Why do people get tattoos?

[Darren Avey]

They seem to think it makes them look tough and dangerous! Especially tribal tattoos! I look at someone with tribal tattoos and flaming skulls and shit and think you re an insecure bastard. Yet so many think hey I'm a badass, I have tattoos! I don't see the point of tattoos, I suppose I can half understand people have the names of children who have died and stuff as a emotional attachment but TATTOOS DO NOT MAKE YOU TOUGH!!

[Mr Anabolic]

Because it's trendy, they're young/stupid, they want to fit in, and/or mentally ill.

[Dr Dutch]

I think tattoos are ugly, some days ago I saw some 60-something woman with a wrinkled tanned skin and a bunch of fading tatts on it. Made my stomach turn.
Old sailors with a meremaid or anchor on their arm are cool, rest is disgusting for people over 50...

[oldtimer1]

Saw a guy with Chinese symbols on his arm and a Asian man walk by laughing hysterically. Still wonder what it said.

[Croatch]

Tattoos are cool and get you pussy.  It's the only reason to get them.  Ever since a young lad I always liked tattoos.  It has nothing to do with being tough, but let's just say...the guy with a few tattoos is much more likely to kick your ass than the banker wearing suspenders.  And probably more likely to get more pussy.
A similar conversation occurs on fitness guys vs. a non lifter.  A non lifter wants to believe it's a waste to spend time in a gym and that a ripped juicer is retarded....maybe so, but that ripped lifter probably gets more ass at the end of the day.
You can't pigeon hole every guy with a tattoo as an unintelligent prison inmate.  Today, they are even more popular.  Face it, it's as cool as you can possible get in life.  Facial tattoos are also the number one coolest thing you can do....I'm debating on one tomorrow.

[phreak]

Tattoos are cool and get you pussy.  It's the only reason to get them.  Ever since a young lad I always liked tattoos.  It has nothing to do with being tough, but let's just say...the guy with a few tattoos is much more likely to kick your ass than the banker wearing suspenders.  And probably more likely to get more pussy.
A similar conversation occurs on fitness guys vs. a non lifter.  A non lifter wants to believe it's a waste to spend time in a gym and that a ripped juicer is retarded....maybe so, but that ripped lifter probably gets more ass at the end of the day.
You can't pigeon hole every guy with a tattoo as an unintelligent prison inmate.  Today, they are even more popular.  Face it, it's as cool as you can possible get in life.  Facial tattoos are also the number one coolest thing you can do....I'm debating on one tomorrow.

Well done, had me falling for it until the last few sentences.

[Boban]

They seem to think it makes them look tough and dangerous! Especially tribal tattoos! I look at someone with tribal tattoos and flaming skulls and shit and think you re an insecure bastard. Yet so many think hey I'm a badass, I have tattoos! I don't see the point of tattoos, I suppose I can half understand people have the names of children who have died and stuff as a emotional attachment but TATTOOS DO NOT MAKE YOU TOUGH!!

I have a tattoo and I made it in order to remind me of something, it has a meaning and it's wort it (for me). I don't want to look tough, I just want a part of my life to be on my body to remind me of the hard times I've been through and to see the good time that I am in today. It's a mark for life, not something that will make me look dangerous.

[240 is Back]

Well done, had me falling for it until the last few sentences.

Croatch was a jacked dude back in the day, probably still is.  He was covered in ink back then.  badass look, probably pulls more ass than most.

[Redux]

because people are dumb

[WannaBePro]

I have a tattoo and I made it in order to remind me of something, it has a meaning and it's wort it (for me). I don't want to look tough, I just want a part of my life to be on my body to remind me of the hard times I've been through and to see the good time that I am in today. It's a mark for life, not something that will make me look dangerous.

Unless your memory is fading, is this really a good reason?
A close friend of mine died 2 years ago. I don't need a tattoo to remind me of his friendship or the fact that he passed. I just remember. The day I can't remember will be a whole lot easier.

Finally, I go back to the analogy of "if you drive a Ferrari, would you put a bumper sticker on it?" Unless you view your body as a 1990 Honda Civic, its hard to mark it with something permanent you may regret in 10 years.

[Eric2]

I got a tattoo near 30 years ago when I was in the Marine Corps. Seemed like the thing to do and thought it was really cool. Had a bunch of biker friends as well that liked it. At the time tattoos where not trendy like they have be come. When I came home on leave there was no one that had them outside of other service men. Now they have become over done and ugly. Today I cannot think of a single reason to get another one. I do not regret the one I have.

[Croatch]

Unless your memory is fading, is this really a good reason?
A close friend of mine died 2 years ago. I don't need a tattoo to remind me of his friendship or the fact that he passed. I just remember. The day I can't remember will be a whole lot easier.

Finally, I go back to the analogy of "if you drive a Ferrari, would you put a bumper sticker on it?" Unless you view your body as a 1990 Honda Civic, its hard to mark it with something permanent you may regret in 10 years.

The funny thing is someone considering their body to be a Ferrari.  Reality is, most bodies are a Corolla.  Mike O'Hearn...Ferrari, rest of world...not.

[WannaBePro]

The funny thing is someone considering their body to be a Ferrari.  Reality is, most bodies are a Corolla.  Mike O'Hearn...Ferrari, rest of world...not.

Haha very true! I guess we just see things a bit differently. Of course I don't look like O'Hearn, but I work hard for my physique and would like to not stamp it with permanent ink.
I have an ex who I ran into by chance last year. She gained quite a bit of weight and got tatts on her arms, calf, and back. She was a pretty slim girl when we dated, but as soon as she started putting on weight, instead of hitting the gym or changing her diet she decided to "distract" people from her weight with her tatts. At least that's the way I see her decision to get tatted up. I could be completely wrong, of course, but I can't help but think she wouldn't have gotten those tattoos if she stayed relatively slim.

[240 is Back]

Haha very true! I guess we just see things a bit differently. Of course I don't look like O'Hearn, but I work hard for my physique and would like to not stamp it with permanent ink.
I have an ex who I ran into by chance last year. She gained quite a bit of weight and got tatts on her arms, calf, and back. She was a pretty slim girl when we dated, but as soon as she started putting on weight, instead of hitting the gym or changing her diet she decided to "distract" people from her weight with her tatts. At least that's the way I see her decision to get tatted up. I could be completely wrong, of course, but I can't help but think she wouldn't have gotten those tattoos if she stayed relatively slim.

it's so weird seeing ex's get heavy, and we (as getbiggers) just keep getting leaner and richer each year. 

ya know they be hating our asses for it.

[viking1]

"Hey, Look at Me"

[Powerlift66]

The same reason why people ask about it on bodybuilding forums, mental illness and insecurity... 

[Dr Dutch]

Saw a guy with Chinese symbols on his arm and a Asian man walk by laughing hysterically. Still wonder what it said.

Probably "egg fu yong with fried rice and noodles"..

[SF1900]

Unless your memory is fading, is this really a good reason?
A close friend of mine died 2 years ago. I don't need a tattoo to remind me of his friendship or the fact that he passed. I just remember. The day I can't remember will be a whole lot easier.

Finally, I go back to the analogy of "if you drive a Ferrari, would you put a bumper sticker on it?" Unless you view your body as a 1990 Honda Civic, its hard to mark it with something permanent you may regret in 10 years.

No, that's the day you stop being human.

[WannaBePro]

it's so weird seeing ex's get heavy, and we (as getbiggers) just keep getting leaner and richer each year. 

ya know they be hating our asses for it.

Haha that sounds like a joke, but I'd bet that's the reality. People who lift weights, at least in my experience, want to be better at everything, including their career. I'm not talking about delusional "bodybuilders" who think they're gonna go pro and live off a MuscleTech contract. I'm talking about people who stay in shape and work office jobs or own businesses. I work as a software dev, each year I've steadily been getting raises in salary, and each year I've steadily been improving my body. Whereas my ex, the one I'm talking about, got fat, got tatted up, works a minimum wage job, and lives with a complete loser who I bet you will end up in jail soon.

[kh300]

Boys have tattoos. Men have scars.

[WannaBePro]

No, that's the day you stop being human.

Dimentia, sclerosis, and other causes of long term memory loss are part of the human experience. Sorry to break that to you, but its true. Nothing you or I can do about it. So the day you lose your memory is not the day you stop being human. Its the day you become a different kind of human. A sick human.

[Dr Dutch]

I never understood why black people get tattoos.
You can't see the tatts clearly, and they never use lighter colours....why don't they got white coloured tatts ?
Can someone explain this ?

[rocco-x]

Some of us are into art in different ways.
    I love Japanese themed folklore and have a chest plate going into a full left arm sleeve of a Koi and waterfall.
    I do admit most ppl get anything just to have some ink, random pics of nothing. Mine have personal meanings to them.

  Do i regret some of my earlier pieces...sure I do. Like a few on my legs but with a great artist they can all be covered up with something I like, something that pertains to my life story.
   It's not for everyone.

[WannaBePro]

Some of us are into art in different ways.
    I love Japanese themed folklore and have a chest plate going into a full left arm sleeve of a Koi and waterfall.
    I do admit most ppl get anything just to have some ink, random pics of nothing. Mine have personal meanings to them.

  Do i regret some of my earlier pieces...sure I do. Like a few on my legs but with a great artist they can all be covered up with something I like, something that pertains to my life story.
   It's not for everyone.

That's very reasonable. In reality I don't care if people have or don't have tattoos. I'm a libertarian in a lot of cases. If it doesn't harm me then I don't care lol. Do what you want, its your body, its your life. I'm just speaking out of experience and what I think would cause someone to get a tattoo. I may be completely off base with my thinking, though.

[Dr Dutch]

Boys have tattoos. Men have scars.

haha like this one.