What does a tattoo say about a person?

[Nymphs]

And hopefully you never will.

I know for a fact that I won't. My decisions to get tattoos have been thought out over a long time and before I get each one, I think about it. Why would you think I will regret it -- or possible?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Another puzzling post.

What is puzzling is how you assume people with tattoos will regret them in old age, even though that is nothing more than your assumption. It's puzzling how can dismiss people as being so shortsighted and will have much regret, yet you do not know what motivates these people or why they got their tattoos yet you assume they will regret them.

 

[kashmir]

What is puzzling is how you assume people with tattoos will regret them in old age, even though that is nothing more than your assumption. It's puzzling how can dismiss people as being so shortsighted and will have much regret, yet you do not know what motivates these people or why they got their tattoos yet you assume they will regret them.

People do regret getting them later in life, not all but some do.
:yes:

 

[Nymphs]

People do regret getting them later in life, not all but some do.
:yes:

No one is saying they don't, but to assume all or most people will is ridiculous.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

People do regret getting them later in life, not all but some do.
:yes:

True, but it is no grounds to assume people who have tattoos are shortsighted and will regret them. If you get a tattoo on a whim, you may end up regretting it. But when your tattoos tell your story and are meaningful, regret becomes less likely.

 

[McBell]

??? Not understanding.

Yes there are those who regret getting their tattoos. (hits)
However, there are those who do not. (misses)


In order to make your claim, you would have to be ignorant of the reasons people get tattoos or you are counting the hits and ignoring the misses.

Now I have to ask, which is it?

 

[Skwim]

I know for a fact that I won't.

Please excuse me for not buying into your knowledge of fact.

My decisions to get tattoos have been thought out over a long time and before I get each one, I think about it. Why would you think I will regret it -- or possible?

See my remarks below.

What is puzzling is how you assume people with tattoos will regret them in old age, even though that is nothing more than your assumption.

Not difficult to assume at all.

It's puzzling how can dismiss people as being so shortsighted and will have much regret, yet you do not know what motivates these people or why they got their tattoos yet you assume they will regret them.

Only that I've seen quite a few older people sometimes regret earlier, unalterable decisions they made. I believe that as people age the things they find important/significant changes, often dumping old interests along the way. Unlike most such things, tattoos don't lend themselves to such dumping, but rather regret. In fact, my guess is that within 25-30 years of getting a tattoo most do regret it.

Yes there are those who regret getting their tattoos. (hits)
However, there are those who do not. (misses)

Minor correction; I put my remark in the future tense, "years from now. . . ."

In order to make your claim, you would have to be ignorant of the reasons people get tattoos or you are counting the hits and ignoring the misses.

It was just a smart aleck, know-it-all generalization; certainly not all who have tats, but in my opinion, a lot of them will.

 

[Nymphs]

Please excuse me for not buying into your knowledge of fact.

You may not understand it, but I know myself better than anybody else. That is true for all of us. Tattoos are a way of life for me, a part of my culture and living. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

See my remarks below.

Only that I've seen quite a few older people sometimes regret earlier, unalterable decisions they made.

Your knowledge of a few does not constitute for the whole. In our society, tattoos are becoming more and more commonplace. While some people will probably regret their decisions, not all will. I live in a community of all ages with people having tattoos young and old. I haven't met a single person who regrets their choices yet.

I believe that as people age the things they find important/significant changes, often dumping old interests along the way.

As my favorite quote goes

"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." -Victoria Holt

Unlike most such things, tattoos don't lend themselves to such dumping, but rather regret. In fact, my guess is that within 25-30 years of getting a tattoo most do regret it.

In my experience, your guess is off the mark by a long shot. Besides, even if they regretted it, cover-ups are done so well now, that many of them can fix it. In fact, when I got my last one on Friday (yesterday), there was someone coming in for a cover-up. Then it isn't a regret any longer.

but in my opinion, a lot of them will.

Opinion doesn't mean experience.

 

[Quintessence]

All it says to me is that they apparently don't (or didn't) mind treating their body like a canvass, and don't (or didn't) mind that canvass being a permanent rather than a temporary fixture.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Please excuse me for not buying into your knowledge of fact.

See my remarks below.


Not difficult to assume at all.

Only that I've seen quite a few older people sometimes regret earlier, unalterable decisions they made. I believe that as people age the things they find important/significant changes, often dumping old interests along the way. Unlike most such things, tattoos don't lend themselves to such dumping, but rather regret. In fact, my guess is that within 25-30 years of getting a tattoo most do regret it.


Minor correction; I put my remark in the future tense, "years from now. . . ."

It was just a smart aleck, know-it-all generalization; certainly not all who have tats, but in my opinion, a lot of them will.

Interests do change, but my past, as well as what symbolizes that past, will never change. My body is a canvas, and I intent on decorating it (as soon as I get to go to and get back from Japan that is).

 

[Skwim]

Your knowledge of a few does not constitute for the whole. In our society, tattoos are becoming more and more commonplace. While some people will probably regret their decisions, not all will. I live in a community of all ages with people having tattoos young and old. I haven't met a single person who regrets their choices yet.

"Quite a few" dear Nymphs. ""Quite a few."

quite a few
   phrase of few

1. 
   a fairly large number.
   "quite a few people can do it"

​

Opinion doesn't mean experience.

And short of traveling to the future, "years from now. . . ." pretty much restricts any assessment to opinion.

Interests do change, but my past, as well as what symbolizes that past, will never change.

Yeah tats are hard to change; I'll grant you that.

 

[Quintessence]

For what it's worth, here's one report on tattoo regret done in the UK - nearly one third of them regret it. Other sources I found claimed it was up to 50%, but really didn't provide any backing for this assertion, so I don't trust that figure. One third is large enough to be a bit scary to me.

 

[Nymphs]

For what it's worth, here's one report on tattoo regret done in the UK - nearly one third of them regret it. Other sources I found claimed it was up to 50%, but really didn't provide any backing for this assertion, so I don't trust that figure. One third is large enough to be a bit scary to me.

Why is it scary? I wonder if it says why they regret it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Why is it scary? I wonder if it says why they regret it.

I can't help but think that a significant amount of tattoo regret comes from a tattoo just not looking good a decade or two after they're done, which just comes down to things like failing to go to a good tattoo artist or not caring for it properly afterward.

There are a lot of poor to mediocre tattoo artists out there and they stay in business somehow, so there must be a lot of people with poor to mediocre tattoos, too.

I have a feeling that the odds of regretting your tattoo go down dramatically if you do your homework when picking the person to do it, do proper after-care, and are careful to put sunscreen on it in the summer.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Instead of regret, how about asking those of us with tattoos about the thrill of getting inked and the anticipation, even almost to the point of needing more ink? I think I may get a small portrait of the Creature for my next one. Although I can say it's probably a good thing I didn't get the Asclepius rod made into a sword over my first knee surgery scar, as for all I know right now that area may be hacked up. But if the area looks alright, the Sword of Asclepius it is!

I use to know this girl who was getting a serpent dragon tattoo that wrapped all the way around her body, with the tail starting at her ankle and the head resting on her shoulder. I got to see the outline (which was amazing), and abit of the head colored in, but she moved before I could see the finished artwork.

Yeah tats are hard to change; I'll grant you that.

Don't just take our word for it: go visit some tattoo parlors and see what artists have done to cover up and completely change a tattoo into an entirely different tattoo. It can be very trying and challenging for the artists, but some are up to the challenge-especially if you have developed a good professional/client relation with your artist.

 

[Skwim]

Instead of regret, how about asking those of us with tattoos about the thrill of getting inked and the anticipation, even almost to the point of needing more ink?

Not interested, thank you, although I have heard of tattoo addiction.

"Tattoos are not stated as a legitimate addiction in the DSM-5 (list of addictions recognized in psychiatry). However, help for tattoo addiction is available throughout the United States."
source
​

More HERE

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Not interested, thank you, although I have heard of tattoo addiction.

"Tattoos are not stated as a legitimate addiction in the DSM-5 (list of addictions recognized in psychiatry). However, help for tattoo addiction is available throughout the United States."
source
​

More HERE

I didn't mention addiction, and of course the DSM can't list it as a disorder as a disorder must cause an amount of distress and meet other criteria. I doubt you'll find many people like Enigma or the Cat Dude (I can't remember his name) who would meet the criteria for addiction and disorder. People can be addicted to them, much like pretty much anything else, but the desires and urges for more ink does not equate to an addiction.
Rather, I was putting forth the question on instead of asking about regret, why not ask about the enjoyment, pleasure, and thrill that many of us get from getting a tattoo. And by the way, it is one helluva rush.

 

[Nymphs]

Not interested,

Serious? We aren't trying to convince you to get one, just clearing up any misconceptions about those with tattoos and what it means to get one. If you aren't interested, may I ask why you involved yourself in this conversation?

thank you, although I have heard of tattoo addiction.

What Shadow Wolf said:

I didn't mention addiction, and of course the DSM can't list it as a disorder as a disorder must cause an amount of distress and meet other criteria.

I doubt you'll find many people like Enigma or the Cat Dude (I can't remember his name) who would meet the criteria for addiction and disorder. People can be addicted to them, much like pretty much anything else, but the desires and urges for more ink does not equate to an addiction.

Even then, why is it a bad addiction? It is harming anyone, even the ones being tattooed?

Rather, I was putting forth the question on instead of asking about regret, why not ask about the enjoyment, pleasure, and thrill that many of us get from getting a tattoo. And by the way, it is one helluva rush.

Hell yes. I enjoy getting each one of my tattoos, and they have a such deep symbolism to me. Each one reminds me of an event in my life or someone I care about deeply.

If you are interested, here is a thread showing my current tattoos:

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/social-world/163366-share-your-tattoos.html

I'm always happy to answer any questions people have about tattoos. And if there is a personal question about my tattoos, I'll answer that as well.

 

[Skwim]

I didn't mention addiction,

No you didn't. I only pointed it out because of your, "even almost to the point of needing more ink?"

Serious? We aren't trying to convince you to get one, just clearing up any misconceptions about those with tattoos and what it means to get one. If you aren't interested, may I ask why you involved yourself in this conversation?

I'm not interested in discussing any "thrill" and "anticipation" of getting a tattoo. I was simply giving my opinion as to what tattoos say about a person---the OP's subject---which, for the most part, I feel is shortsightedness.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

No you didn't. I only pointed it out because of your, "even almost to the point of needing more ink?"

I'm not interested in discussing any "thrill" and "anticipation" of getting a tattoo. I was simply giving my opinion as to what tattoos say about a person---the OP's subject---which, for the most part, I feel is shortsightedness.

I'd rather have my fun now than be 70 years old and wishing I would have done more.