Why Do People Get Tattoos

Tattooing has been practiced through many cultures around the world for centuries. It has been used as a symbol of identity and self-expression. Many of these cultures have used tattoos to identify different tribes or military branches, along with family heirlooms or simply because they appreciate the art of ink. Although there are so many different reasons as to why people get tattoos, they are not always so great. In recent history, tattoos have gained the stigma of gang related and deviant behaviors. These behaviors are associated with repetitive bad decisions and time spent in prison, to the use of drugs. However, tattoos have provided cultural identity and a more noble purpose in the past that people seem to forget about or are unaware of.
In early history, the …show more content…
They have undergone a transition from the branding of slaves, identity of gang members and even the mentally ill, to a widely accepted practice by everyone as a way to represent themselves and to identify who they are as a person. After Miami Ink had such a turnout rate, people felt a sense of acceptance by others, that tattooing has become extremely popular. As the trend grows, we can expect to see more tattoo shops opening and more television shows popping up. Along with more people expressing their identity through tattooing. “people use tattoos as a way to find meaning, permanence, and stability - and thus a coherent identity - in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.” (Ignite, Cultural Ink: Drawing Identity with Tattoos). The more we advertise tattoos as a means of self-identification, the more we can expect to see. Tattoos don’t just represent a person, they tell a person’s story and true identity whether it be from past lives to a traumatic experience. We can learn a lot about a person and the images they choose to put on their bodies forever. It is a true way to showing one’s