Are tattoos stupid?

[ertyu]

I want tattoos. I really want tattoos. Tattoos are expensive, also, have 0 utilitarian value. One could argue that any objective "attractiveness benefit" (which is not why I want tattoos) will be better and cheaper gained at the gym. Tattoos are, objectively, a dumb idea. But I want tattoos.

Do you have tattoos? Did you ever think of getting some? What's your general policy and why?

Edit: 38 y/o shmuck here. Midlife crisis? lol

Edit 2: Results tally:

Stupid: 4
Neutral: 2
Good/Support: 1

Edit 3: Maybe I didn't make that clear - I'm not asking anyone whether I should get a tattoo. I have 3 tattoos and am in the process of getting number 4 done (it's half-complete, appointment to finish it is Jan 4). I found myself thinking about other tattoos I would like to get (and the associated cost), and then it struck me that this might be something that the EREers might disagree about.

On the one hand, tattoos can be seen as a money sink. On the other hand, of all the ways to "decorate yourself," they are the most ERE-friendly: as opposed to a car or a rolex, they don't take space and don't contribute to the need to live in a larger space than you have to; you can bring them with yourself easily and without hassle. Tattoos don't automatically generate additional expenses either, like a fancy car that needs to be maintained and fed gas would, for instance. On the third hand, there is the personal taste and prejudice angle.

[tonyedgecombe]

Never had one, never will. They seem like the antithesis of ERE to me, prioritising today over tomorrow.

[horsewoman]

Yeah, I have some :) got them in my twenties and never regretted it so far, probably because I gave it a lot of thought beforehand.
a) selected a really good artist and looked very closely at their portfolio.
b) good artists have waiting lists and are often pricey. Waiting and paying is worth it.
c) I chose artwork without deeper meaning, but something beautiful to me. I changed a lot in the last 20 years, but still love my tattoos. Had I gone for "meaning" I'm afraid I would find most of it kind of immature these days :)
d) I had my back tattooed. The skin there sags pretty late in life and I need to actively seek it out if I want to see it.
It stays fresh and interesting to my eyes because I don't see it all the time. I can also easily hide it if I feel like it.
e) avoid super fine lines and script, those turn blurry in a couple of years. A good artist will make you aware of that.

Regarding the cost/value ect. Frugality means to me saving hard on some ends to always have funds for important stuff. What's important to you will differ greatly from anyone elses important.

[Seppia]

I got one when I was 18 (I’m 39), to commemorate a 6 months trip to NZ.
My Maori teacher at school agreed to draw one for me, then we went to a shop he trusted and got it done.

I am extremely happy I did it, but I think mine may be a peculiar case.
I didn’t go in thinking “I want a tattoo”.
It was more something like
“I did this great life experience in this country where the natives consider tattoos a huge part of their culture, taking a tattoo back would be a great way to keep the memory”.

I personally would not draw a carp on my forearm but that doesn’t mean it’s not good for you.

[Quadalupe]

Why do you want a tattoo? What kind of tattoo do you want? Have you, in the past, made impactful decisions that weren't easy to reverse that you have regretted? If so, was is simply a bet gone wrong, or did you actually make an error in your analysis? What is the worst that could happen? What would you do then?

Also: is it maybe possible to do a 'dry run' with semi-permanent ink? If so: get a tattoo that will dissolve within a week/month/year and see how you like it.

[GandK]

I almost got a tattoo. A lot of military members get them, it's kind of a rite of passage when you're in. One of my sergeants had the foresight to say to 19yo me, "Ask yourself if you think you'll still want this when you're a grandma." I thought it through and couldn't answer in the affirmative, so I passed.

[mooretrees]

I have a small one from 15 years or so ago. I don't exactly regret it, but I never wanted another one. I do think having one can be a sort of signaling for some 'alternative' type of vibe. Mostly I don't even notice it until others do. It didn't do what I thought it would do, which is inspire me to remember my grandfather daily. I hardly notice it after all this time. It was cheap and I still think I like it. Or more correctly, I am ambivalent to it.

What do tattoos represent to you that they are so attractive? Do you think all tattoos are cool, or certain ones? I drew my tattoo on my forearm for about a year to see what I thought. It's a simple script so it was easy enough. I have heard people say once they get one, they can't wait to get another. Like there is some addictive quality to it, didn't happen to me.

[horsewoman]

"Ask yourself if you think you'll still want this when you're a grandma."

A question I often got asked when I started to get my whole back covered in 1999. Not many women got large tattoos at that time. I was pretty confident that I would like to be an inked grandma :)
Recently I've seen some articles / picture galleries online showing older people with ink. To me, it's still beautiful. I simply like tattooed skin. Some people are refreshing their tattoos after a while, but I kinda like it that they age with me.
Plus, tattoos are so common these days, here in Germany no one looks twice at older people with ink.

To the OP - of you need the validation from strangers on the internet, you probably should not get a tattoo ;)
I don't mean to be flippant or sarcastic, but it is for ever. So be sure that it is what you want!

[Sclass]

Not my cuppa tea.

I don’t know you but I’m going to throw this out there. The fact you need to ask a bunch of people with no skin in the game (har har ) what you should do with your body is a bad sign. I mean if you’re not sure one way or another, sleep on it awhile. (Oops, @horsewoman just said that).

I’ve written about this in an old thread. During the tattoo fashion rage I saw doors closed on people for showing tattoos. While I was alarmed at the judgment, I had a seat at the table and I was grateful I’d not put any marks on my skin. I have seen it multiple times. Optionality limited simply by having a visible tattoo on the hand or arm because some oldster in control said nay.

But on the other hand a tattoo is a way of telling the old guard to piss off. I get it. Just make sure you’re standing in a strong position when you do so. Like anything else that signals FU.

I like the distinction G&K makes about wearing one for a membership or an act that was earned. Not something picked off a wall at a parlor. I had a colleague with the navy ones that are worn by sailors who have done “oh sh.t” stuff. She did hide it on the inner side of her arm up high near the armpit. It was a forward thinking decision on her part because she anticipated the need to cover it up in the future. It brought a new dimension to knowing her after I got to see them and heard the story behind the symbols. Had I not seen and asked about it I’d have never known how badass this quiet engineer was.

I always wanted the 1%er one on my forearm but I think the real one percenters may not think that’s funny.

[ertyu]

Maybe I didn't make that clear - I'm not asking anyone, I have 3 tattoos and am in the process of getting number 4 done (it's half-complete, appointment to finish it is Jan 4). I found myself thinking about other tattoos I would like to get (and the associated cost), and then it struck me that this might be something that the EREers might disagree about.

On the one hand, tattoos can be seen as a money sink. On the other hand, of all the ways to "decorate yourself," they are the most ERE-friendly: as opposed to a car or a rolex, they don't take space and don't contribute to the need to live in a larger space than you have to; you can bring them with yourself easily and without hassle. Tattoos don't automatically generate additional expenses either, like a fancy car that needs to be maintained and fed gas would, for instance. On the third hand, there is the personal taste and prejudice angle.

[Sclass]

Oops, sorry. Didn’t read your post closely enough. So how much do they cost? I figure it depends on the artist and the design but is it in the hundreds or thousands of dollars? Just curious.

[ertyu]

Oops, sorry. Didn’t read your post closely enough. So how much do they cost? I figure it depends on the artist and the design but is it in the hundreds or thousands of dollars? Just curious.

Next week's appointment will cost about a month of post-ERE spending. And you are right, it does very much depend on the design, the artist, and the geographical location.

[ertyu]

@horsewoman: all hail tattooed grandmas

@mooretrees: yes to the addictive quality. This is exactly what this post is.

Everyone who asked why tattoos: I used to be a metalhead as a teen, and while I've long become a balding khaki-wearing drone, I feel tattoos connect me to the part of me which has not been sucked dry by employment. Also, aesthetics: I like it. It's not about showing anything to anyone else. All my tattoos are places which would not be visible as I usually wear clothes . You'd see them at the beach, or at the swimming pool, I guess, but not when I hang out or when I am at work. The tattoos are for me. I have thought of getting visible one(s) to commemorate retirement.

[horsewoman]

You really did not write your original post very clearly then

Like I said, personally I consider it a worthwhile thing to spend money on. I can totally relate to tattoos being addictive! Whenever I hear the sssssssrrrr of a tattoo machine I get antsy.

[Jason]

Yes.

[Ego]

Extreme cases provide insights into the moderate versions of the same thing. For instance, extreme hoarders offer insight into what is going on in the minds of those who are moderate hoarders. What do people who do extreme tattooing (face & extensive neck tattoos) teach us about those interested in modest tattoos?

What is in the tattoo ink you'll be injecting into your body?



If you know it is harmful to you, what are you saying (signaling) by going ahead with it anyway?

[TheWanderingScholar]

Depends, on the person but honestly? Should you give a fuck about their opinion*?

Your body, your life, and it is not like you are smoking a pack a day.

And besides tattoos are part of human culture like beer and sex. A ancient tattoo'ed corpse of a lady in Siberia is proof enough of that.

Personally, the only problem I have with tattoos are shitty, and crass tattoos.

*Unless they have power over you such as HR or your boss. Then in that case, yeaaahhh you kind of have to. At least in the US.

[Jason]

Here's a thought. Guess what is a bigger industry than the tattoo industry? The tattoo removal industry.

I invested in a company called Cynosure a few years back. They specialized in tattoo removal. A competitive job market was driving the demand. They were bought out by Hologic and I made some money. Hologic recently sold it a huge loss but I think there were other issues in play. Something to do with the validity of their vaginal rejuvenation products. But I digress. Tattoos are stupid.

[Cheepnis]

I don't have any tattoos for two reasons.

1. because I don't think there's anything I'd be comfortable making that permanent

2. I'm also deeply uncomfortable with such overt signaling. This obviously only matters if they're visible, but for many 'being tattooed' is part of it from what I understand. "Being tattooed" notwithstanding I also wouldn't want the topic of my tattoo doing any signaling. In the same vein I don't wear T-Shirts of my favorite bands/artists/movies/sports teams/organizations/etc for the same reason.

[George the original one]

You can sell art work. Tattoos can be art, but you can't sell a tattoo except indirectly by being a model. Yeah, I'm old enough that I don't get the attraction to them.

The extreme tattoos are often the result of trying to hide a mark inflicted on the person while they were in prison.