Mr Cohen notes that "...the tattoos of today are not minor affairs or miniatures placed on the body where only an intimate or an internist would see them. Today's are gargantuan, inevitably tacky, gauche and ugly. They bear little relationship to the skin that they're on. They don't represent an indelible experience or membership in some sort of group but an assertion that today's whim will be tomorrow's joy." Interestingly, he also relates the mindset that leads people to let themselves be tattooed (live for the moment without thought for the future) to the mindset that got us into the current economic mess:
"The permanence of the moment -- the conviction that now is forever -- explains what has happened to the American economy. We are, as a people, deeply in debt. We are, as a nation, deeply in debt. The average American household owes more than its yearly income. We save almost nothing (0.4 percent of disposable income) and spend almost everything (99.6 percent of disposable income) in the hope that tomorrow will be a lot like today. We bought homes we could not afford and took out mortgages we could not pay and whipped out the plastic on everything else. Debts would be due in the future, but, with any luck, the future would remain in the future."
I have to admit I'd never thought of the mindset that leads one to get a tattoo as being similar to the mindset that draws one into fiscal irresponsibility, but it's an interesting comparison. Of course, if you get tired of a tattoo and you have enough money and a high enough pain tolerance, you can get it lasered away; debt, unfortunately, doesn't disappear as easily. I wonder if every member of Congress has some huge, garish tattoo saying something like "Spend now and let the grandchildren worry about paying the bill."
But enough about tattoos and fiscal irresponsibility. I'd just like to close with one more juicy line from Mr Cohen's article that ought to be posted in every tattoo parlor: "...Everything changes -- including, sweetie, that tight tummy with its "look at me!" tattoo. Time will turn it into false advertising."
Yep.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
8 comments:
that's so true. I want to see some of these people with their fancy tattoos when they are 70. Muhahahaha!
Mistress-- Well, I DON'T want to see some of these tattoos when they're old and overweight! I can imagine a "tasteful" tattoo grown all bloated and warped out of shape by someone who puts on 40 lbs. Kind of like a decorative latex balloon that's blow up too much! Ick.
"They don't represent an indelible experience or membership in some sort of group but an assertion that today's whim will be tomorrow's joy."
Writing doesn't represent an "indelible" experience either. Should Mr. Cohen change his mind and get a tattoo (or change his mind about any other issues he's droned on about), he's a hypocrite in print. Today both of these forms of art have their forms of retraction, though their effectiveness can be debated.
According to Mr. Cohen everything is out, unless you consider military or prison tattoos. Tattoos and body art are a form of personal expression. For him to assume what's important or meaningful to other people is condescending.
It's true that many people don't give a lot of thought before making choices, but that could be said for a lot of folks in the financial situation that he describes as well.
Congrats on inspiring a WP writer. :)
I have 2 tats - both have meaning and both are tastefully hidden away.
Granted when I just had the one - the batman symbol - doctors and massage therapists would constatly ask why the batman symbol -- why not -- if I could be the batgirl I would! haha
The best ones are indeed tastefully hidden away and created by professionals.
Andrea & Katherine - yes, the mind boggles at the thought of what some of these things will look like in another 50 years. "Shudder."
Alex - I take your point, but think you may have overanalyzed mine.
lacochran - I'd "like" to think I inspired him...in fact, I'd like to think I was inspirational to anyone older than my grandchildren.
Zipcode - obviously, you have made a decision that you think is right for you, which is fine. I'm sure there's a story behind the Batman thing, but I don't know if I'm ready for it at my age...
Captain - you are so right. Now, what tattoos do you think the inhabitants of Wondawowman wear, and will Wesley ever get to see them...?
Hello? .......... Anybody there? ...... Well it looks like everybody came and went quite awhile ago. What to do ..... Think I'll take my credit card and go get at tat!
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