Will the next generation reject tattoos?

[VonMises1881]

Now let me preface this post by saying I have no tattoos. In fact, for the most part, neither do my friends. I'm not hostile to them but born in 69 I'm a Gen Xer and my generation were past our "prime tattoo years" by the time the current craze really started to hit in the mid to late nineties. The craze seems to still be going strong and maybe picking up steam but I can't help wondering, as the title of the post asks, what will the next generation, say being born in the last few years, or maybe just coming online, think about tattoos?

The reason I think they may reject them is this: They're going to see them all over Mom and Dad who will be older then, probably not as svelte as when the tat was first inked and may in fact have some by-then embarassing artwork or topical phrases, or even worse band/singer names. Regardless of how hip Mom and Dad are or think they are right now their kids will not think they're hip when the kids are teens. We all know this, it's an unwritten rule of nature and I believe that they'll view tattoos as "something their parents did" and will probably want no part of them. Really, who wants to look like their parents when they are in their teens and twenties?

 

[kg4ghn]

I can't answer that question.

I do know that it is amazing how far the art of tattooing has come. We have went from sailor tattoos with simple art and one or two colors to amazing art with super vibrant colors and detail. Will it fade in time and not look as good? Yes. Will it still look better than a lot of older tattoos you see today? If done right, yes.

Personally I don't see it going away. My parents do not have any tattoos. My stepdad does, and I have an older cousin that was grown when I was a kid that had a few. I have wanted ink since I was a little kid.

I also think it will depend on what kind of ink you are exposed to. If all you ever see are crappy tattoos that are done at some dudes house or in jail then that is different than being brought up around people with good looking quality art.

And it isn't just mom and dad. Kids look up to a lot of different people throughout their lives that will make a significant impact on how that person feels about everything, tattoos included.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

I'm not against tattoos in any way, but so many of them are just trash. It's hard to say whether it will be cyclical or not, but my bet is that tattoos will stick around, at least in part, and other forms of body modification will pick up any slack they let off.

I'm also sure that some will reject their parent's cavalier attitude toward altering their bodies as "trashy" or "classless." There is an article floating around about the "preppy" look of the '60s is on it's way back in that I think fits that.

 

[flylot]

I on the other hand am against most tattoos. Accept on some military or biker, the only other exception would be do hide some wound or physical aberration. The current tattoo frenzy will die out, much like so many fads I have seen in my over 60 year on this earth. Fads come and go and this fad to shall pass. Each generation must find its own moniker, whether it is the James Dean look, the Beatles look, Gawd I can't even list them all, or tattoos.

This current moniker is however fairly permanent. It is unfortunate that trying to reverse a tattoo from what I understand is painful, expensive, and not perfect.

I just wonder what on earth will be the next fad. I am sure we older generations will all be shocked. It is after all, the natural course of humanity......the youth always shock the elders.......

 

[Xezmer]

One of my goodfriends.. or rather kid that likes to talk to me a lot is oddly infatuated with tattoos. So much that he spent all his money on a tattoo pen/machine (I haven't a clue what they're called) and tattooed a snake w/ roses and a cross on his chest. He's 15 years old. As am I. My parents are moderately strict middle easterners. They do not have tattoos. Without a doubt they would decline my request for one. Alas, I do not want one but I cannot say my generation (90's kids) don't want them. They do. Do I? No.

 

[Bullwinkle]

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/btc-bristol-tattoo-club-the-skuse-familys-generations-of-great-ink/

 

[dpmtherrien]

I think tattoos will always be with us, they have been for thousands and thousands of years. Right now tattoos are at a very high peak in popularity, and though this popularity may fall off a bit, it will never go completely away. If you have any shops that do good quality work near you, just observe the number of people who go there. You'll find people from all walks of live going in and coming out with new ink, and I do mean from all walks of life. From working class or lower, right up to professional people, doctor's. lawyer's, clergy, and on and on.

 

[kg4ghn]

One of my goodfriends.. or rather kid that likes to talk to me a lot is oddly infatuated with tattoos. So much that he spent all his money on a tattoo pen/machine (I haven't a clue what they're called) and tattooed a snake w/ roses and a cross on his chest. He's 15 years old. As am I. My parents are moderately strict middle easterners. They do not have tattoos. Without a doubt they would decline my request for one. Alas, I do not want one but I cannot say my generation (90's kids) don't want them. They do. Do I? No.

This is exactly what does not need to happen. People who buy or make tattoo guns with no idea on how to correctly tattoo. For one you end up with crappy tattoos that make the rest of us look bad. Then there are the substantial health risks associated with using used/dirty equipment. These people are called "scratchers" and are looked down upon by proffesional artists.

 

[kg4ghn]

I think tattoos will always be with us, they have been for thousands and thousands of years. Right now tattoos are at a very high peak in popularity, and though this popularity may fall off a bit, it will never go completely away. If you have any shops that do good quality work near you, just observe the number of people who go there. You'll find people from all walks of live going in and coming out with new ink, and I do mean from all walks of life. From working class or lower, right up to professional people, doctor's. lawyer's, clergy, and on and on.

Good point. When my little girl was a month old she was running a fever so we brought her to the ER. The doctor on staff had tattoos. You could just see them if he moved a certain way that raised his shirt sleeve up.

 

[Space]

I hope so. they used to be just part of a couple sub cultures. but here in philly there is a relatively new guy around here that does horror tattoos and portraits who does absolutely phenomenal work, he's really one of the best in the world at the moment and the artists that he works with are amazing as well...

the thing is, now everybody and there mother has a tattoo from this shop. it's really ridiculous. I don't think most of these people realize that forever means forever.

I mean 30 years from now are you really going to be in love with that Dexter tattoo?

 

[kg4ghn]

I hope so. they used to be just part of a couple sub cultures. but here in philly there is a relatively new guy around here that does horror tattoos and portraits who does absolutely phenomenal work, he's really one of the best in the world at the moment and the artists that he works with are amazing as well...

the thing is, now everybody and there mother has a tattoo from this shop. it's really ridiculous. I don't think most of these people realize that forever means forever.

I mean 30 years from now are you really going to be in love with that Dexter tattoo?

30 years from now, are you still going to care about what that person thinks of his/her tattoo? It's his body don't worry about it.

 

[mkc1mjb]

I'm not sure if future generations will continue getting tattoos at the rate we see today. I have a friend that owns a spa that offers tattoo removal with lasers and their business has more than doubled each year the past 3 years. They are primarily seeing 30 to 40 somethings removing tattoos that they no longer want.

I do think tattoos can be a work of art, but as it was said before, forever is a long time.

 

[Mycon]

I think they'll evolve with the technology. Eventually, I think we will get to even more realistic or possibly moving ones. Once we progress to nano-tats, I might even consider getting one

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

I think they are here to stay.

Personally, I don't really get it. I don't have anything against it all, but when I see someone with a "sleeve," I just think, "Why?" Part of it probably has to do with the fact that I don't like to draw attention to myself.

 

[azmark]

Well I have a personal side to this. I am covered in tattoos; legs, shoulders and down to the sleeve line. I wear a suit and tie to work everyday and am very conservative in views and character. Now if you seen me walking down the street in just my shorts, I know the thoughts that come with it. I accept it, as the contrary to some others who may take offense being judged by them.

I knew the ramifications of having them and knew enough to not have them below my sleeves. No one at work have ever seen me in shorts nor will I take my shirt off if I'm at our company events or some pool with colleagues. I live in Arizona where it's 115 during the summer and even then I'll wear jeans or slacks to a weekend meeting that my happen on the weekend. This is something that is missing with the generation of tattoos now IMO, the respect for others. I don't fear in being judged of being some criminal or uneducated individual, hell I went to Harvard Law....for a semester, but I do fear in being disrespectful to my colleagues where I may in turn judge them for wearing a nose ring, tongue piercing or lip ring, I know I may be judged in an unprofessional way though.

So that being said I think the age of tattoos has changed and these folks need to realize and think about getting these tattoos and not expect any push back in the real world.

 

[Zephyr]

As Azmark, I got my share of tattoos, maybe not quite as much, but almost.
I've wanted tattoos since I was 8-10 years old, none of my parents got any, the only one I knew at that time aith tats were my uncle, so I really don't know where it came from.
My six year old son have a big interrest in tattoos now, and claims he's gonna have more tats than dad. It's gonna be i terresting to see if he still want tattoos in ten to twenty years. To me it,s important that I can cover the tattoos with a shirt or sweater, I have no problem letting them show at work, but it's not all settings it is aprorpriate(?) to show them off.
I don't think it will dissapear, but I think it's popularity will fade a bit in a few years from now.

 

[BEAR DEN]

IMO tats are going to be around as long as people exist.

Wether or not the next generation wil accept them as readily as this one is yet to be seen.

History seems to repeat itself and I can only imagine that they will be accepted again even if the next generation does not like them as much as the current one.

BTW I love GOOD tats and have a collection. I HATE cheap looking tats that appear as if no thought was put into them....however YMMV!

 

[Zephyr]

BTW I love GOOD tats and have a collection. I HATE cheap looking tats that appear as if no thought was put into them....however YMMV!

+1

 

[Confilo]

Tattoos today are considered an art form by many and they have a long history not necessarily a bad one. I got the first in my twenties when it was not as fashionable as is now. Forty years later I got 2 more and planning on another one. Some of it designed by me. I'm certainly not consider myself of belonging to any generation defined by dates or acronysms.
Any reputable tattoo artist will make you think hard before you get inked for the first time and they let you know that they last forever, so think of getting one hard and carefully.Mine are for me and those close to me and I'll never pass judgement on any tattoed person.

 

[Phog Allen]

I'm not sure if future generations will continue getting tattoos at the rate we see today. I have a friend that owns a spa that offers tattoo removal with lasers and their business has more than doubled each year the past 3 years. They are primarily seeing 30 to 40 somethings removing tattoos that they no longer want.

I do think tattoos can be a work of art, but as it was said before, forever is a long time.

Count me as a non fan. I had typed a pretty lengthy reason why not to get them but the emboldened quote above tells it all. I don't have any and I am glad I did not have the urge as a youngster. I can tell you that with less than probably one percent exception, I have never met anyone in their mid thirties and up with tats who did not tell me point blank they wished they had never gotten them. I don't judge people with them as criminal types or whatever like the old stereotypes. They just look bad on most people.

Regards, Todd