You miss the point entirely.
I highly doubt that. However it is you that seems to be on a tangent. Your concern for what others do to their own bodies is hypocritical. Whether or not it is reversible is not relevant. You left the JW’s but kept the busy body feature and have made it part of your new religion.
Which of the following can you change at will daily or eliminate entirely?
1.Earrings 2.Nail Polish 3.Hair Dye 4.Make up 5.Tatoos
Yes, all of those things I mentioned can be changed or put away on a daily basis.
Perhaps I should have used Ear Piercing instead of earrings or how about electrolysis? Splitting hairs here I am afraid, pardon the pun.
However there are cases of women choosing to have their makeup permanently "tattooed". There is a rational reason given, namely time savings or allergy/skin sensitivity to cosmetics. Professional women and others who are quite busy rationalize that tattooed lips, eyebrows, mascara and even blush, can save them weeks of preparation time over their life time to be better spent on other pursuits. Do you object to this as well? If so on what basis, the choice or the permanency?
Irrespective of what your narrow minded view is on the subject, others have posited here that the tattooed person is manifesting some flawed character, or that this is a manifestation of something psychological (as you state) that the person is hiding from.
The same can be said about Earrings, nail polish and makeup in general. For all intents and purposes those who employ these personal enhancements, rarely step outside without them. Invariably they are life long habits that never get put aside. I concede to your point that it could be put aside if the person grew out of them or decided these “enhancements” or “personal artistic expressions” were no longer necessary for psychological reason or just their self esteem.
Plastic surgery, electrolysis as well as ear piercing would have been a better example to use. So therefore how do you feel about these persons based on the same principles? Can you express your sentiments to these persons since you lack the ability to single them out from the visibly identifiable tattooed person?
You’ve just discovered why the term “visible minority” was coined.
Obviously plastic surgery whether done for practical or vanity reasons is as you say not easily changed on a daily basis or at will. (although some plastic surgery and tattoos can be removed at will). Even piercing the ear will leave a permanent scar on the ear or wherever a piercing was put.
See the point now? You've pulled a diversionary debate trick. You focus on the NON-essential characteristic of the argument : SELF-EXPRESSION. The thing which is the DISTINGUISHING characteristic of a tatoo is the PERMANENCY. See?
Ok so then there is electrolysis which is done for the same reasons of time mentioned above as well as aesthetics. Sure some women opt for this because they are embarrassingly hairy, however by far the majority who use it are doing it for simpler reasons. Would you be of the opinion that woman should wax or shave instead to avoid doing something they might regret later?
There! Now I have addressed the permanency issue.
Now the secondary part of your misunderstanding; let's get to that too.
You compare birthmarks, pockmarks, bad skin conditions to tatoos. Let us ask another question, shall we?
Which of the following are actual CHOICES?
1.Tatoos 2.Birthmarks 3.Pockmarks 4.Bad skin conditions
Here again you fail to see the DISTINGUISHING element is CHOICE.
How can you so utterly fail to analyze the basis of objections to tatoos? I think it is either because you simply don't want to see the point, or; you haven't developed the ability to reason an argument from the eseential and fundamentals through to a logical conclusion.
This is just not true; I have analyzed the objection to Tattoos. Abilities to express what amounts to prejudicial and intollerant viewpoints is nothing to be proud of my friend.
I believe anyone here can see plainly that it is people like you that have not fully analyzed it. When you see a person who is disfigured, you do not know what choices where made that affected the outcome. At least as far as a pockmarked face, what choices did the person make or fail to make to cause the current condition? Although facial scaring is not usually the persons fault, why can’t it be reckoned a character flaw not to correct the scarring through dermabrasion or other plastic surgical techniques?
Although these random marks were mentioned, they were mentioned only to show that, if there is a God who is involved intimately with his creation, he obviously "chooses" to allow these things to manifest themselves in his creation. That is a choice of sorts. Not of the individual but of the creator/maker. Who are we to challenge such a choice of his as well as the person who decides to make his own mark or even someone who only enhances the mark they were given. As you will find, many have actually tattooed over a birthmark to enhance natures random design with one that is more relevant.
My point? There are easy ways of using non-permanent (temporary) tatoos for self-expression just like ear-rings, make up and hairstyles. The non-permanent tatoo is just as artistic.
You perhaps miss the point of why people make it permanent. Perhaps they are sufficiently dedicated to the reason or symbolism of the mark being made. Athletes know that their dedication to their sport will likely leave them scarred and disfigured in later life. Do you condemn a hockey or basketball player who “chose” to ignore a deteriorating knee joint knowing that he could opt for a disfiguring and permanent knee replacement?
Perhaps they do not see the practicality in either time or cost of henna tattoos over a permanent one. To them your solution is neither practical nor cost efficient.
Final point. I see the whole tatoo question as a bit more psychological. What possible reason would a person have for doing something to themselves unnecessarily in the name of cosmetic self-expression which will stay with them the rest of their life? Why the permanency? I can only think it is the need to be noticed. Look at me, look at me, look at me.....look at me...look at me.....look at me......
That last statement is ridiculous. While Neo Nazi’s and skin heads are applauding your sentiments, those who are rational thinkers are appalled as I am.
There is only one question that you need to answer. Namely why would someone else do something that you would not? That requires empathy, something to be more esteemed as an asset than logical debate fundamentals.
Statements such as “I see the WHOLE tattoo question as psychological” are presumptuous and judgmental at best. Seeking to pigeonhole people into your limited ability to think rationally. You show your classic prejudice by your inability to understand why someone would do this. Prejudice such as this is caused by ignorance and you are free to choose to remain ignorant. That is your loss. I would rather laugh with these sinners than cry with your saintly persona.
In the greater scheme those here who have tattoos and those of us who admire them don’t give a rats ass what you think about. You have certainly not shown any intelligent perspective here.
Frank75
