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I wear wristbands pretty much all of the time.. And failing that a watch would cover it up where I wanted it.

Also when performing I don't believe i've EVER worn short sleeves - concert dress is either Tux or all-black suits. Unless it's in costume, then some decent foundation will cover it up.

Sorted =)

Forgive my bluntness or ignorance, but surely covering a tattoo defeats the point of having one? If I ever had one done in a "visible" location I would be proud to display it. Just because some people don't like it doesn't mean people should "obey" that.

Graphic parallel, but Mystique from the X-Men comics doesn't go around looking like anyone human. She displays her mutant blue skin with pride as she believes she has a right to do so no matter what "regular" humans think of her. Extreme example, granted. But we should celebrate differences not cover them up.

Or maybe that's just me?

Aesthetically pleasing mebbe... think again after you hit 50+ and it's all saggy skin and wrinkles ^_^

I like tattoo designs, but somehow it doesn't look as nice once stamped on a body. I suppose I might shove you into a stereotype group if I see you with arms and chest covered in gaudy pictures, but at the worse label you a bit odd with a strange sense of aesthetics and a high pain threshold.

But not for me thanks, I change my mind often so I'll stick with using something like eyeliner if I want to scrawl all over myself (biro and ink pen on my hand makes the nearby joints ache for no discernable reason O_o)

Unfortunately, there are many people out there who will say no to a job if you have a tattoo, covering it up (not in an unnatural way) for an interview could mean you get the job. The employer would probably have a hard time firing you if they didn't ask you to roll up your sleeve or ask if you had any tattoos in the interview, if the day-to-day job just required a t-shirt then your tattoos would be on full show...

as I said to blue at the weekend I'm still considering getting a tattoo done on my right arm but I need to design it first (& I'm not and artist, the current forum logo proves that). I know I want the grim reaper playing either guitar or bass with lots of black, dark blue & purple. But I also want to include other parts of my life. I don't really want more than 1 tat but would love to fit in something techie and maybe a helix to represent the folding aspect. This is leading to more than one tat thought to avoid it looking silly (although if only had one it'd be grim reaper one).
So far the only things stopping me are:
A) lack of design skills (I know what I want in my had but it's hard to explain that to a designer)
B) money (it'd be expensive for the custom design)
C) swmbo wouldn't be happy (although she'd come around if "B" wasn't an issue

I have no entry signs tatoo'd on my butt cheeks. And MUM on my arm with an Anchor with a W right before it. About 15 years ago I was working in a hospital in Bristol and a guy came in with head injuries (bottle of Manns Brown cracked over his head) and he had a tat on his neck that said 'cut here' with lines and a little pair of scissors like you used to see on packaging before the health and safety people made everything 'tearable'.

Why?

(Yes I know the word but why have it done? )

CC You are my literal mother-in-law and I claim my £5.

It was a joke. Got no ink done !

I think some would draw a distinction between what you are and what you do to yourself. Also it is about what the social norm is. In many places a woman would be flogged for going topless. In other places nobody cares at all.

In some cultures tattoos are a norm and are form of tribal badge of honour in others it marks you out as trouble. As society changes body modifications may become more (or perhaps less) acceptable. If you choose to push societies boundaries don't be too upset if society pushes back sometimes.

I for example respect people who choose to be "different" and who are being true to themselves. That does not mean however that I would necessarily want them working for me. If anybody goes outside of societies norms they have to accept the consequences.

And because of that, I hope successive generations of kids aren't as sad as we are (I'm talking bitchiness etc, not full-blown perversion ).

I actually really understand what you're saying here CC, (I think), and you're right, it is completely down to what is socially acceptable and what isn't. And ultimately how high up you hold societies opinion.

To be honest, I couldn't care less what everyone thought about me, but on the same hand I wouldn't do anything crazy like neck tattoos, because I respect that would affect my current and future job prospects. So I think personally for me it's about finding the balance between creativity, individuality and respectableness in the work place.

At the moment the only one I have can be cover up with a short or long sleeve t-shirt, and the next couple probably will be too. But I think the decision would be much harder if I decided to get one outside of those boundaries.

Edit: I guess this kind of leads me to: is it right that we have these social boundaries? Who defines them? And why do we all choose to abide by them?

We're all just individuals going about our own lives, why should we care what all the other indidivuals think about us?

It's the way human society works. On the basest level if you "stand out" and are different in an undesirable way you won't find a mate and procreate. Thus society determines what is and is not acceptable by a process of elimination, other members of society see that the "different" one is ostracised, so they do their best to fit in with the crowd. It's still very much in evidence, but evolving.

20 Years ago if you were a kid in school with only one parent (a child of divorce) you were different and the "normal" kids were all the ones with two parents at home so you would be picked on. Same thing with kids with glasses, lisps, stupid haircuts done by their mums etc etc. The social conditioning seems to be inherent in humans from a very early age and it's not definitely a learned behaviour. My nephew has always been taught that it's good and ok to be different, but he will still be found wanting the same trainers as his friend Nathan and being part of the group making fun of the kids with glasses.

As we continue to evolve, beyond "kids with divorced parents are weird" and "people being in love with people of the same gender is wrong" and "same sex couples adopting children is wrong" I think eventually we'll get to a (non-pretentious) "fantasy future" where people really are tolerant of each other in every aspect. But then, the human race being what it is, I imagine someone will come up with something new and outrageous at the time

Big questions Blue.

I have stepped outside quite a few social boundaries myself (and have paid the price). I think that many a social science Phd will be given out trying to answer the questions you have just posed.

I think in part it must be evolutionary in nature…

1) We belong to a clan, we look for protection from our clan against attack from outside. We bear the marks of our clan to signal for that protection.
2) It is natures way that the young strike out on their own to form a new clan away from that of their parents.

These concepts explains much of the behaviour of young adults.

The problem I have with tattoos is that they are so permanent. If you tattoo onto your body a flag that in effect says "working class and bloody proud of it". or "I love the Bay City Rollers" or "I like gothic art". What happens if you want to change your clan at a later date?

CC