# Is listening to people talk about their tattoos the most boring topic ever at public events? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768 "2020-11-30T05:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/1 "2020-11-30T05:54:25Z")
Whenever I’m at a party or public function and someone in the group points out someone’s tattoos and asks them about it, that to me in the most banal conversation because it inevitably results in said person related the story of not just that tattoo, but EVERY SINGLE TATTOO on their body. And then it gets worse when other people in the group start related their own tattoo stories and then you get a feedback loop of tattoo stories for at least ten minutes. I can’t be the only one who finds this the worst topic to hear about, because honestly who the hell cares about what the generic tattoos people get come from, what inspired them to get them, where they got them, the healing process of getting them etc. At least the weather is something that might actually effect your life. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/2 "2020-11-30T06:40:43Z")
Nah. Getting people to talk about their tattoos is kind of cool. I have no tattoos. I do not plan on getting any. But the tattoos often are deeply meaningful to the person who has them and you can launch a conversation pretty promptly by asking a question or two along the rambling narrative. It’s an instant, easy ice-breaker, and at a party or public function, _that’s the point_. At the least, it’s a much more interesting bellweather for wanting to talk with somebody. Who cares about the weather? At a party?! Yep, it sure is hot/cold/rainy/humid/snowy. I guess I may get sweaty/cold/wet/miserably sweaty/cold-and-maybe wet. Weather talk is generic smalltalk, and if you’re at a party and talking about the weather… I don’t know, Asuka, unless you wanted to talk about the photography of the Ice Storm of '98 (it was pretty beautiful) or some really extreme temperatures I’ve experienced, I’d rather hear about tattoos\*\*. So you should actually have an, “It’s fine,” category. Because in a party or other social affair, it’s fine. (\*\*Because then I could talk about my scars.) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/3 "2020-11-30T06:43:09Z")
I’ve fortunately never been in such a conversation, but were I, I would categorize it as very annoying. From reading threads here, one could conclude that people are convinced their tattoos and their recreational drug use are fascinating subjects that everyone is interested in. ---
**Author:** ![steepone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@steepone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steepone)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/4 "2020-11-30T07:07:17Z")
If someone has a lot of tattoos then they have probably put quite a lot of time, money and thought into them, the tats become an important part of their persona, so naturally if someone shows any interest they will want to talk about them, I don’t find them any more boring than any other topic and far less boring than some topics, sport for example, or worst of all new parents talking about their babies ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/5 "2020-11-30T09:35:27Z")
It’s just another topic I have little interest in that people engage in. Actually, it is slightly more interesting than professional sports or hair styling. I so don’t care about it that I don’t care if other people talk about it or not. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/6 "2020-11-30T11:23:31Z")
Most of the people I hang out with have tattoos. Unless someone has fresh ink, the topic never comes up. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/7 "2020-11-30T13:33:31Z")
Not my area of interest, and I’d find it as annoying/boring as a discussion of college sports or a TV show I never watched or conspiracy theories. If it dominated the conversation, I’d probably wander elsewhere. Life’s too short to listen to boring stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/8 "2020-11-30T13:41:19Z")
I annoy my Wife by complimenting random people on their art. My daughters demonstrated how different they are with their first tattoos. Older girl, separated from her husband and now driving mule tours in New Orleans, a cartoon pony which feels very Thelwell. Younger girl, married this September to a man she has been with for six years and working as a paralegal in Connecticut, Mothman as the first part of a sleeve of American Cryptids. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/9 "2020-11-30T14:55:03Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Older girl, separated from her husband and now driving mule tours in New Orleans, a cartoon pony which feels very Thelwell. > Younger girl, married this September to a man she has been with for six years and working as a paralegal in Connecticut, Mothman as the first part of a sleeve of American Cryptids. Thank you for so precicely summing up the OP with this performance piece. Bravo, sir! I am bored to tears. Tears! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/10 "2020-11-30T15:01:02Z")
That’s kinda clarifying, actually. I thought the story was pretty cool, and it didn’t even occur to me that it’d be what the OP was complaining about. Sweet: I declare the OP wrong wrong wrong! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/11 "2020-11-30T15:18:21Z")
If I notice them at all, I prefer to make up my own stories for my own amusement. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/12 "2020-11-30T15:26:16Z")
I tend to assume that everybody (and I mean _everybody_) with a tattoo is Yakuza, and I treat them accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/13 "2020-11-30T15:53:11Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > I tend to assume that everybody (and I mean _everybody_ ) with a tattoo is Yakuza, and I treat them accordingly. Doubly so, if they are missing one or more fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/14 "2020-11-30T16:05:49Z")
> [@Acierocolotl](#): > > Getting people to talk about their tattoos is kind of cool. I have no tattoos. I do not plan on getting any. But the tattoos often are deeply meaningful to the person who has them and you can launch a conversation pretty promptly by asking a question or two along the rambling narrative. I find it interesting when I hear a person talk about a tattoo very casually; “Oh, we were in [city] for the weekend and found this tattoo place and I got this” since I can’t imagine just saying “Fuck it, gimme a shark on my arm” but I guess some people do. Otherwise, I’m like you in that I’ll never get a tattoo so I can find some interest in hearing about other people’s mindset and experiences. Sure, some people could beat it into the ground but they can do that with shit I’m actively involved in as well. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/15 "2020-11-30T16:14:24Z")
No, most boring is hearing about people’s dreams. Second most boring is that feedback loop of everyone telling their worst travel experiences, especially flight delays/cancellations. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/16 "2020-11-30T19:19:03Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > No, most boring is hearing about people’s dreams. Second most boring is that feedback loop of everyone telling their worst travel experiences, especially flight delays/cancellations. I had this dream, I was flying without a plane, like you do in dreams, and the flight got cancelled. I was stuck in Beirut for 24 hours, and there was this tattoo parlor in the airport, so I got one of a unicorn, to remember the occasion. True story! ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/17 "2020-11-30T19:23:26Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I had this dream, I was flying without a plane, like you do in dreams, and the flight got cancelled. I was stuck in Beirut for 24 hours, and there was this tattoo parlor in the airport, so I got one of a unicorn, to remember the occasion. > > True story! Aaaauuuuggghhhh! _pinches self to wake up_ ---
**Author:** ![Boudicca90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boudicca90/32/16818_2.png) [@Boudicca90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boudicca90)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/18 "2020-11-30T19:30:21Z")
It’s never been a problem for me, a lot of times they turn into interesting stories. Most of mine don’t really have any deeper meaning behind them, so discussion is usually simple: “I went to a tattoo shop on Friday the 13th when they had their specials and chose the ones off the sheet that I liked the most.” Not a very long convo there, lol. But my Starman tattoo on my arm has helped me to find other Rush fans and it has been a pretty good conversation-starter. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/19 "2020-11-30T19:46:16Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Whenever I’m at a party or public function A what? What’s that? I don’t think I’ve ever been in the situation the OP describes. But if I were? Well, I don’t like tattoos, but as a topic of conversation they’re no more boring than plenty of other things that strangers find to talk to one another about. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768/20 "2020-11-30T20:50:58Z")
I think it’s fine, especially if it’s good art. I like art. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768.md?page=2)