HW 32: Tattoos & The Presentation of the Self

Usually people who get tattoos will tell you some variation of the meaning to their tattoo. It means something special to them. But it makes me wonder if they're doing it for themselves or if it's more for show. It seems that by stamping your skin, you're just trying to prove to the world how significant that meaning is. There's really no need to display to the world what you love or find important. If something is that significant to you, shouldn't you keep it to yourself?

But then some people will be honest and tell you that they are getting because it just looks cool. I see so many guys with dragon tattoos all over backs and arms. I highly doubt that each one of them can find their own distinct and personal meaning in the tattoo that they all share. So this in turn give them the exact opposite image of what they were trying to pursue. Their goal to look cool and confident is now replaced with an image of a poser and someone who is trying to be accepted. The same also goes for tramp stamps. It's labeled tramp stamp for a reason. If someone knew that and still went for it, then that would most likely mean she's submitting herself into a role. She's playing the tramp now and she's flashing her tramp stamp around so people would recognize her first for that whether or not that's who she truly is.

I get henna tattoos and those are good enough for me. They're pretty cool for the time being but I wouldn't want it on me for life. I have two friends who want to get infinity symbol together on the skin/crease in between their index fingers and their thumbs, so that when they linked their two hands, it'd make a full infinity sign. I thought it was a pretty cool idea, but then again, I don't know if I'd want to have it in my face all the time. Nothing is permanent. So if their friendship ends, it might not be such a great thing to see it every time you look at your hands. But I can understand why this would appeal to some people. Although there's no need to show off your friendship that way, it's also there to remind you how special a friendship you have/had. I guess it's just the way you look at it. If you're someone who don't mind having permanent ink etched into your skin and it brings you hope or strength, or some type of positive remembrance, that's great. I've considered it myself before, but so far I have nothing important or permanent enough that would get me to imprint it on my skin.

This also reminds me of navel piercings. I just took mine off because I was having problems with it. I got it because I thought it looked pretty. But after I got it, I had a couple of people give me faces and tell me it was too promiscuous. Then I sort of starting regretting getting it because although it was cool, I didn't get it to be that type of cool. Now that it's off, I'm debating whether I should get it done again or not.