The Role Of Tattoos In Modern Society

Dating back to prehistoric man, tattooing is a powerful art form engraved in mankind’s history as humans have been marked for thousands of years. Some of the earliest known examples of body tattoos derive from ancient Egypt and tribal traditions. Tattoos are integrated in societies across the world for religious and symbolic reasons, and they have spread globally due to conquest or clashing cultures. Therefore, the widespread trend of tattoos can attest to the universality of the practice, yet not all societies use tattoos in the same way. It was not uncommon for criminals and slaves to be marked with tattoos as a painful punishment. These customs are seen throughout Japanese, Roman, and Greek societies as well as and current groups like gangs and through prison culture. Thus, the procedure does have a negative reputation in certain situations. While in past cultures many regard tattoos with a stigma of disgrace, modern society deems them more socially …show more content…
Amidst the industrial revolution, Thomas Edison’s basic model for an autographic printer with an electric needle laid the foundation for “New York City tattooist named Samuel F. O’Reilly,” as he later “received a patent for the electric tattoo machine” (Root 20). O’Reilly’s adaptation resulted in a quicker and less painful process which also covered more space for larger designs. Commonly, tattoos in the United Sates were mostly found among returning WWII sailors and circus performers. Critic Damon Root states that “modern American tattooing has come a long way from…the bodies of sailor and side-show freaks,” to current “cultural mainstream” as it is “a familiar sight in the worlds of fashion, pro sports, pop music, and Hollywood” (Root 23). Hence, contemporary media and stylish trends further support the evolution of tattoos after the invention of the electric tattoo