Weekly Written Analysis 4:
Tattoos
It’s no secret that many Americans are tattooed, and statistics have shown that approximately one in seven adults have a tattoo (Tennent). People get tattoos for many reasons including celebration of an occasion, alcohol induced purposes, or simply to make a statement. It seems there are more individuals today that are tattooed and for good reason. Tattoo parlors are everywhere and American’s are much more open and less conservative as a whole. A common misconception is that the biker or bad boy are the ones getting tattoos, but on the contrary, you are likely to find a doctor or stay at home mother with some ink.
Many huge advances have taken place in the tattoo industry including highly effective sterilization techniques. In the past, not much was done with needles and equipment from client to client. Now tattoo artists have to meet and maintain strict governmental health and safety standards. This has given potential clients the piece of mind and the ability to know it’s safe to get their ink for life.
No matter where you look it seems most celebrities and sports stars are tattooed. We see that they can get them all over their bodies and still perform their jobs, yet in the professional setting tattoos still have a tendency to be considered taboo. Employers have concerns that tattooed employees will portray a negative image on their company and customers will not approve.
Whether someone is interested in a subtle heart tattoo in an inconspicuous location or a full arm sleeve, it better be something they really like because it’s there to stay. Tattoos are a great expression of one’s personality but can also sometimes be portrayed as cliché. Whatever the reason or cause for going under the needle, tattoos are more popular than ever and here to stay.
References
Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Tennent, A. (2006). Tattoos enter our popular culture. Retrieved October 24, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Tattoos-Enter-Our-Popular-Culture&id=191995
Hi Tyler,
ReplyDeleteYour right, tattoos are very popular in today’s world. My husbands, and two of my daughters, have them. Personally though, I have no interest simply because I couldn’t sit through it or handle the pain.
Thanks,
Lisa