10 Stupid Tattoos

Tattoos are the dumbest thing anyone could do to themselves.

I have no problem with people who have tattoos. But if you want to get into a corporate type of job. You had better get one where it isn't easily seen. !st impressions are very important in the corporate world. And even if you are qualified for the position you will have a strike against you at the very start if you haqve a tat showing as you walk in the door.

Personally I don't like any piece of art work enough to want to see it everyday. Even a Picasso hanging on your wall would get boring after a while and you have to change it for something else. You obviously can't do that with a real tattoo.

What about forehead tatoos?

It bothers me when people flat out say that tattoos are stupid. They are a life choice and by those who choose to become heavily tattooed it is usually a well thought out life choice. Generally more thought out than having children.... which is another life choice that an abundance of people find "stupid." I have visible tattoos and work in the school systems (no I am not a janitor or a lunch lady). I have friends who are within the corporate world (as supervisors no less) who have visible tattoos, facial tattoos even.

We have found that it is more how well you do your job rather than what tattoos you have or don't have that allows you to maintain your job. I am very good at my job and parents and my students love me.

I guess my point is, don't judge a book by its cover.

And technically I guess I have 2 of the 10 "stupid tattoos." I have a tattoo on the back of my neck and I have a tattoo that I feel is funny/cute (and makes me smile daily after 3 years). Not all tattoos have to be serious or mean something. We don't live at Miami Ink.

Tattoos are "Generally more thought out than having children."

That's one of the funniest things I've ever read.

Scotchdrnkr I actually work a professional job and have, lets just say, a lot of tattoos (90+ hours, if that means anything to you). I do not have to cover my tattoos for work and do not cover them for interviews, nor do I hide my stretched ears. I just bust my ass and that makes up for whatever minor prejudice I may encounter (of course it may help that I work in a creative field).
I do know I would probably have a hard time getting a job in fast food, but I'm not too worried about falling to that level.

As for the article itself about stupid tattoos, I agree with some. What is so bad about getting a humorous tattoo? Is it so bad to find humor in life? And to throw such a broad blanket of "neck tattoos" I find it a bit offensive. There are the fair share of poor quality/subject matter ones out there. But overall those who get them (that I know) are knowledgeable about what they are doing and are in a position where they know they can have such a tattoo. Or maybe like myself are more concerned with being happy in and of themselves than worrying about stepping outside the statues quo.

I don't understand why anyone cares what someone else does to their body, it has NOTHING to do with them. It's like saying you don't like someone because of a shirt they may be wearing. God forbid people be different.

Tattoo parlors should offer a tattoo removal service too.
Heck, they could more than double their profit.

Tattooed middle manager/supervisor in the power corridor of Washington, DC here! I'd have to say that my tattoos have not been a hinderance at all. My competence, intelligence and abilities make them little more than a conversation piece.

It's 2008.. more and more people have tattoos.. visible even. If you are a hiring manager and have NOT hired someone because of a tattoo or piercing, you are shorting yourself on the best and brightest and soon.. YOU will be out of a job. Look it up!

Not only "next gig", "next sale".

The last time I was in the Sears part store (they have since gone belly-up) I left without what I was looking for because the clerk (an other-wise attractive person) had a tattoo around her neck that looked like razor wire (I think it is--that nasty stuff they put on top of fences).

Extremely unsettling.

Larry Sheldon, I take great offense to your post, and no, I have no tattoos. You leaving that store because that woman had a tattoo is no different than the hateful whites that would leave plublic places because, god forbid, a black person was in sight or working there. This is 2008, and (most) people are not so ignorant that they think they are better than someone based on the color of their skin. And yes, ink changes that color.

Unfortunatly for yourself, since you seem to think that your lack of money has brought down Sears (haha), you are the only person that lost in that situation. Sears has other customers, your money and support wasn't getting them through the day. That salesclerk could really care less what a prejudiced person such as yourself has to think about her skin art. YOU on the other hand went home without something you obviously liked because of something you must know is stupid.

Also, you made yourself look like a hateful jackass on the internet for everyone to see! Ouch.

The race that you are born with and the tattoo you chose to get.

Yeah, those are the same.

do you discriminate because of someone's hairstyle? clothing choices? dental hygiene? eye color?

These are also personal choices.

and yes, tattoos are generally more thought out than children. How many times do you think people have looked at their skin and said "OMG how did that tattoo get there?" compared to "OMG how did I get pregnant?"

With the level of atrocities and true ugliness that exists in the world, I sincerely have to wonder about the stability of people who are severely disturbed by a tattoo. THAT is unsettling.

maybe larry is a very, very sensitive man, and things like that upset him.
there was (is?) a man in south-east london known as 'eat shit dave', by virtue of the fact that he had 'eat shit' tattooed on his forehead. if there were two tills free at tesco's, he was on one, and someone without 'eat shit' on their forehead on the other, i know which one i'd choose. it's an extreme case, but looked at dispassionately, what's the difference?
if we're honest, we all make small decisions every day - some conscious, some not - about things like clothing, make-up, smell, accent, gender, weight, attitude, number of people in a group, the noise they're making, whether they have kids with them, what class they seem to belong to (a british hang up that pervades society), etc etc.
sounds to me like larry was being honest...

If Larry is that sensitive he needs to get himself some new medication.

And a neck tattoo.

I'm not sure if I really trust the opinions of someone who isn't in the body mod/tattooing culture. You can't really tell me what is a "really stupid" tattoo is unless you actually know what a "really good" tattoo is.

I respect people for all of their body mod decisions, even if I don't understand them (like amputation and shaft splitting).

isn't not modding your body also a decision?

Yes, I don't recall anyone saying it wasn't.

I think tattoos really are a matter of choice. I think that R-rated tattoos shouldn't be allowed the same way a person wouldn't be allowed to walk around in public wearing something inappropriately revealing, but apart from that it all comes down to what the person wants, even if it does look awful. What is the most annoying kind of tattoo though are the ones which are misspelled... that would drive me insane!
And the worst tattoo I've ever see was on the back of someone's head in a motorway service saying "Stoke-on-Trent. Jake."... seemed like the guy was just making sure he didn't forget where he came from or what his name was...

Relax, Katy. Larry is entitled to his opinion just as you are and everyone else here. We have that right. And I suppose you mother never told you not to stoop to one's level because in your response to Larry you could have let him (and everyone else for that matter) know your stance and that you are offended (?) without coming across as 'holier than thou.' And your 'new medication' remark...zing! Do you feel better?

People thinking of getting tattoos need to realize that there may be consequences to their decision. Even if that consequence is not outright discrimination, there could be some subconscious stuff going on in the way people react to you.

What you ink on yourself can say a lot about you. So can other choices you make about your appearance. Like Asian people who wear blue contact lenses or have eyelid surgery. Or people who get a skull tattooed over their features. Or kids who shave their heads in weird and interesting ways. It's part of how we see ourselves and declare our identity, I guess. While discrimination is unfortunate, it's not unforeseeable. Especially when something is so extreme (or controversial) it makes people wonder what exactly is going on in your head.

As someone with 50+ hours of tattoo work done I can say with all honesty that the ratio of offended to non-offended people is rather extreme. Even my father who is 60+ and a baby boomer with no tattoos enjoys looking at my pieces. It's simple, if you don't like something don't look at it. Remember though that in five years when all the baby boomers have retired, most of us that are left to take over are gonna be tattooed. To get pregnant one simply has to open there legs. To get tattoed requires thought, time, and money. So yes getting a tat is a FAR more thought out process then getting pregnant is. After all, look at the ratio of pregnant to tattooed fifteen year old girls there are. Tatttoed-rare, pregnant-LOTS To walk out of a store just because someone is tattoed IS a FORM of bigotry, you are judging someone based on their skin color, even if it is artificial.

I don't mean for this to sound like a targeted diatribe, but my own body art has meaning. None of these were chosen from a wall of flash because I thought they were cute. They are a means of cultural preservation and a source of familial pride.

If this is a difficult concept for some of you people to grasp, I'm sorry for you. I would hope that you are enlightened enough to understand that tattooing predates ubiquitous preconceived Western notions and has a deep, often spiritually-based, meaning and history.

But then again, I guess you can't teach people culture.

I find it remarkably offensive when people comment that "tattoos are the dumbest thing anyone could ever do to themselves". Really? We don't tell you to get tattoos, so I feel its absolutely unfair that you tell us not to. If you've ever been even slightly around or involved in the tattoo industry you would understand that 90% of tattooed, or heavily tattooed people are more open minded than even 1% of those out there who think its "dumb". Coming from someone who is apprenticing to learn the art of tattooing, AND is married to a tattoo artist I find comments like that ridiculously closed minded. Its sad that our society is so concerned with the color in your skin, or the color of your skin. And in reality whats the difference? Don't condemn, or stereotype us because we chose to have tattoos. We don't need your approval, and believe it or not, we're real people too. When I talk about being heavily tattooed I don't mean the black and gray prison work you see on tough guys who scare your children. Although I respect what they have, and what it may mean to them, I'm not really into it. But thats the beauty of tattooing! You can put the words "I'm going to kill you Ray Ramano" across your lower back (I've seen that), or choose to recreate a Van Gough masterpiece that is brought to life on a living breathing being (an artist in our shop did so). Tattooing is as much freedom of speech as anything. And in case you forgot folks, thats the first Amendment. So stop bitching about what we do. Live your life and we'll live ours. And as far as loosing our creditability in society to get a "real job", as its so wonderfully put, we could care less. Most of us have bigger dreams than working in a corporate office being a robot for a millionaire (no offense corporate workers, I know some of you are just making a living).

10% of the people In the United States are tattooed.
17% of the people in the United State between the ages of 18 and 24 are tattooed.
35% of NBA planers are tattooed.
www.tattoobody.org

tatoos are stupid

hurr hurr i can't spel tattoo

did more thinking. unless you're REALLY part of a tattoo-ed tribe, tatoos are stupid

Let's be honest and scrap away the fake. Tatoos are extremly cool on Rock Stars, an Actor\Actress, and magicians. The more crazy they are the better their career. If your some weak smuck who thinks "look at me, I 'm different" it's a shame. I do agree with the stats and ask anyone who is above 35 with a real job in corporate america will tell you it's something they have to hide. What is the purpose of getting a tatoo if you have to hide it? People who get tat's are generally lower class and there is nothing wrong with that if that's what makes them happy. I would personally aspire to bigger and better things and unfortunatly (although a stereo type) folks with Tat's are deeemd either a stripper, whore or bad person in general per society's standards. I don't agree with the stereo type, but it's been there for a 100 years. Make a choice, self defeating permanent tat's are generally not wise. 5 of the 10% of the tat generation has a crimimal record so I guess that is where the prejudice comes from. if you are a rock star etc.. do it! more power to yah, but if not you might be better wearing a trench coat with pink hair to get your "look at me I a special fix"

I am an artist, I value and admire it. But it is art and lies in the eye of the beholder. we will all see different things and may or may not agree or like the same thing as someone else. I have a passion, i love to paint, sketch, sculpt, and yes i do even tattoo's and have quiet a few. I don't care what someone thinks about it, unless it is positive. I realize there are so many closed minded people, who will miss out on the simple joys in life, and people and relationships, and could haves. There stern belief that "that is dumb" only stops them from looking at the beauty of it. To me the do feel, at least feel that emotion of the eye, that connection and understanding that art how good or bad can draw people in. I don't think anyone should be judged, you don't know them. What if there wife died, children moved away, there on the verge of killing them selfs. Maybe that is why they need a bath, alcoholic, ass hole you just met. Maybe, just maybe you have to walk in there shoes before you opinions fall from your lips, and not knowing or maybe even if you know creating once again a judgmental ass that you become. I only hope that no one does that to you.

Tattoos are stupid. I have never admired anyone who has them. I can't think of one decent person who has them, but I can think of dozens and dozens of douchebags that do. Therefore, I avoid them and people with them.

The guy who had ''EAT SHIT'' on his forehead is here :
http://www.derekridgers.com/index/module/media/pId/102/id/970/category/gallery|documentary|street7788/start/81/subculture;-youth-sub-cults;-y.html

He is still alive as far as I know and is normally begging on the streets, he used to knock about with spider kev, bonner, belsen, all the facial tattooed thugs.