There are nearly as many reasons for getting a tattoo as there are people who have them. Each person has his or her own exact reason; it may be a common reason or it may be unique, but it is nonetheless individual.
Truth or Dare
The game is not new, it dares you to do what you would never do on a normal day and this is one reason many people get tattoos amongst others. Those who are not usually satisfied at the result are those who get their tattoos on impulse, while intoxicated, to please someone else, etc. Even while holding it out as a spur-of-the-moment mistake, a person who gets a tattoo under these circumstances are rarely happy with having it on a long term basis. Unfortunately, these types of situations do involve a fair percentage of the number of people who get tattoos– and later regret it. Most people who get tattoos primarily as a means of rebellion are also dissatisfied in the long-run; as they grow out of feeling the need to rebel, they grow out of enjoying the symbols of it.
Subservient
For those who make an informed decision about getting a tattoo, whether they acknowledge it or not they are usually in either of two categories: those who are identified with a group, or those who are identifying themselves as individuals. Both are using tattoos as a means of self-expression. They do not have a mind of their own. On the dangerous end of the spectrum are inmates who belong to such groups as “the Aryan Brotherhood. In these types of instances, the tattoos serve a dual-purpose: they are a means of bonding a person to a particular group, and they are a means of separating oneself from those who are outside of that group.
Choice
Some people get a tattoo simply because they want to have one. Other than not putting much careful thought into its long term implications, nor being very selective about what particular design they want, this is not necessarily negative. For many, simply liking the artwork on one’s skin is reason enough to visit a local tattoo studio, hand over a relatively-large sum of money, and have something etched into their skin that is intended to remain there for the rest of one’s life. The most complex design or the most plain one can be a matter of speaking to the entire world, or something which one chooses to keep solely to oneself.
Self-expression
Others use this as a form of self-expression in a manner similar to what generations past used to do with shirts: to show the world what they wish to say. They choose the wording, or designs which symbolize something that is meaningful to them. You can see everything from who they love, what they love or their fantasies. In the past, people wore what they believed, stood for, and cared about on their shirts; these days tattoos often serve the same purpose.
Memorials
Many people use tattoos as memorials. Tattoos can be designed in commemoration of a deceased loved one, of course, but they can also be designed for the purpose of keeping in mind other places or situations which a person does not wish to forget. When there is someone or something that you wish to hold close to your heart, a tattoo can be a beautiful way of doing it. Photographs and other souvenirs are not eternal– tattoos are.
Why do people get tattoos? The reasons are as varied as there are individuals. Whether you have a tattoo or not, if you know someone who does, it is important to realize that you do not know what that person’s reasons are, unless he or she decides to tell you.
Photo-Credit: https://www.coupletattoo.com