What is the deal with tattoos?

This topic was created in the Aquarius forum by NotYourAverageAquarius on Saturday, December 8, 2012 and has 33 replies.

What You Need to Know About Tattoos and Aging

Tattoos are permanent skin markings created with ink injected into the skin. Over time, tattoos can fade or stretch due to aging, skin changes, or lifestyle factors. People choose tattoos for self-expression, but they should consider long-term effects and permanence before getting one.

Profile picture of NotYourAverageAquarius
@NotYourAverageAquarius
13 Years5,000+ PostsAquarius

I've never gotten one because I know down the line... IN the future I will not want the damn thing anymore due to it fading and stretching as I get older... So why would I pay someone to permanently mark me with something I won't want later on? Does it insure me some kind of mystery? Do woman find me more attractive if I permanently alter my sky? To this day I still dun get it?
Some of the prettiest girls I've seen got tons of them ^.^? I don't know about everywhere but I know down here where I live it is like what you do... Everyone and they mama got one of them!

Profile picture of aquasnoz
@aquasnoz
14 Years10,000+ Posts

I got a pretty lame one when I was 18 plus a couple of piercings. I guess I actually just wanted to know what it felt like. I don't regret it at all because it's an experience lol. I do want more but now I want to make sure they mean something to me.

Depends on the girl I guess. Some girls like it some girls don't but it definitely works well as an ice breaker.

Profile picture of aquasnoz
@aquasnoz
14 Years10,000+ Posts

^ the couple that I do have is well hidden unless I goto the beach. Not that I actively try to hide it but yes it's meant for me and not to show off. If we so happen to talk about it then we talk about it. I don't think it's fair to say one can't click based on talking about tattoos. Ice breaker is just that I guess, mutual grounds to start a conversation to make things a bit more comfortable, whether two people click depends on what they talk about next.

I have met people who do it for body modification purposes and love to show it off. *shrugs* maybe I just don't think about 'extremes' as such, people do what they like so perhaps it's just a conflict of interests for you rather than conflict of personalities.

Profile picture of NotYourAverageAquarius
@NotYourAverageAquarius
13 Years5,000+ PostsAquarius

Posted by Poisson
It very much is personal preference and aesthetics. I paint and draw, and when I see workmanship and creativity on a person's piece I cannot help but admire it. It's very personal for some people. To them it might be a reminder of a person they hold close or held close... a life-changing struggle...or whatever it may be. It doesn't have to just some superficial design. It can be extremely meaningful to some, meaningful enough for them to choose to permanently etch it into their body...

I'd like to hope so...

I dunno obviously we all got our own tastes...

Profile picture of piscesx
@piscesx
14 Years

I am sorry, I dislike tattoos very much...I am a mutable sign, maybe that is why.... I just do not want to make a permanent sign on my skin . The only constant in life is "change" ...and well, guess what... a tattoo will not change with you... it is there forever, even if/when you do change...

Profile picture of piscesx
@piscesx
14 Years

EXACTLY ....For me, the most important things, people experiences, love, etc... exists in my heart/soul... memories, pictures, e-mails, videos... not on my SKIN.... but for some it is the ultimate declaration of their love... which will/can/might change...

Profile picture of The_eleventh_sign_11
@The_eleventh_sign_11
16 Years5,000+ Posts

Well im up for all types of self expression, originality and individuality......I love tattoos on ppl I love good tattoos and the terrible ones cos I laugh really hard and the shit ones......and the dick head footballer australian guys who get tribal tatts because it makes them feel like big islanders in the football teams......I do get a bit uptight with ppl taking on another cultures tattoos like islander or japanese chinese and they dont even understand the culture and then the design becomes a fad and kinda cheapens the design....but Im like whatever
tattoos have been around for ages and always will be I have an ouroboros tattooed on my arm cos i like alchemy and to remind me that everything has its season and everything dies and comes back richer....I also got it done in an aztec style to reflect the end of the mayan calender and the end of 2012 begining the age of aquarius......also about 2 months after i got it done i was waiting at a restaurant and the plate burnt my arm and a huge blister came up and when it healed it looked scorched lol i took it as an omen that the worlds gonna burn lol...
tats are tats everyones got them..dont see wat the fuss is...although i would never date someone that has a swastika or insane clown posse tattoo lol

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

I always ask about them. If that symbol meant that much to someone to mark their body with it, I'm curious to the meaning behind it. But, it's genuine and not something asked at randome. Most people, I find, are proud of them and are happy t talk about them and seemed quite pleased to be asked.

I don't have any because I don't know what I would want on my body years from now.

Profile picture of NotYourAverageAquarius
@NotYourAverageAquarius
13 Years5,000+ PostsAquarius

Posted by truecap
I always ask about them. If that symbol meant that much to someone to mark their body with it, I'm curious to the meaning behind it. But, it's genuine and not something asked at randome. Most people, I find, are proud of them and are happy t talk about them and seemed quite pleased to be asked.

I don't have any because I don't know what I would want on my body years from now.

Who would know what they would want years from now?

Profile picture of truecap
@truecap
14 Years10,000+ Posts

Posted by NotYourAverageAquarius

Posted by truecap
I always ask about them. If that symbol meant that much to someone to mark their body with it, I'm curious to the meaning behind it. But, it's genuine and not something asked at randome. Most people, I find, are proud of them and are happy t talk about them and seemed quite pleased to be asked.

I don't have any because I don't know what I would want on my body years from now.

Who would know what they would want years from now?

click to expand

I look back. At 20, for example, my sorority meant something (had thought then of getting greek symbols) - could care less now. At 30 things that meant something have no relevance or bearing now. So in my 40's I would feel stupid with symbols that were cool 20 years ago. For instance, in 20 years will people even know who Tweety Bird is? And what determines if a symbol changes its meaning and what it stands for. Just saying!

Profile picture of The_eleventh_sign_11
@The_eleventh_sign_11
16 Years5,000+ Posts

If your bored look up sigils in wikipedia or hyper sigils...its all about symbolism and the power and meaning behind a glyph or a piece of art and can make u feel things......the same way some paintings can make you cry or when u see the golgen arches of maccas makes u hungry.......back in the day ppl thought symbols were magick cos they were making ppl feel stuff or do stuff nowadays they are calling it psychology.......having something on your body that can invoke feelings or inspire thoughts can be pretty cool i think.....and in this day and age i need that..

I really wanna get a kraken tattooed on me....lol

Profile picture of MuchLovetoGive
@MuchLovetoGive
13 Years

My brother tattoos and is very good at it and I constantly feel guilt because I don't want one. I'm really weird about people being able to tell stuff about me without talking to me, that has always seemed to be the main reason. I also think I would get one and then be irritated constantly that there's something on me that I can't make go away. I don't have a problem with other people having them though. I'm not turned off by someone having a lot of tattoos. Actually, I like people that have tattoos or interesting hair style s and stuff like that. Strangely, though, I'm never brave enough to have any of those things. I don't know, maybe when I'm 70 I'll have purple hair or be covered in tattoos. ๐Ÿ˜›

Profile picture of aquarius09
@aquarius09
15 Years10,000+ Posts

It seems like you live in tattoo town. I don't come across that many people with tattoos. I wouldn't mind getting my children's bday tattooed on me, like Angelina Jolie, as those days would be memorable to me. Child birth is quite an accomplishment given the pain, time, effort that goes into it. Carrying a child for 9 months and then rearing him/her out is definitely one of the most fulfilling accomplishments to me.

Profile picture of MuchLovetoGive
@MuchLovetoGive
13 Years

It was on page 13, I think, just was wandering around trying to find something to occupy my mind.

I've always said my tattoos are on the inside.

Profile picture of LionGirl
@LionGirl
13 YearsLeo

i like tattoos. i don't see them as a permanent embarrassment if they do fade, or if they're tactless, etc., but a glance at an old tattoo is like a trip down memory lane and a reminder of you were at that point in your life. there's a sentimental part to it that i'm a sucker for, i suppose.

Profile picture of Gemsandsugar
@Gemsandsugar
13 Years

I'm on the fence about them. But sheesh those bullet wounds are so unnecessary.. I think people who get tattoos such as this one are desperate for attention. I'm very private so anything like that would make me feel so exposed and like people are judging me based on it.. I have seen some cool ones though but don't think I'd ever get one. I never found tattooed guys attractive either, until I met my Aqua man .. :-/ He's got both his upper arms covered in two big tats. He wore a tight fitted shirt with short sleeves on our first date and showed off his huge tats and super cut arms. I kept staring at them trying to figure him out and he asked if I liked them.. When I told him I don;t like tattoos he was shocked lol I've learned to live with them now because I know they mean so much to him and I'm always hoping he won't want to get anymore!