Tattoos Impact On Society

Over 45 million people in the United States have at least one tattoo on their body. Many don’t realize how a tattoo can affect their lifestyle. Leeanne Padowski who wrote “Think Before You Ink” article has made a very interesting point on how it affects people’s lives. Tattoos can affect you on the job marketing, your appearance and your health.

Gradually the acceptance of tattoos seeped into the Western society, which led to the tattoo fad in England and USA in the late 1800s (Caplan, 2000). Despite the historical stigma, the fashionable society started adorning tattoos as a social expression. What started as a fad for the working classes, soon spread to the upper classes. Interestingly, the trend did not unify people of different classes. The upper class discriminated the tattooed lower class and saw their tattoos as a sign of deviance.

Although there is history that proves tattoos were used for many reasons, some people still fell into groups that are considered stereotypes. The stereotypes of people with tattoos were considered to be criminals, drug addicts, or habitual underachievers. There is somewhat of a statistical truth to that slander. Sadly when it came to people who had chosen to show their tattoos in public, the stereotype is all too real. That is no surprise though; people with tattoos are treated poorly by the majority. Traditionally, tattoo clientele was considered to be that of bikers, bad-boy personalities, and truckers; however all that seems to be changing. There is still the tough guy image to contend with. However, it is mostly just with the older population. Chris Weskamp told the Denver Business Journal

For as long as there have been people, there have been methods of distinction amongst them. Throughout the years we have discovered ways in which to express our beliefs, our ideals, and our passions. Tattooing has been one of forefront methods in expressing our humanity, or in certain cases, our lack there of. For so many, they have taken on many different representations, each with an equal level of significance. The importance found in the symbolism of tattoos and their cultural relevance has consistently been a trend found throughout history, religion, and art.

The tattoo is a very old form of body modification, but in spite of that there is still a certain rejection towards those who carry them in a visible area of the body, for some it disfigures what has been created in the image and likeness of God while for others associates this with convicts or gang members mainly because they were one of the first groups to use tattoos to differentiate themselves from the rest of society. But also it is true that there is a very limited understanding about this corporal modification that could be one of the reasons why it can not be appreciated as for how it should be. However, modern society reflects the current popularity of tattooing because it has acquired an entirely artistic meaning to a social expression and a way of identity.

American tattoo tradition began primarily with sailors which cultivated a culture of tattooing for several reasons. One main reason was to ensure they had defining, distinguishing marks on their bodies to avoid the British ships from forcibly taking American sailors to the British Navy. Secondly, it was to remind themselves of where they had been from their voyages to foreign countries, such as Japan and the Pacific Islands. In the beginning, tattoos were not a part of American culture. People like bikers, soldiers, criminals, gang members and circus freaks were the only people who displayed them because it was considered “distasteful”. After the 1970s, the attitudes towards tattoos begin to soften with the help of punk, counter-culture movements, rebelliousness, and anarchy.

Granted tattoos have become huge part of the modern day. Tattoos have slowly become another social norm, actually becoming a common sight in the workplace. In everyday routines we can see Doctors, lawyers, police officers, or scientists with artwork adorning their skin. However, there will always be some people that do not believe in marking their skin. Whether from religion, tradition, or fear of being judged. Of course there are still stigmas surrounding ink, like being a felon or gang

When you think of social issues there are many that come to mind ,but there is one that though it effects many is overlooked. That issue is the acceptance of tattoos into our main stream culture. Tattoos actually have a very long history in our culture, but in the past, was concentrated in small out of the way pockets of society like the military and criminals. This has slowly started to change and tattoos have started to make their way into the commonplace. This transition into an age of acceptance is not only moral move, but a logical one, this claim can be justified with the with deep traditional roots and personal experience that tattoos hold for the people that adorn their skin with them.

Tattooing has become increasingly common among younger people in the United States in the last two decades and it seems no matter where people look these days, they cannot help but see a tattoo. 36 percent of individuals 18 to 25 are tattooed and 19 percent of them actually have three of more. Truth be told, half of people think having a tattoo is rebellious. Dylan Glaze is the owner of and a tattoo artist at Dark Light Tattoo in Fort Smith, Arkansas and he says, “Even ten years ago, you started to see it becoming more acceptable.” A good deal social stigma associated with tattooing is disappearing as 23 percent of Americans have a tattoo, according to a 2010 Pew Research poll.

Tattoos are a special type of historical art that’s been used for many generations in multiple cultures, some for imprisonment and some for tradition. I will briefly discuss how Tattooing helped influence the culture of the twentieth century and how being a tattoo artist takes the ideals from the history of tattooing and implement it into the modern world; to keep that art format alive, using surrealism, and stories, being inspired by the works of many great artists like Salvador Dali. The artwork of Salvador Dali, and Horiyoshi III will be used to example this association between the visual arts and Tattooing.

Tattoos firstly appeared among “American sailors, prisoners, bikers, and other gang members” (Sullivan, 543) during the twentieth century. Tattooing became more popular after the mid-1960s and “By the 1980s, they were de rigueur among heavy metal and rap performers seeking a following among adolescents and young adults.” (Sullivan, 542) However, in 1990s, tattoos “became a badge of youth.” (Sullivan, 542) Because of that, the “most alienated subgroups added other forms of body modifications” (Sullivan, 542), which was the piercing on almost everywhere of their bodies.

Megan Church Social Differences in Tattooed Individuals and Non-tattooed Individuals. University of Saint Joseph Tattoos are becoming more popular nowadays then ever before. About73% of individuals get their first tattoo at the ages of 18-22, and about 40% of individuals born in the millennia have a tattoo ( Monty, 2014). Although tattoos are becoming more popular, many individuals still have prejudices towards individuals with tattoos.

To fully understand the current attitudes towards tattoos it is also important to investigate the societal perceptions over the

Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness

A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole