by fredo
on 5/6/2008 @ 8:21pm
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We've all witnessed the tattoo "fad" which is raging in Tacoma and many other locales. I understand that many people, including (perhaps) some feedtacoma bloggers, find tattoos beautiful. However, I've never actually seen a person whose attractiveness was enhanced by one of these "artistic" applications.
I would like to address more importantly, the long term implication of tattoos, which is mostly negative. From an employment standpoint almost no employer except used record stores, heavy construction, roller derby leagues, biker bars and tattoo parlors wants an extensively tattooed employee. If you have tear drops tattooed on your eyelids or have tattoos across your knuckles you are basically unemployable. (Wild generalization provided here to provoke response).
Getting rid of unwanted tattoos is possible but laborious and expensive. Given all the negatives that I have sited, why don't our leaders do something to reign in the proliferation of tattoo parlors? We are diminishing the potential of our youth by encouraging tattooing.
A final note- tattooing a big marijuana leaf on your body may increase your self esteem for a few days but believe me, you will regret it.
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by Heather
on 5/6/2008 @ 9:00pm | Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Add successful coffee shop owner, successful salon owner, most professional (and hopefully highly tipped) waitress in town, IT manager, billing specialist, and fabulous (the best ever) hair stylist to your list of employment opportunities for tattooed persons. I know all of the above and they have proven themselves to be more employable than my educated, presentable, barely tattooed self.
I think that as tattooed persons continue to prove that they are good employees, good citizens, and good parents, and as more people lose their misperceptions and stop stereotyping others based on their appearance, that employment opportunities for tattooed persons will be limited less and less.
As for reigning in the proliferation of parlors, it is all supply and demand. It does seem like there are more shops than there could possibly be paying customers these days, but they will close down if they become unprofitable. And I really doubt that the existance of the shop is the enticement for getting a tattoo. More likely the enticement stems from seeing a beautiful person with a beautiful tattoo.
There are already plenty of laws regulating tattoo artists. For instance, it is illegal in WA state to tattoo a person under the age of 18. I suppose that if you are old enough to enter the military, you are old enough to decide how to decorate your body.
And I'm really sorry that you are regretting that big marijuana leaf. I sympathize. Maybe you could have an angel tattooed below it and make the leaf into its wings? ;) |
by fredo
on 5/7/2008 @ 7:48pm | Heather your observasions were right on! Thanks.
Some of your tattooed friends have OK jobs and I'm sure most tattooed people will get jobs. However, IN GENERAL, extensively tattooed people will do serious harm to their employment prospects. Perhaps it would be nice if people would abandon their preconceptions and stop stereotyping these individuals but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.
I agree there isn't much that can be done to control the tattoo business but if local leaders really want to shed Tacoma's gritty blue collar pedigree then our youth must be encouraged to adopt a somewhat more professional appearance.
Finally, a marijuana leaf does make a pretty good set of angels wings but requires even more extensive tattooing.
My personal favorite do-over is the crown of thorns and crucifix placed in such a way as to turn the Zig Zag man into Jesus Christ.
Well, I'm off now for my CEO interview. If I could only find my dickie to cover up the bar code tattoo on my neck. |
by Mandiferous
on 5/7/2008 @ 8:57pm | I agree that tattoos can have a negative impression on those that you want hiring you. However, I think that as with all good things, moderation is key. I personally have 2 tattoos and a kick-ass job. Both tattoos are in easily covered places. I have one on my left shoulder that most of my co-workers haven't seen because it's not yet hot enough to be running around in a tank top. The second one is on the inside of my wrist and is easily covered with a watch. No one I work with (including my boss) seems to care, so I don't bother covering it up.
But here's a bigger question for you: Those people we see in Security t-shirts at bars with tattoos covering their arms from wrist to shoulder--- do they have that job because they have tattoos, or do they have tattoos because they have that kind of job?
Is that the only kind of work they can find because they chose to be inked, or is that the kind of job they wanted because they like being inked and knew it would be acceptable?
Do you see where I'm going with this?
And what exactly is your definition of "extensively tattooed"? Someone could have ink from their collarbone to their ankles and you wouldn't necessarily see it when they're dressed for the office. |
by Erik
on 5/7/2008 @ 9:16pm | Getting rid of unwanted tattoos is possible but laborious and expensive. Given all the negatives that I have sited, why don't our leaders do something to reign in the proliferation of tattoo parlors? We are diminishing the potential of our youth by encouraging tattooing.
No one could believe that the market would support so many coffee shops, cupcake outlets and salons but they are everywhere.
As far as regulating tattoo parlors, I have not seen much of a nexus or connection between them and nuisance type behavior which impinges on others. Thus, I don't see the public benefit of more regulations in Tacoma. |
by fredo
on 5/7/2008 @ 9:22pm | It sounds like you have a great job in spite of your tattoos, Mandiferous. Even you recognize the potential for employment problems-you stated that your tattoos could be easily covered up in the workplace.
The security "jobs" you mentioned at nightclubs I would not consider careers per se. Do you think these people are still going to be able to bounce people when they're 50 years old?
How about supporting a family and saving for children's college? Our young people need to focus on goals and achievement and quit worrying about presenting an "edgy" appearance like Tommy Lee or Amy Winehouse.
Thanks for commenting on my topic. I loved your response. |
