwimoogle84: kiwimoogle84: kiwimoogle84: Aidan: kiwimoogle84: Kyoki: kiwimoogle84: Try losing a spouse. You might understand the appeal.

Many do, as have I. I chose therapy, it was healthier and cheaper. Sorry for your loss, but it doesn't justify poor decisions.

Wasn't a poor decision. Did therapy too. All healed up and I don't regret it a day. Never will. You can't make me ashamed of my choices just because you wouldnt do it. That's the problem with this country. I believe in do what you will, harm none.

You realize this is a troll thread right? I mean, I've got half of Fark gagged, and I'm still seeing all kinds of stupidity posted here. Ergo, people must be having a laugh today. :)

I'm not new here. See my Boobies. I bit on purpose because there are some people who feel as I do and half my point in posting all this is to bond with those individuals who don't troll. What's worse, pretending to be a narrow minded test or actually being one? Makes you wonder.

Wow. Boobies turned into "boobies". Unintentional. I don't want anyone to see my boobies. And secondly, test was supposed to be "twat". Go iPhone.

So done with the fail of Fark.

/out of this thread

You're not new here but you don't know about "boobies"-ing?

No I know how that works. I even took measures to be sure I was getting those two words across without tripping it and it still caught. Fark you, Drew.

VictoryCabal: Well my tattoo is deeply meaningful. All my frat brothers in my pledge class got matching Taz tattoos because the older brothers said we were the craziest pledge class they had ever seen. We'll be brothers for life after graduation, and you're just jealous that I'll have connections and networking opportunities all across the country that you'll be shut out of. That's what my tattoo means to me, and you can make your lower class jokes while my brothers are getting me an upper management position on Wall Street right out of school. Have fun being poor, I'll be rich with my tattoo.

That is a 10 for 10 troll! Well done sir.

Hey kids, take notes: this is how you farking troll.

Ikahoshi: Another detail: They look okay for about 5 years, and then they start to get fuzzy... and if you gain/lose weight, they turn all distorted and misshapen. So by the time 15 years have passed, for most normal people it's a case of "WTF is that mess?"

(snip because your mean words are unnecessary)

So if you want one, get it on a place that gains less fat. And don't get fat. And put moisturizer and sunscreen on your skin, like you would even if you didn't have a tat

Actually, a friend of mine has this beautiful art on her shoulder and upper arm. It's a pitcher plant and a lily (two plants she did her dissertation research on), and the colors are so amazingly vibrant. I asked her about it and she said that she lost 150 lbs and when her skin shrank, the colors got brighter because the ink compressed.

Kyoki: kiwimoogle84: Try losing a spouse. You might understand the appeal.

Many do, as have I. I chose therapy, it was healthier and cheaper. Sorry for your loss, but it doesn't justify poor decisions.

Wasn't a poor decision. Did therapy too. All healed up and I don't regret it a day. Never will. You can't make me ashamed of my choices just because you wouldnt do it. That's the problem with this country. I believe in do what you will, harm none.

Daria - Umm, nice tattoo. Tribal?
Trent - Maori. I copied it out of Tattoo World's international issue.
Daria - Very graphic, and meaningful.
Trent - Yeah, it makes a statement. You know what it is?
Daria (VO) - I got a tattoo out of a magazine?
Trent - I got a tattoo out of a magazine.

kiwimoogle84: Never said that. But for the tattooed crowd, we don't typically instantly judge people based on their appearance, ink, piercings or none.

You just said it again. Although I'd like to change what I said from "measurably better" to "demonstrably better" to be more accurate.

Marshall Banana: If you get tats then you have conclusively demonstrated to the world that you are a sad, immature, and impulsive peasant.

This is the truth. Make all the angry denials you like, but this is simply the truth.

Right, because if you died and someone you loved immortalized you on their body in humble remembrance, you'd still think that right?

Try losing a spouse. You might understand the appeal.

/must be nice to have no problems

I got tattoos and I give give a fark less what anyone thinks about them. I got them for personal reasons and if they are cool or uncool doesn't matter.

mikaloyd: kiwimoogle84: HailRobonia: The main difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that people with tattoos don't care that you don't have one.

This.

So....people with tattoos are measurably better?

Good to hear.

Never said that. But for the tattooed crowd, we don't typically instantly judge people based on their appearance, ink, piercings or none.

kiwimoogle84: HailRobonia: The main difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that people with tattoos don't care that you don't have one.

This.

So....people with tattoos are measurably better?

Good to hear.

I always wonder, for everybody who thinks tattoos are ... well let's see

El Freak: tell[ing] the world you're an easily led, sub-moronic twit with poor decision making skills

downtownkid: an intelligence test

... how many people they know who have tattoos in less-visible places

HailRobonia: The main difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that people with tattoos don't care that you don't have one.

This.

SkinnyHead: A tattoo is the mark of the lower class. It's doesn't matter whether your whole body is covered or you just got a tiny little butterfly that no one ever sees, you're still low class.

Oh no. Not this again.

...don't bite on the troll...don't bite on the troll...

Ah, screw it.

I only get up in arms in two types of threads. Motorcycles, and tattoos. And they're related, actually. I started getting ink when I immortalized my late husband, lost to me in a wreck, on my body. It kind of expanded from there because I used tattoos as my personal form of cutting after that. It felt good to hurt rather than feeling nothing.

And darn it, I have a beautiful flower garden on my back that is easily covered for my office job.

Not low class. If they impede you getting a job...maybe. But you can't throw everyone with ink into a box.

/my jaw hurts from biting so hard

This About That: If you are a pretty girl, having a tattoo means you have made a terrible mistake.

If you are a pretty girl with a tattoo, you're either feeling rebellious or are crying for attention.

In either case, therefore, easier to get in the sack.

/kidding
//I feel I shouldn't have to say I'm kidding, but this is Fark - there are doubtlessly people who believe just that