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There’s even a number to support it: 4.
A new study presented in the Chicago Tribune states that anyone who has a combined amount of, say, 4 or more tattoos and piercings has got to be t-r-o-u-b-l-e.
The study emerged out of the University of Texas and surveyed approximately 1750 students from a combination of four colleges who all had something in common: they were scary, toothless deviants who wrought to bring the world to its knees by expressing themselves in a manner that involved permanent colors and metal bars through weird places.
I’m kidding about the toothless part.
Findings stated that the more tattooed and pierced the student was, the more likely they were to be involved in “deviant” behavior such as visiting a bar and mayyybe getting into some college-related trouble. It was noted that individuals who sported more … expression, shall we call it — were found to be more likely to participate in binge drinking, drug use, promiscuity, arrests and cheating on academic boards.
The results are being based upon a mere, mere number: 4%. 4% of students who had four tattoos and/or piercings or more were apt to engage in such behavior. You may as well just come out and say that a small amount of college students are trouble-makers. That’s really what it’s boiling down to, no?
I think it’s ridiculous to completely stereotype a person (because that’s precisely what this is) because of the color(s) on their skin or the placement of external hardware. At my most “freaky” point, I had three tattoos, multiple ear piercings including the “awful” industrial, an eyebrow piercing, a nose piercing and a bellybutton piercing. Frightening!
And although they’re all gone at this point — with the exception of the tattoos — I was never what you’d consider a “deviant.” Did I drive an uber-fast red sports car while fronting a band? Yes. Did I subsequently rack up a few major speeding tickets while doing so? Alright, yes. Did I up and travel whenever I wanted just to end up in some questionable (and sometimes quite distant) places at times? Indeed, I did. But you know what? It was all in the name of innocent fun. No one ever got hurt, there was no malice behind any of my adventures and I never associated with people who had “danger” branded on their foreheads — figuratively or literally.
Assuming that a person with various body art is a deviant is just as narrow-minded as saying that all people of the Asian decent are math wizards.
Narrow-minded and slanderous.
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83
You see Sarah,the thing is you grew up a bit. We all go through the youthful excesses stage and hopefully grow out of it. The problem being is some of these kids are going to wake up someday and realize that the nine tattoos running up and down their arms was a mistake. I saw a young girl with a cupcake, yes a cupcake,the size of a baseball tattooed on her forearm. Why??
I’ve loved cupcakes for 25 years, why would I wake up one day and hate cupcakes?? If people get tattoos of things they truely love, they won’t likely wake up one morning and think, “Shit, what was I thinking? I hate Kool-Aid, why did I get the Kool-Aid man tattooed on my back?”
So, I think while some people regret the tattoo they got at 17, those aren’t the same people that are getting 4 plus tattoos, they are the people that got one to be cool and realised it looked stupid.
I think that the proportion of tattooed to not tattooed is higher in the ‘deviant’ world than in the ‘non-deviant’ world and not the other way around. While a lot of people get tattoos as art, they are also associated with gangs and prison and crime….so were they really expecting to get a different result from this study? As a (non-deviant) person with 4 plus tattoos and piecings, I could have hypothesised these results.
My best friend got drunk one night and woke up with a bugs bunny tattoo on his forearm,he still loves bugs but he did quit the vodka. He also follows this blog,so I may be taking applications for a new best friend.
You just remember who got you the cape and tights, sweetheart.
Maybe this weekend we can get some matching tattoos.
As long as I get to choose the art AND location :)
I’m not really sure what to think of this article but I’ll jot down my thoughts anyways.
1) According to the laws/rules of statistics 1750 is an acceptable number to base an assumption off of. I believe the minimum is 30.
2) Maybe it’s the article or maybe it’s your response to the article but the impression that I’m getting is that people who have tattoos become deviants and not the other way around. That deviants get tattoos.
3) With how they defined deviant behavior, well, they really just generalized it by also including innocent things as well. Who hasn’t gone to a bar? Do people only with tattoos go to bars? That’s ridiculous. Who doesn’t have casual sex with a stranger? Who doesn’t experiment with drugs or binge drink?
Yes I am aware not everyone is going to do all of those things but I believe I’m making my point. Deviant behavior is a part of growing up.
4) This one is aimed more at Joey than as a general argument. There are many reasons why people get tattoos. And if someone were to wake up one day and regret getting their tattoos then they were probably still unsure when they finally bit the bullet and had them/it done. And if someone wants a cupcake on their forearm so be it. They made the choice and for all you know it means something to them and it is an important symbol. Personally I have 6 tattoos on my forearms (3 apiece.) I love them and they mean a lot to me and very representative of who I am. And the girl with the cupcake might feel the same way about hers. People have made the argument to me about how I’ll feel about them when I’m 80 and they’re all wrinkly and gross. I have a hunch you might give others that same remark too. Well from my own personal standpoint (and probably from the millions of other tattooed people), why would I care what I’m going to look like when I’m 80?
I love cupcakes!!
Can I see your forearm tattoos?? I’m obsessed with sleeve tattoos!
And just for the record,your hunch is wrong,I’m not rude enough to comment on somebody’s personal appearance.
I am 24 years old and currently have 7 tattoos (if you count my 3/4 sleeve as one), and 17 piercings. The most trouble I’ve ever been in was truant from school, and I was only ever caught doing it once. Never had a speeding ticket, never done recreational drugs or even smoked a cigarette, didn’t drink a drop until I was 21 and never even been drunk in my life. I find that “study” offensive and generalizing.
You can’t judge an entire group of people based on a few bad apples. You can’t say “that guy has piercings and tattoos and is white trash, so ALL white people with tattoos and piercings are white trash!” It’s like saying anyone who drives a red car will speed in it. What about that old lady in the red Oldsmobile? Just because it’s RED doesn’t mean the driver is going to CHOOSE to do something stupid in it.
People chose to behave in whatever way they do. Just because you happen to be tattooed and pierced doesn’t make you choose any differently. You’re going to do what you’re going to do, body mods aside.
What about those who have scarification, or brands? Or silicone implants (not breast implants)? Are people who’ve had plastic surgery going to do these things, because that’s considered a body modification just as tattoos and piercings are. Articles like this piss me off and make me rant. I’ll stop now.
Just because you didn’t get caught doing something wrong (in this case truancy) doesn’t make it right. And people don’t “just happen” to have tattoos. It’s a conscious decision. They’re saying that the type of people who get lots of tats & piercings are the same type who participate in deviant behaviour. In other words, getting tattoos doesn’t MAKE you deviant. BEING deviant makes you get tattoos. Now go throw a hissy fit back at the trailer park.
You have got to be kidding me. Please just shut up. I’m not even going to bother correcting you in the parts of Laura’s post that you commented on, because you are well aware of what she was saying, you’re just being a douchebag and purposely twisting it around. Get a fucking life.
I “happen” to have two tattoos, two sets of lobe piercings, and I had a right-side labret piercing. Yeah, I had ditched high school a couple times, and I’d gotten drunk off of my parents’ alcohol once. But MOST teenagers did that, regardless of if they got tattoos or piercings later on in their lives. I’ve never gotten in trouble at school, or in trouble with the law, and what do you know? I’ve got 4+ tattoos and piercings! Shocker, no?
Lol whaaat. Listen, I binge drink, have casual sex and smoke. And I don’t have any tattoos on me!
Please explain your definition of casual sex,slowly with lots of adjectives! I’m not very bright.
Course! I have sex while I’m wearing a hoodie, hence “casual” and “sex”.
LOL, now I know what to get you for christmas,a big box of adjectives.
Yes please, that’d be great! Awesome! Magnificent! Mint! Marvelous! Amazing! Legendary! Unforgettable! Lovely! Adorable!
Uhm… can you get me some kick-ass, badass, blue with polka dots and leopard print Vans instead? Thank you, Joey :)
One thing everybody has to keep in mind is that in about five years,those tats start to fade and get fuzzy,eventually they’ll look nothing like they did.
Actually that’s not a true statement. You only have to get them touched up about once or twice in your life. And there’s approximately a 10-year difference between touch-ups.
My cousin is a dermatologist,we’ve had this conversation many times because he also cringes when he sees all these young people getting multiple tattoos. As you age your skin looses elasticity and the shape will distort,exposer to UV rays(the sun)will cause fading. I have many friends with tats that are 40 plus years old,and they look like bluebird shit.
If anyone has an explaination for this, please let me know.
My Dad was in the Marines and had a tattoo of a bulldog with a helmet on and if I’m not mistaken his social security number tattooed on his forearm. Of course after 45 years the tattoo and the numbers were pretty much blurred together and totally unrecognizable.
I was with him while he passed away, and all of a sudden both tattoos were as clear as day. You would swear that he just had them done! Every line in the bulldog was visable and sharp as a tack. The numbers were bright and clear. I don’t know what the medical explaination for this is, but I found it to be very comforting for some reason.
On a side note, while I was little he used to tease me and tell me that the tat was a picture of my mother when he first met her.
It varies a great deal depending on where you have the tattoo and also on the individual. If memory serves it also depends on the color and ink used. Some ink will last for a decade but there will almost always be a significant difference. Look at any old man with a tattoo, it looks gross. My friend’s grandfather got one back in the 40s when he was in the navy and by the time he died it was just a big ugly blotch on his arm. Even when he told us what it used to look like we couldn’t see it.
If I had a meaningful reason to get something I might consider it e.g. one of my friends had one done in memory of her stillborn son. I’m not one to get it done just for decoration and most of the time I think it just looks tacky. Same with piercings, I can handle women with one hole in each other but any more than that just looks bad to me. I also loathe seeing little girls with pierced ears. If people want cosmetic bodily modification when they’re old enough to consent that’s their business but piercing holes in a baby’s body isn’t OK.
I got my ears pierced when I was 5 years old. My mum told me that I had been asking for earrings for the first time, when I was 3. And I just kept asking. 2 years later, she gave up. My first earrings were ladybugs and I loved them :).
I got my ears pierced when I was 5. I was playing with a friend and mentioned that I wanted my ears pierced. She told me that her older sister (probably 9 haha) could do it, but I’d need a pair of earrings.
I went to my Aunt Cheryl, told her I needed earrings, etc. She gave them to me, figuring there was NO WAY a 5 year old would do this.
Well, the older sister did it. My parents both had heart attacks, but they are still pierced – except when I was 20 (wayyyyy before it was en vogue), I got a second set and the cartilage done on one ear only. I’m 50 now, and I have yet to get the urge for a tattoo.
Most girls who are born in Spain get their ears pierced when they’re still in hospital, it’s just tradition. I didn’t get my ears pierced and my mum ended up taking me to the chemist’s so he pierced my ears when I was like a few months old because people kept on thinking that, since I didn’t have any earrings on, I was a boy. I don’t agree with piercing a baby’s ears, but I don’t think it’s as bad as you say. Seriously, it doesn’t hurt (I say this because I had my ear pierced again when I was 15).
I have to be totally honest here, I have NEVER liked tattoos. I don’t really know why. I just think they’re unnecessary and generally unsightly.
However, I have far less of a problem with tattoos than I do with piercings. Piercings freak me the hell out.
That all stems from back when I had my ears pierced when I was about twelve. One of my earrings ripped through my earlobe, and that was it. I was scarred for life (mentally and physically–I have a torn “alleycat ear” now).
I’m with ya there,Megan Fox has a giant Marilyn Monroe on her inner forearm,In about 5 years its going to look more like Courtney Love with a hangover! Yuck oh poopoo!
Hate to break it to you, Joey, but five years isn’t going to turn a tattoo into something entirely different. Thanks, but you failed at making tattoos seem like a bad idea.
Thank you,that really takes a load off my mind. Last night I got hammered and woke up with a life size George Bush on my chest,at least thats who I think it is?
Yeah, and EVERY tattoo is a drunken mistake. -rolls eyes- Only idiots and horrible shops will tattoo a drunk person. People who actually take body modification seriously will never put themselves at risk, and a professional tattoo artist will never tattoo a person who is drunk or on drugs. Fail, again.
I think thats my problem,i just don’t take body modification seriously. I’m going to try,might even consider some counseling.
Do you colour your hair? Get surgery? Because that’s all body modification, too. So maybe take it a tad more seriously, kid. :]
And it doesn’t really matter if you don’t take body modification for yourself seriously, but don’t be an asshole about it when others do take it seriously. It’s not your body, so why the fuck does it even matter to you what others choose to do?
Actually,last year I had a penile reduction,and I am feeling much better about myself.
And he colors his hair, too.
That might be a good idea Blurry,If I went with jet black it would look great with the purple cape and tights you sent me. I would look kinda like Elvis in his bloated Vegas period. I’m on my way to the drug store!!
The way Courtney Love lives?
HA! 5 Courtney Love years = 35 human years.
Valentine’s Day is coming.
Play your cards right and I just may send you a white jumpsuit – with a cape, of course.
Hunka Hunka burnin love!!
My brother has had a lot of his tattoos since he was 18 and he’s now 36 and they are still as good as the day he got them, my Granddad had some of his tattoos for 60 years when he died and they were still almost perfect when he died.
Cheap ink isnt going to keep. Cheap tattoos aren’t good and good tattoos aren’t cheap.
Im 19 and I have 5 tattoos, all of them mean something even if it is so I can look back in 50 years and think, ‘yeah thats who I was when I was a teenager, that was what I liked.’ I love tattoos, I think they are beautiful.
As for people being deviants because they have tattoos, thats crap. I got my first one at 17 with permission from my mother. Hardly rebelling.
i will speak for myself not the majority or the minority.
i am 24 in march. i have over 30 tattoos and 20 piercings.
i do not have a criminal record, i do not smoke, drink or do drugs.
tattoos and piercings are an expression of a person, so what if a person gets a cupcake on their forearm? thats what they wanted – thats part of who they are.
it’s not rebelling, its not wanting to be different, it’s wanting to express ourselves.
Well said Nexi. <3
I have been in charge of Human Resources for several high profile companies.
I’ll be honest with you here, mainly because it’s anonymous, okay?
I’m not trying to judge you, I’m not saying you’re wrong – I’m just telling you how it is.
Unless your tattoo can be hidden, many jobs are closed to you. Many well paying jobs.
It’s a matter of image, and a lot of companies just aren’t “with it” and don’t care about your love of the artwork, or how much they hold a personal meaning to you. They care about their company’s image, not about your uniqueness.
It goes without saying that there are jobs where this isn’t an issue.
Just be certain than you have the education / training for them. Or lack thereof.
So true. I used to work retail and one day we asked our manager why he always wore long sleeves and he said he had to hide his ink. We were through the back at the time so he took his shirt off to show us. He was basically covered from his neckline to his cuffs and apparently his legs are mostly covered too. You wouldn’t know to look at him when he’s dressed. If he didn’t keep them covered he wouldn’t be making 6 figures and he’d have been lucky to get in at the bottom level.
Poke as many holes as you like in your body and cover it with as much ink as you like but there’s a price to pay.
I guess young folks have different ideas on what looks good,but that description you just gave me,made me think of a carnival freak show. I find the human form beautiful ,and it breaks my heart to see these young people treating their bodies like sketch pads.
I agree, I’m not a fan of full body art either. A couple of pieces I can handle but all over stuff just looks nasty IMO. I should however add that the manager in question couldn’t really be described as young given he was in his late 50s at the time.
Who are you to say what is or isn’t beautiful? Ever heard of the expression “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? You have your opinion, and that’s perfectly fine, but it’s extremely rude to push it at everyone who disagrees. You’ve said your part, now move on, as I am.
What are you Hannah?
12?
Repeat what you just typed up there – to yourself.
And the rudest part was that he was responding to Rhonda – not you.
Hahahaha nope, I’m an adult. Thanks, though. :]
And I am well aware that he was responding to Rhonda. I wasn’t talking about what he was saying to Rhonda. I was referring to his comment about the human body being beautiful and being saddened that “young people” treat it as a sketch pad. Though he was saying it towards Rhonda, it was meant for people with tattoos, specifically those that are young, and THAT was where my beef was. I know it’s easy to misread what people say, so I’ll give you that, just this once. :]
Nope, I misread nothing.
I knew exactly what you were saying, I just wanted you to re-examine who was or was not being rude.
As for the remark about the freak show? He is just saying what most of the world thinks. Whether you like it or not, it is the truth. And unless you live in the deepest jungles of New Guinea, you are aware of this.
Do you think for one second the person in the pic accompanying the article is normal? Do you think that 99.9% of the employers will even consider them for a job?
Now, I know that being normal is often over-rated, but come on! If you want to push the boundaries a bit – go right ahead. But let me tell you – you aren’t anything special.
My 66 year old aunt has a tattoo on her leg, one on her wrist, one on her shoulder and a small on on her breast – AND she has her navel pierced.
Still feel all cutting edge?
I like how you choose to use the picture for the article, of ALL people, as your example. No, that’s not normal, nor what 99.9% of employers would accept for an employee. But how is this at all relevant? And where did I ever mention anything about a “freak show?”
I also rather enjoyed how you’ve come up with this whole thing about normalcy being over-rated. I’m hardly the person to accuse of “pushing the boundaries,” as you say, and believe it or not, it’s not my main goal in life to be something so trivial as “cutting edge.” I’d rather focus on my higher education and other important things. Good job pulling all this out of your ass. :]
“And where did I ever mention anything about a “freak show?”
Re-read the thread, particularly where you took Joey to task. I never said that YOU said it – just remember – it isn’t all about you.
Anyone who has half a brain knows that the person in the pic isn’t normal.
And…
Hannah says:
January 16, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Well said Nexi. <3
I do believe you were applauding someone who described themselves as having "over 30 tattoos and 20 piercings", correct?
All fine for them, if they choose this form of "self expression", however, you said:
"I’m hardly the person to accuse of “pushing the boundaries,” as you say, and believe it or not, it’s not my main goal in life to be something so trivial as “cutting edge.”"
Pull it out of my ass?
It's people who jump on band wagons without thinking things through that enable me to do that.
It really requires little to no thought at all.
Just remember, what I called you on was being rude. With reason and ample proof as seen above^^^.
Ta.
“it’s not rebelling, its not wanting to be different, it’s wanting to express ourselves.” – Nexi
This is what I thought was well said. Good job assuming that it was about the amount of tattoos and piercings she has. =
You can make all the generalizations about the body modification community as you like, I really don’t care. But once you make it about me and begin unfairly judging me, that’s where I have something to say. And now I ask: when are you going to learn that judging based on (possible) appearances gets you nowhere?
And with that, have a nice life, and I truly mean that. I have no care for anything else you have to say.
Well done then.
I guess you’ll have to figure out how to ignore me here – I have been posting comments quite regularly for quite some time now.
And will do so until I am no longer interested.
See you around :)
I was thinking exactly the same thing Blurry, but didn’t know quite how to delicately put it.
As I said – I could not possibly care less what they do to their bodies, but the movers and shakers do.
Unless they are heir to a fortune, have a sure fire idea (think Apple or Windows) or have some unique knowledge, quality or talent that makes them indispensable – tattoo with caution.
I think it is wrong to have a Saks ad flashing at me when I’m trying to type.
Louboutin thigh highs? In chocolate suede?
For the love of all that’s holy – I am only human!
I’m pierced, and tattooed. I take out the facial piercings so I can work(they will literally send me home if I don’t), but the tattoo on my neck is okay, they don’t ask for that to be covered. Unfortunatly, Blurry is right when they say they can hinder your career advancements opportunities. I’ve worked in other places where they asked me to cover my neck tatt, and honestly, having a bandage like thing on your neck provokes more looks and questions than anything else.
Anyway, I just wanted to point out that Blurry has a really good point, even though it sucks! lol
I want to get “Love Will Tear Us Apart” tattooed on my right wrist, as it’s my favourite song by my favourite band ever and they come from Manchester, where I lived for a year, an experience which changed my life. Long story short, that sentence means a lot to me, a very important part of me. However, I’m scared / worried that’ll prevent me from getting good opportunities in life. I am considering a career in teaching and I’m not sure how would parents feel about their sweet spawn’s Spanish teacher being tattooed. I might just get it on my instep instead, even though with British weather I won’t get much chance to show it off lol
Get it some where that is covered unless your like at the beach,believe me,some day you’ll thank me.
Yep, words of wisdom.
Maybe this is just me, but I think that if something is that important and meaningful to you, or “a part of you”, as you say….you shouldn’t NEED to get it inked on your body–it seems redundant to me.
How are you going to feel 10 years from now when you are in a happy relationship?
You’re going to look at your wrist, look at your significant other and want to cut that right off of your wrist!
Don’t allow a transient emotion about someone who doesn’t deserve ANY consideration from you allow you to make a permanent mark on your body.’
HOWEVER!
If you absolutely must do this, may I suggest the cleft of your ass cheeks? If you think about it clearly, it is completely appropriate.
LMAO whereas I think getting it on my ass would be amazingly ironic, Love Will Tear Us Apart is a beautiful song, and it doesn’t have anything to do with whether I’m in love or not. I’ve been in love and I have loved that song, and now I’m not and I love it anyway.
Check it here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHYOXyy1ToI&feature=fvw
Dammit!
“This video contains content from WMG, who has decided to block it in your country. ”
Bitches :(
Anyway, Is it the Joy Division version or Fallout Boy?
I may have the Fallout Boy on iTunes.
It’s the Joy Division one, but the FOB one is epic as well!!
Try Spotify if you can! http://open.spotify.com/track/2JO3HwMRPeya8bXbtbyPcf
i didn’t realize that this song was from the 70’s!
I found it on YouTube, Spotify didn’t work, of course!
You said you have FOB on your iTunes. I wanna be your friend.
Of course!
I have a wide range of music. I’ll share :)
Guuurd, I’ll cyber-stalk you on your blog soon. Right now I’m at my Uni’s library checking out boy… studying.
Tatoos are just plain ugly. Ugly people seem to favor them, probably to distract from their beauty challenges.
Hey buddy,I’m the right wing nut on this blog,get of my corner.
That should explain then why your mum is a tattoo model, twat.
We have a right wingnut already…
oh. Sorry, Joey – didn’t see you there!
Yeah, I’m hard to see in these tights and a cape!!
I VERY much beg to differ. You’re just as ugly, if not uglier, than those you’re trying to condemn with that comment.
I think I’m sensing a bit vitriol from the defenders of tattooing that may have come from a bit of doubt in their subconscious. Tattoos are a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.
I honestly don’t care one way or another, Joey.
I just despise people who are rude and dismissive in a nasty way. It can be done politely.
The part that i found interesting was this from Hannah:
“And now I ask: when are you going to learn that judging based on (possible) appearances gets you nowhere?”
Nowhere?
Really?
What part of head of Human Resources flew over that sweet little head of yours?
I actually snorted. Too funny.
Fortunately, they do grow up. Eventually.
I agree,that line about not judging by personal appearance is such pipe dream. It is and always will be your first impression on someone.
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