Why do people get tattoos?

Question

I'm 17 and am one year away from being legally allowed to get a tattoo. I want one now but my mom feels I'll regret it a year from now because of the career I may get into frowns upon them or something.

I read an article in a "skin and ink" magazine where there was a doctor and a secretary who had full sleeves. "It's not hard to hide," I tell my mom!

ANYWAY, she asked me why I wanted one and I said it's because I like the idea of tattoos and the feelings and meanings that go along with them...it apparently wasn't a good enough answer.

SOOOO,

Why do people get tattoos?

I wanna get a "tat" of a surfer with his board standing infront of the ocean as the sun is setting BECAUSE I'm a laid back kinda guy and the ocean is calm and gentle and secretly so am I.

Is that a good reason?

Should there be more thought or meaning into it?

Would I regret it?

Answer 1

i think some people get them just cuz theyre cool,

or a stick it in your face kind of statement.

then there are the select few people who get them because they mean something. i know my friend wants to get something in remebrance of his father who died, or some people get religious things.

i am going to get one in remebrance of my old boyfriend who commited suicide a couple years ago.

it all depends on the person.

Answer 2

People get tattoos because they are an expression of who they are or what they have lived for. Sometimes it's been a tragedy in their life (death of a loved one) or a new beginning (birth of a child). if I were to get a tattoo, I would think long and hard about something. For your tattoo, you need to consider, "Am i going to be laid back and love the ocean in 20 years? Or will I encounter a life changing even in which I wouldn't be?". You have to take everything into consideration when getting one. She's your parent, so she obviously thinks that it's hard to get a job, they look trashy, but that's not true. You can get a job pretty much anywhere with a tattoo and alot of different people have them. Hope this helped.

Answer 3

honestly.. i think you will regret it because when you are like older.. you know.. might be saggy.. might not be.. it would like hang down .. so all it would look like is a blur.. or a hunch back surfer with a crooked board.. i am all for expressing yourself.. and another reason is.. is it could really throw off a girl.. like she see's how like awsome you are then you show her your cool tatoo.. she's like.. gross.. but i have no clue who you are around or anything.. so.. just my opinion.

Answer 4

well.... tattoos arnt for everyone.. most adults dont like tattoos just for the fact lots are conservative and believe what the gold ol book says...."the bible". ha.

in my case. i think tattoos are a meaning of self expression. i do believe that you should know what you want for a least a year until getting it tattooed on your body because your mom is right its there forever. im 18 i got mine for my 17th birthday present i researched lots and lots of different things.... i finally came about the Celtic sun and in the middle of that is the Chinese symbol for strong... because im a women weightlifter..

soo really think hard about what you want

Answer 5

To represent something you really believe in or love, to remind you of something to aspire to, to remind you of loved ones. Personally, I wouldn't get the surfer by the sunset... mostly because it doesn't seem like you have that good a reason for it and because I don't really like tattoos of people. But that's my preference, if you really want it, then you should get it. Just wait until you're 18 - if you still want it then, get it. And get it by a good artist.  

Answer 6

cause there cool

Answer 7

self expression?

Answer 8

Your mom doesnt believe you because you're 17.  Parents dont think 17-20 is old enough to make life long decisions on their own. I partially agree with it yet i dont.  I think getting a tattoo rather frees me from the world.  As abstract as that may sound, even if i end up not liking the tattoo when i reach 40, i would never regret it.  I have a tattoo of a python on my mid back and i know it wont look so pretty with my future wedding dress. HOWEVER, i want to live my life for the moment and thats what makes me happy. Everyone has to remember that they only get to live once and life is awfully short. If you really want it, do it...of course think about it for a long time before you jump into anything crazy like a clown on you left cheek or something.  

Answer 9

yes of course most people regret getting tattos its freakin expensive to remove it with laser surgery and the bad part is they replace your blood with the tatoo.

Answer 10

Well you don't really need a tattoo of a surfer to remind yourself that you're calm and relaxed. If you're having doubts about the tattoo already, then you probably shouldn't get it. A tattoo is not going to go away, so it should be something that means a LOT to you, signifies a lot, and be something that you're proud of. Just because you're going to turn 18 doesn't mean you need to run out and get a tattoo, simply because you're old enough for one. There's no rush, wait a while and think it through completely before you get one.

Answer 11

The people who regret tattoos are the ones who didnt put alot of thought into it or just got it to look like something they arent.  I can garantee you will be dissapointed w/ a ying yang or dolphins somewhere down the road.

If it's something that means alot to you (i dontrecomend bands or girl's names until youre older) you wont ever be ashamed about it,  i personally get tats because it marks a time and place i want to remember or want to make sure not to relive, and because the whole process is pretty rejuvinating.  You go thru a bunch of c**p, you find something w/ meaning to help you thru it, then you sit thru getting poked a million times to make the memory permanent.  Dont get something a million other people have, it makes it cheap.

Answer 12

I don't think that you would regret it if it was exactly what you want and you are happy with the reason you are getting.

i think that people get tattoos because it shows of who they truly are inside and it expresses their personality and how they feel inside.

i think that if this is what you really want you should go for it and fight for you're right to be yourself.

maybe if ur not sure about the surfer you could start of with something smaller and then go on and get a bigger one just in case.

Good Luck.! :)

Answer 13

tatttoos are rad

Answer 14

i am 43 going on 44 about 22 yrs ago i was aching to get a tattoo of a fox because i was living a fast life and foxy was how i felt,because of circumstances then i never could afford the tattoo which was going to measures 2in.they were more expensive then, than now.am i ever glad i didn't get one because 9 yrs later i became a born again christian,than I became an ordained minister and to have a tat to symbolize of my life on the fast lane would be utterly embarrasing.

Answer 15

i think tattoos are like art on your body that people put there to symbolize something that is very important to them or is a part of them and they are proclaiming it by getting a tattoo

and they're pretty too!

Answer 16

I got my tattoos because it's art to me and it means something to me. All of my tattoos are original and creative. You could always get your tattoo or your back or on your legs. If you get a tattoo of a surfer people are automaticlly going to asume you are one. chinese symbols are always cool and simple. You may nto want your first tattoo to be really detailed.

Answer 17

They replace your blood with the tattoo?  What are you talking about?  The tattoo doesn't go into the bloodstream.  It's between top layers of the dermis, moron.

I think that people get tattooed for a multitude of reasons.  Some want to pay tribute to a loved one, some want to show their love for their kids, some want to make a statement about who they are, some just simply like the way a certain image looks.  All it really comes down to is self-expression.  Some people just see their body as a canvas to showcase someone's art.  No one can say whether or not you'd regret something.  We don't know you.  We don't know if you're impulsive or fickle.  If you sit on your idea for a year and you still really want it, then consider getting it.

Chances are no answer is going to be good enough for your mom if she just doesn't like them or doesn't want you to have them.  If you really want it, then you just gotta say mom, I respectfully disagree with your opinion and bite the bullet.

Answer 18

The difference between people with tattoos and people without is that people with them don't care if you have one or not.

I have 20+ tattoos and they haven't affected me professionally because I'm good at what I do.

When you're 18 just wanting one is a good enough reason. Think carefully and make sure you get what you want at a class studio and you'll likely never regret it.

Answer 19

to stand apart from everyone else.

Answer 20

Most people get them for the sentimental value, like you. To remember the past, pay tribute to a lost friend, share feelings, etc.

I think it's a good reason. Think it over for the next year. If you still want it, get it. But maybe get it on upper shoulder where it'd be easy to hide if needed?

Best wishes