No Tattoos.Ink

I admit I'm not a fan of tattoos. I usually find them unnecessary, grossly oversized, unattractive, pointless, gaudy, and often downright ugly.

And, not surprisingly, perhaps, I confess I don't have any tattoos--unlike so many other people I see every day walking and on city buses; male and female, and mainly seeming to be in their 20s and 30s.

Safety of Tattoos?

Despite the obvious popularity of tattooing these days, in our Western society, is this practice all fun and games? Are there potential long-term dangers of copious amounts of tattooing? 

Can ink seep into the bloodstream and eventually create physical or even psychological problems for the tattooee?

Many physically-colorful adults I see in my daily travels are accompanied by their small children who aren't tattooed—yet. Will these tattooed moms and dads of today influence or convince their kids to get tattoos of their own when they're old enough?

Will today's tattooed parents create tomorrow's generation of colorful body art connoisseurs—who might end up having physical or psychological problems resulting from having 'tats'?

Saw First Tattoo at Home

The first tattoo I ever saw was on my father's left forearm when I was a boy: a simple, unobtrusive, and inoffensive design—by my standards, anyway. If I recall correctly, his tattoo had a small blue wavy ribbon either just on the top of it, or on the top and bottom. In the centre was the word 'Mother.'

Even by that time, when I first noticed that tattoo as a boy, it was faded and obscured somewhat by arm hair, so was not overly-visible even at the best of times. So, I was never bothered or offended by the indelible inkwork on my father's arm, and seldom even paid attention to it.

I recall once, as a small boy, asking my father what his tattoo was for and why he got it. He said he got it when he was in the army, in part, because his military buddies were doing it too; peer pressure was alive and well then; as now.

But he said his tattoo was also his way to honor and remember his mother when he was away from home in the army.

Contrasting Tattoo Styles

Unlike the simplicity of my father's tattoo, I can't help noticing and staring—appalled yet unobtrusively, I hope--at the numbers, sizes, colors, and locations of so many men's and women's tattoos I see in my daily travels.

Most of these inky people seem to have tattoos on every conceivable part of their bodies: on the back of necks, on faces, the tops of feet, on calves and sides of legs, arms, fingers; you name the body part, there's likely a tattoo of some sort there.

Self-Expression, Attention & Forethought

Because some people have so many attention-grabbing tattoos on their body, I wonder: are they covering parts of their bodies with ink just as a way to express themselves and their perceived identities, or to create an identity?
Do they get tattoos because their friends and acquaintances are doing it? Are some succumbing to peer pressure, as my father suggested he did in getting his 'Mother' tattoo when he was in the army? 
Are so many younger people in our Western society getting tattoos because they're desperate for attention at any cost? 

Or is there some other reason so many people, mainly younger, are having their skin dyed with multiple designs and multiple colors?
Have many of them seriously considered how they might feel months or years down the road if and when they become unhappy with themselves and their bodies because of all their tattooing?   

Tattooing Old Art Form

Of course, tattooing, or 'body art,' isn't a new art form; it's been practiced in many parts of the world for thousands of years, for various reasons. And today, too, tattoos are popular in many other places besides Canada.

Tattooed Man in Korean Sauna

When I lived and taught in Korea for three years recently, I regularly went to the saunas--also known as public baths--which can be found in most Korean towns and cities. At one of these saunas I saw one man who was colorfully covered in tattoos, essentially completely, front and back, top to bottom.

For many visitors to Korea, the saunas are a welcome change from repressive sensibilities some might say are generally instilled in many Westerners. 
The public baths respect differences between the sexes, and are segregated by sex; males on one side, females on the other. Both sides of the baths, however, have one thing in common: everyone on each side—small children, teenagers, parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends—is as naked as the day is long.

Completely Covered

And that's how I came to see the completely-tattooed man in the Korean sauna. His entire body, back and front--except for his face, genital area and feet--was covered in tattoos; multi-designed and multi-colored.

I couldn't imagine how or why he found the time to get his body completely covered in ink. I assume he had it done over a period of months or perhaps even years. And I wondered: Why would he do it in the first place?

How Unique is Body Art?

Despite my silent judgements and questions about tattooing--including the Korean man with his all-over body art, and others I see daily—these people seem unembarrassed and unperturbed by their colorful body canvasses; maybe they even feel proud and unique.

But if people with tattoos are seeking uniqueness, how unique can one tattooed person really be when so many others are also having it done to their bodies?

Time to Change My Ways

On reflection, though, perhaps I'm just being a stick-in-the-mud about all of this.

Perhaps I should shake things up a bit, and go and get all inked up, front and back, top to bottom, with snakes, flowers, monsters, and other such designs—big and small, of course, and in all sorts of colors--all over my lily-white self.

Maybe then I'll feel unique, and really get to know how the other side lives.

Suggestions for tattoo designs will be considered.