I have a dilemma regarding tattoos. Born out of my parents prejudice mostly, but with some of my own reservations. Whilst I admire the artwork, I question the wisdom of this being a permanent part of the body. So when I heard students discussing tattoo’s and students who are discerning and bright at that, I could not resist the opportunity to try to further understand why people feel the need to either enhance their body with artful design or disfigure the body with graffiti depending on your perspective.
By the way – I would defend, with my life, the right to choose how we live, and am accepting of individual choice.
This student when asked ‘why’, answered ‘we have no choice about the body we are born into, but we can choose to enhance it so that we not only add our individuality and personality, we feel an ownership and a sense of adding to our beauty’. This is one of the most considered and reasoned arguments I have heard for tattoo’s. My one remaining reservation is this… most of us, as young people are filled with angst about the way we look, when we grow older we become much more accepting about the way we look and realise that beauty is such a personal thing and that we all are beautiful and individual. Is that a true argument against tattoo’s? I don’t think so, but I will add that I am personally pleased that I did not have any tattoo’s.
All that said – I feel I now have a better understanding. So, if you have them, make them amazing, and be proud of them, after all they are an extension of your beauty, creativity and individuality.
