I found that I disagree with some of the points made by
The Piercing Bible. On page seven Ms. Angel say that “younger people are
frequently motivated by a desire to fit in with their peers or the need to
establish their independence from their parents. I disagree with this statement
because research, personal reasons and answers from peers that I have
interviewed. I did not get my tattoo to fit on or rebel from my parents but
because of my tattoos and piercings I
have made new friends because we share a common interest and now belong to a
this community. I also find myself disagreeing with the author of Wearing Your Life as a Sleeve: Examining
Tattooing as a Form of Postmodern Identity Expression". In this
thesis the author states that “individuals are forced to place him or herself
in a greater number of social groups and alter their persona in accordance with
each, they strive to reclaim self-ownership by etching their bodies with
symbolic representations of personally significant experiences, interest, and
beliefs. I disagree with the point the
author of this thesis is trying to make because I do not feel that
majority of the persons who get tattoos to define themselves from the social
groups they feel attached to. I feel that people already belong to a
group of people who share like interest. That’s how friendships and bonds form,
if those people happen to get tattoos or piercings, so what. From having
conversation with my peers I have concluded that your social group that you may
identify with does not define who they are as individuals but that social group
is a part of who they are as a person. My peers do not feel as though they got tattoos
to create an identity outside of the social groups or culture groups that they
identify with. I know that I am an African American female in college but there
is more to me than just that aspect of my life and I don’t feel the need to get
a tattoo to prove that point. I do agree that some of the tattoos received by
young individuals have significance to their life.
I do not feel that
people get tattoos to stand out from a group of friends just to claim
individuality although tattoos are a way to express individuality they
represent much more than that. I feel as though the media has done a great job
of allowing tattoos to venture past the rebels and into other regular social
groups and release from previous stigmas surround the tattoo world. Tattoos can
now be seen as more than just a drawing on a teenage rebel. Thanks to the media
tattoos can be seen as works of art. This influence from the media in my
opinion good press although we all know how one sided media can be. But with
this one-sided media, the media fails to inform and help educate the public on
the proper steps to take to getting a ink.
Even when I got my first
tattoo I was not in search of any kind of identity or to fit into a group. I
got my tattoo because I wanted it. I wanted something to represent my journey.
I wanted something that I could call my own and see every day as a reminder of
how far I have come. Finding out who you are as a person should not be the
reason one decides to get a tattoo. When searching for an identity I feel that
one should soul search and try different things but getting a tattoo is
something permanent and should involve serious deliberation. Even with the
media influence of making these modifications the media fails to inform the
public of seriousness and permanence of tattoos. Although more recently
laser removal has become more popular but they do not inform the public of the
scars that laser removal leaves behind and the fact that it takes more than one
visit. The media fails to fully inform the public about the stipulations that
follow many practices such as these.
I do agree that tattooing is a form of self-expression
for many individuals. I have seen in own interactions of people that have
gotten tattoos that most of their tattoos mark special events of changes in
their life. I would say tattoo are very personal and spiritual for some people.
I feel that all tattoos should have some kind of personal meaning whether its
explicit or hidden it’s up the Canvas to decide. Tattoos are very interesting
to the fact the tattoo artist hears a story or an idea and creates a beautiful
picture full of meaning. In my opinion that's what a tattoo should be.
Tattoos should be more than someone saying I want to be different or I want to
be a rebel so I'm going to go get a tattoo. Although I do understand someone
wanting to be different from the rest of society, wanting to have something to
call their own, and define them as an individual; but for me my tattoos
are much more than that and I do not want me tattoos to define me as person. I
want there to be more to my identity other than the fact that I have
tattoos and piercings.
But who am I to judge someone’s reasons for
how they choose to modify their bodies. Tattoos and piercing are a part of the
first amendment, freedom of expression.
But who am I to judge someone’s reasons for
how they choose to modify their bodies. Tattoos and piercing are a part of the
first amendment, freedom of expression.
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