As a ship sailor out on the Pacific, in my younger days, I listened to many tales of my fellow crew mates. For every adventure there had to be special acknowledgement.( A tattoo)
Some sailors had potty mouths and dirty minds. Wine, whiskey and women were what they talked about. When the smoking lamp was lit, ( a Navy term allowing the crew to smoke for a period) smoke clouds filled the air. Often the conversation turned to tattoos.
There where sailors who had more than one tattoo. I don't remember them being overly covered but of course, each tattoo had special meaning. When the ships pulled into port many declared their intentions of, getting drunk, finding a girlfriend and a getting a tattoo. Usually the white sailors and some orientals were the first and boldest about getting them.
Not too many black sailors were attracted to the phenomena at that time although a few did indulge.
The sailors were proud of their tattoos and wore them as badges and symbols of honor and respect.
Those were military days. I'm sure that tradition continues.
Today, pro. basketballers, footballers, boxers singers and entertainers have become apart of the body image culture.
I know people have the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies but some people make bad decisions. If someone wants to wear a tattoo that's fine but when your body is covered with tattoos it says something of your thought process. When individuals choose to tattoo there faces, I think they have taken it to the extreme. When I see beautiful women who turn their bodies into murals I wonder what they were thinking.
God created beauty in women but some decided to redesign their image. If one wears a tattoo for others to see, they must expect to be noticed. If tattoos tell stories then some people have to be read like a book. The extreme tattooed person becomes a museum piece, a conversation item, or a circus freak. To read each tattoo and listen to the story behind them could take hours.
I have never had or wanted a tattoo but have no problem with others getting one. One well placed tattoo is not bad if you must. What I find extreme is the wallpaper affect on the human body.
The tattoo artist go from fair to fantastic. There are some extremely talented Artist out there. Recently I read an article of tattoo artist crafting their work on canvas.
Many are able to work under extreme conditions. Some practice while incarcerated finding ingenious ways of designing tools while in jail. The most extreme practice was shown on the news. An artist skydiving and tattooing another while still in the air.
There are tattoo artist whose work is worthy of a museum. The problem is how do you place a live human in a museum. I have seen incredibly awesome tattoo art on humans.
Body art comes in many forms. People have a right to choices. While I will in no way condemn a person's choice to receive a tattoo, I will say.. choose wisely.
