Why Are Tattoos Popular?
Tattoos are on the uprise in today’s culture. They are seen everywhere; in TV commercial ads, on rappers in music videos, and even in movies. As some begin to accept the tattooing fad, many begin to question the reasoning behind body art. Several would agree that the increased number of tattooed persons is caused by the attempt to cover up scars and the influential ways for one to express as well as tattooing for memorial reasons. All of these reasons play a role in the increasing of body art; however, they simply are not the main causes. Tattoos result in popularity because of peer-pressure.
At one time, tattoos were looked at as signs of rebellion by many. Some examples of people who got tattoos back then were often gang members, rock n’ rollers, sailors, soldier, etc. This gave people with tattoos the image of being rough or at times established a feeling of fear in others. At the time, the workplace was not the place to show tattoos because of the images they portrayed. In result, many skilled people were denied jobs because of their tattoos, or in other words, the way that they looked affected their job status. When more people started getting tattoos, employers were forced to look beyond one’s image as the demand for skilled workers was steadily increasing (”Tattoo, Bling”). While tattoos were becoming more accepted in the work place, they began to appear everywhere, from rap videos to movies to sports and even shoe ads. As sources say, even the new Chuck Taylor sneakers have gone to a new approach this year; making a tattooed sneaker (Wasserman). Eventually, tattoos overcame the stereotype of being rough, causing people today to adopt this new source of culture, and tattooing became a form of body art which created the trend we know today.
One assumed reason why some might choose to get a tattoo is to cover old scars. People get all sorts of scars and it becomes a self-conscious issue to them. Simply dressing scars up with the help of body art often becomes the result. One of my friends had a scar on her back because of surgery that she had and she became self-conscious of the scar. Once her wounds healed she got a tattoo over her scar, consequently, she seemed to feel better about herself, and in fact, wanted to show off her new tattoo. Tattoos that cover up scars make it difficult to see that a scar was ever there, and with this being the case, it becomes a more likely reason as to why people who have scars get them. While covering of old scars by tattooing is convenient, it is not the main cause because the majority of persons who get tattoos do not get them merely because of a scar. Many people get tattoos to cover scars; however, there are some who have scars that are not so coverable, such as burn scars that could cover most of the body. In this example, the scar cannot simply be tattooed over. In saying so, because the number of persons who get tattoos in an attempt to cover scars is low, it becomes apparent that while a reason to get a tattoo would be to cover up a scar, it is indeed, not the main cause.
As proposed by a number of persons, another cause of the increasing trend is that many people get tattoos as memorials. One reason why someone might choose to get a tattoo for memorial purposes might reflect a good or bad memory. A person might get a tattoo that reflects a bad memory probably to remember one specific time of trial, and in return it could help them remember the positive effect that this trial had on the person. A good time might reflect a memory that the individual enjoyed so much that they wanted a personal reminder, and possibly show off to friends or family. These memorials include loved ones, loved ones who passed away, values that are especially important to the individual, sorority and fraternity symbols, and some even get tattoos of their family crest. While memorials are in fact are a reason as to why some choose to get tattoos, not everyone has a memorable time that had such a tremendous effect on them, resulting in the desire to get a tattoo as a personal reminder of the event. As some might agree, most people who get tattoos might get symbols that are important to them, however are not linked to a memory. An example of this would be getting a zodiac sign such as the Gemini symbol as a tattoo. In result, it becomes clear that the main cause as to why people get tattoos is not memorials because only some people get tattoos that serve as memorials.
One of the most recognized reasons for getting a tattoo is self-expression. As many sources say self-expression is when people express themselves, whether it’s an emotion or an idea, through a behavior or activity such as art. In this case tattoos are said to help deliver the message of expression. In many cases the will to want to express oneself through the form of a tattoo would seem to involve a desire to want to fit in or feel better about ones self-esteem. For example New York Amsterdam News wrote an article on an under-aged girl who got her tattoo to express herself however, she claimed that she got her tattoo to express herself, and in return she stated that she felt better about herself afterwards (”Kids…”). Because of this example, while it is apparent that self-expression becomes a major part of the reason as to why people get tattoos, it now is obvious that it is not the main reason. The reason behind self-expression is to feel better about yourself and to portray who you are on your body. In result, while tattooing is often seen as a way to express ones self, it in return is not the main cause as to why some people get tattoos.
Finally, while reviewing what others perceive to be the main cause in the increasing of the tattoo trend, what all of these points have in common is peer-pressure. It seems as though everyone has a tattoo, and everyone makes having a tattoo appealing because most do not regret the decision they made. Suddenly, tattoos are everywhere! With the media displaying tattoos universally it becomes a new fashion that everyone wants to have. Tattooing becomes the new fad when surrounding friends and family get tattoos also. Peer-pressure comes into play, for example, when some girls decide to go get tattoos to show their support and dedication to their sorority. Personally, I have a tattoo; I got one for my 18th birthday. I decided upon a butterfly tattoo, representing the new life ahead of me at college. Sadly enough, prior to getting my tattoo I began to notice in my senior year that many of my friends had tattoos and that had a major effect on me. Once I got one, some of my friends who did not have a tattoo now desired one. Appeal and peer-pressure have a lot to do with why tattoos are so popular. On the contrary, not everyone gets a tattoo because they want to fit in. Some people do not get tattoos by being influenced by those around them, or in other words have their own reasons for getting a tattoo. On the other hand, simply because some one decides to get a tattoo for their own reasons, does not prove that everyone that gets tattoos is not caused by peer-pressure. Many people get tattoos because in their opinion they look cool; however, by getting a tattoo they are subject to feeling better about themselves because they got a tattoo. Whether it involves someone getting a tattoo and it looking appealing to others, or even telling someone that they would look nice with a tattoo peer-pressure is the answer. The increased confidence in someone after getting a tattoo also proves how tattoos are the result of peer-pressure, in which wanting to fit in and having a better ego is desired. Being self-conscious is often the result of peer-pressure and because of the reasoning; it becomes apparent that peer-pressure is indeed the main cause as to why the trend of getting tattoos is increasing.
While there are many reasons as to why tattoos are popular, the main reason consists of peer-pressure, tattoos are a part of today’s youth culture, forcing society to open their eyes and to look past the images that tattoos once portrayed. A decade ago tattoos were considered bad, as they portrayed rebels and hard core rock n’ rollers who in fact were not approved by onlookers. However, the truth is that tattoos are a social trend today and despite many reasons such as expression, covering of scars, or memorials, peer-pressure everywhere seems to be the main influence and the need to be “bad” or indifferent is no longer the reason. Conclusively, tattoos are popular because of peer-pressure that we receive from our friends, television shows, movies, music and much more. And because it’s seen everywhere, it becomes desired everywhere, generating the trend that we know today.
Works Cited
“Kids see tattoosasexpression, not rebellion.” New York Amsterdam News. 20 Nov. 2003. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Jerome Lib., Bowling Green State U. 20 Oct. 2006. http://www.epnet.com>
“Tattoo, Bling Craze Raises Hiring Issues.” USA Today. Apr. 2006: 10. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Jerome Lib., Bowling Green State U. 16 Oct. 2006. http://www.epnet.com>
Wasserman, Todd. “Tattoos Put Their Stamp on Marketing Culture.” Brandweek. 22 Mar. 2006: 15. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Jerome Lib., Bowling Green State U. 14 Oct. 2006. http://www.epnet.com>
Tattoo Of Lips
