# WHY do people go and cover themselves in tattoo's? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163 "2012-11-26T16:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/61 "2012-11-26T21:42:24Z")
I think tattoos look great when they’re done well–even large ones like sleeves. I’ve seen some really gorgeous sleeve tattoos. I don’t personally have any body art and I’m not brave or motivated enough to get any (I always think that there are very few things in life that I’ve loved long enough to expect I’ll still love them in 10 or 20 years, so I’m scared to get my current preferences enshrined on my body–the few things I _have_ loved consistently, like cats, aren’t things I’d really want as tattoos) but I have no issue with people who do. It’s their business, not mine. That said, there is one kind of tattoo I really dislike, and I will reluctantly admit that it will affect my opinion of the person–I call them ‘scribble’ tattoos. Basically badly-written words, prisony-looking things like crude spiderwebs, something scrawled across the person’s neck, usually in a single color…Hey, if you want these, it’s your right and none of my business. But if tattoos are body art, then it will always look to me like the equivalent of letting your three-year-old scribble on your walls with a permanent Sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/62 "2012-11-26T21:50:18Z")
Oh, I judge people with tattoos, too, Infovore. My judgement is reserved for those who tattoo in a language they themselves don’t speak. How dare they appropriate other people’s cultures! : shakes fist : But I can’t control them and it doesn’t change the quality of them. They could be perfectly nice people and I don’t have to agree with every lifestyle choice they make. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/63 "2012-11-26T21:54:40Z")
I don’t personally have any tattoos and don’t have any plans to get anyway, but I do appreciate them. Tattoos are a form of collaborative art. The tattoo artist has the obvious role of creating the visual image and putting the ink in the person’s skin, but the person with the tattoo has the idea, and chooses the placement which adds context either just because of the place or other surrounding tattoos. It’s a way for that person to make himself into a work of art and express whatever idea is important to him to express. I personally have a hard time understanding fairly generic tattoos, particularly flash, since the image is already designed and the person inking it doesn’t really do anything to change it, but I can appreciate that in the same way that people might follow a fashion trend, might just see it as a way of being rebelious or individualistic or whatever. Or maybe though it is just a piece of flash they have some personal connection to it and are either unwilling or unable to spend the time and money to get a special design. I’m sure you know someone who is, or was, in the military and is really proud of it. Maybe they have a Semper Fi bumper sticker or they talk about it often or whatever. The point is you know that their service is important to them. In that sense, it ought to make sense that, while someone might express the importance of that to others in one way, someone else may simply choose a tattoo. Service tattoos are pretty popular. Similarly, imagine someone who had major life events, like being sober, quitting smoking, having kids, or some other impactful life event. One person might just carry a picture of their kids around, someone else may choose to get a tattoo. Some people do get them for silly reasons. I’m sure a lot of people who were in their teens and early 20s in the 90s probably are regretting their silly pseudo-tribal tattoos they got because they were cool. But that’s not really any different than getting a weird peircing, or following some other bizarre trend, other than the level of permanence of the decision. So why don’t I have any? Simply because I’m not interested in showing those sorts of things to random people, and I don’t need a tattoo to remind myself. What expression I do, I do through other forms, like music and poetry, so I’ve never particularly felt the need to express myself in that way. Also, though I have strong beliefs about a lot of things, there’s nothing I’ve particularly felt drawn to share in such a way. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/64 "2012-11-26T21:59:05Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > You don’t see how it could be a turnoff? Who cares? It’s not like she had oozing sores and smelled like death. I simply can’t imagine any guy passing up sex cause a woman had tattoos. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/65 "2012-11-26T21:59:23Z")
Some people just suck at remembering birthdays (really? You’re listing Alizée ahead of Angelina Jolie as your big example of many tattoos?). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/66 "2012-11-26T22:01:17Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Who cares? It’s not like she had oozing sores and smelled like death. I simply can’t imagine any guy passing up sex cause a woman had tattoos. Well, passing up sex is a bit different than not wanting to go out with. While a couple of “cute little tattoos” are not a disqualifier in my book, serious body work certainly is. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/67 "2012-11-26T22:01:38Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I thought it was because he just saw one tattoo? Can anyone link to the thread? It may have been. It was odd. ---
**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 26, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/68 "2012-11-26T22:32:23Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > But if I come in to a new doctor / lawyer / physician / dentist and I can see he is covered with tattoos - I will find myself a new one. Your loss. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/69 "2012-11-26T22:36:42Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > You do realize that professional competency is not correlated with how someone likes to decorate themselves, right? > > Would you walk out on a doctor because you hated the color of his/her shirt, too? :rolleyes: Clothes does not equal permanent disfigurement (which is how I view it). And, however unfair you may think it is, yes, I would actually question their competency. ---
**Author:** ![solosam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/70 "2012-11-26T22:55:51Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Clothes does not equal permanent disfigurement …but neither do tattoos, so this thread is just going in circles. “Tattoos suck!” “Do not!” “Do too!” “Do not!” …and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/71 "2012-11-26T23:02:52Z")
As a consumer **Terr** is entitled to make decisions for very silly reasons. Face and neck tattoos would keep you out of a lot of professional jobs, but aside from those, you can be pretty thoroughly covered in tattoos under business attire without anybody knowing. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/72 "2012-11-26T23:23:36Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Clothes does not equal permanent disfigurement (which is how I view it). And, however unfair you may think it is, yes, I would actually question their competency. I tend to question the competency of anyone who can’t grasp the concept that a person could disagree with them about something and still be competent. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/73 "2012-11-26T23:32:23Z")
> [@solosam](#): > > …but neither do tattoos, so this thread is just going in circles. > > “Tattoos suck!” > “Do not!” > “Do too!” > “Do not!” > > …and so on. That would make an awesome Celtic spiral/knotwork tattoo… ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/74 "2012-11-27T03:36:14Z")
> [@Crab007](#): > > This is something I’ve never understood. Are you also confused by the fact that not everyone is the same height? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/75 "2012-11-27T03:58:58Z")
I don’t care for tattoos myself, but to each his or her own. However, I do wonder how those with whole arms or bodies covered will look when they’re elderly. And flabbier, and covered in blemishes. Not the nicest I would imagine. Actually, when I was young, I thought it would be neat to have a tattoo. But I was seventeen then in the 70’s and nobody had them. The main reason I don’t care for them now is because everyone has them. They’re boring now. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/76 "2012-11-27T04:00:46Z")
I got my tattoos because I was told I would automatically become a member of al qaeda. Which I’m starting to think is bull shit as I have yet to recieve my “World’s #1 terrorist” coffee mug yet. Also, I kill puppies. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/77 "2012-11-27T04:03:21Z")
_"WHY do people go and cover themselves in tattoo’s? "_ Because they want to, and second don’t care what you think about them when they get them done. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/78 "2012-11-27T04:05:19Z")
Sometimes it’s for [magical protective purposes](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/uk-thailand-tattoo-festival-idUSLNE82401D20120305). Good photos [here](http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2009/mar/05/thailand-tattoo-festival-cultural-trips?picture=344135657) too. Unfortunately, some bozos have gone so far as to test their newly obtained protective powers by having someone shoot them with a gun. You can guess the results. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/79 "2012-11-27T04:55:30Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > _"WHY do people go and cover themselves in tattoo’s? "_ > > Because they want to, and second don’t care what you think about them when they get them done. Until they can’t get a job, then run here whinging about how unfair life is. :rolleyes: _Then_ they care. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163/80 "2012-11-27T05:45:49Z")
> [@Crab007](#): > > …But how can any tattoo ever possibly be better than actual clear healthy skin?.. Well, given THAT, I should be covering myself with tattoos. I am actually kind of curious how that would work, as I already have biological tattoos, which randomly change whenever they feel like it. It’s to the point now that even if I did completely ‘cure’ my psoriasis, I’d still be covered in scars, and I do mean covered. My theory is that tattoos just wouldn’t take, due to the abnormal skin, but still, it could be a neat experiment: cover up with clothes, or cover up with tattoos? Hrm… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-go-and-cover-themselves-in-tattoos/642163.md?page=5)