Why do you get tattooed?

First things first- Why would anyone be compelled to get a tattoo? Well, that all depends really. When I first started tattooing in the late 90's, it was still that biker kinda way of tattooing, but with the brand new, new school trend happening (bright color). People were getting armbands, and tribal work and suns...that kind of stuff. People were getting them cause it was rebellious and underground, but tattoos are cool, so plenty of people wanted one. Now, I have only been tattooing for 11 years now, and I didn't notice a heavy spiritual up rise for tattoos until about 6 years ago. Now people want these really deep meaningful pieces that connect them to their spiritual beliefs, for a variety of reasons- personal empowerment, protection, prosperity, etc....I think a big part of getting a tattoo is for self expression. I think people have this deep need to express and individualize themselves. We all know what happens if you don't get to express yourself. You turn into a crazy person! So, anyway, I think people want to commemorate whats happening to them in their lives... Since it seems as though having tattoos is more acceptable now, than the past, (media? hmm) it seems easier for people to get tattoos and show them off with out them looked down upon. I definitely think there is a huge part of getting a tattoo to be different- although tattooing has become a huge part of fashion now...There are a thousand reasons why to get a tattoo, it is a personal preference. I always say to each their own.
Either way, for some people taking a lot of time and thought is what is necessary before getting a tattoo. On the other hand, if you want to do it, do it. I never cared about what people thought about my tattoos. I think it's nice that we have something in our culture that is creative and fun to do, that we can still indulge in and enjoy.
Now that we've talked about this, we can get onto another subject. I'm thinking about digging into my archives for a story from the tattoo shop, or I might write about tattoo etiquette for tomorrow...