This blog is intended for students taking Introduction to Sociology with Professor McCoy at UC Davis during spring quarter 2016. It is a private blog administered by Joshua Hayes (TA) for students in sections 1 and 2. This is the location for the blog responses and student comments described in the course syllabus.
In this article, Kang and Jones discuss the meaning behind why people get tattoos as well as what age groups are most interested in them. Tattoos serve many purposes for those who get them; teenagers are able to assert their independence and control over their own body, and these teenagers are most commonly the high achieving students. The concept of the tattoo has morphed from something of gang members and inmates to something more mainstream, commonly as a memory of the past amongst friends or a commitment between newly wed couples. More than half the people tattooed today are women, wanting to defy standards and gain control of their bodies; whereas men commonly get tattoos to reinforce their masculinity. Though women get tattoos to assert their independence, no matter what their tattoo may be or mean they must still deal with the struggle to gain professional respect. Another common reason people get tattooed is as a means of dealing with trauma or abuse. Overall the meaning behind why people get tattoos is varied, but centers on individuality and freedom of expression.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, it would be interesting to include more about the historical meaning of tattoos and where they first originated. There was a lot of discussion about why people get tattoos, but Kang and Jones could provide more information about the other viewpoint of those against tattoos and why they feel that way. Tattoos are more common in today’s society, but there are still people who reject it based on their culture or personal views. It could be interesting to interview more tattoo artists and see why they got into the profession and what prejudice they may experience. Understanding the taboo of tattoo and combining it with the reason behind why people get tattoos could provide a more comprehensive understanding.
I agree with your idea that the authors should talk more about the history of tattoos. I know that tribal groups were big on tattoos and that each tattoo had a different meaning. I wonder if people nowadays who get tribal tattoos get them for their actual historical significance, because they look cool, or maybe another reason. I think that’s important to note the history of tattoos because it can show how far the tattoo practice has come and what has changed since historical times. Maybe there wasn’t as much discrimination towards tattoos back then, so maybe there was some point in history that changed people’s minds about tattoos such a rise of tattoos in gangs. This reminds me about a class discussion we had in the beginning of the quarter and how the professor said that society’s interpretations can change. If in historical times tattoos were viewed differently than they are now, then maybe society can change again so that tattoos can be viewed in a better light than they do now.
I agree with Maria, that it wold be helpful of the historical meaning of tattoos. If we learn why they were popular before and why people got them, then today we can learn why they continue to be popular and stigmatized. I also agree that Kang and Jones should add more view points from those who are against tattoos. If they did this, people could understand why they dislike tattoos, and may learn that having a tattoo doesn't correlate with disliking the person. Through looking into the other viewpoint, researchers may find that it's not the tattoo but other factors like personality or beliefs that affect societies negative view on tattoos.
I think the main argument made in this article is that tattoo popularity is rising as more people are getting tattoos for different reasons. Previously, people thought that only select groups got tattoos such as gangs, sexually promiscuous women, and rebellious youth. Today, people are getting tattoos for a multitude of reasons: to take control of their own body, to contradict their gender roles, to solidify their gender roles, for group bonding, to symbolize survivorship from illness or personal issues, and many more. Also, the authors argue that a rise in tattoos changes the perceptions of not only the people getting the tattoos but the tattoos themselves. People nowadays see tattoos as a form of art that can be interpreted in many ways.
I think these points are important to understand because it shows how society’s views of tattoos are changing and the implications it can have on discrimination for people who have them. To understand that there is more than one reason for getting a tattoo and that there are multiple interpretations for a given tattoo shows that not all people with tattoos are the same and that not all tattoos themselves mean the same things. We cannot simply lump all people with tattoos into one group and discriminate them for having tattoos. Although many people in gangs have tattoos and some people have tattoos that are offensive, this does not mean that all people with tattoos are poorly behaved and that all tattoos are meant to offend people. Realizing the true reasons behind getting tattoos can help get rid of the negative stigma which burdens people with tattoos who experience discrimination.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would be important to mention what people with tattoos have to say to people without tattoos. Would they recommend others to get tattoos? Why? Or would they discourage others from getting tattoos because they might regret getting tattoos after a while or because they might face overwhelming discrimination. I think this is important to note because it would show people without tattoos that although tattoos are rising in popularity, maybe they are not as glamorous as they seem. Also, this would be important to note because it would show how society’s interpretations of tattoos shapes the behavior of people who might consider to get tattoos based on the discrimination that others experience.
I agree with Tara in that we should hear everyone’s opinion on tattoos, and whether or not they advise getting one. By understanding that everyone has a different reason for getting a tattoo, it should give you the chance to think through what you want to do, and why you’re doing it. I feel like a lot of people in this day and age get tattoos just to fit in, and think that it’s cool. However, like you said, it may impact your career goals, and might not allow you to land the job you’ve always wanted, because society has discriminated against you because you have that tattoo. Personally, I feel that if you were to get a tattoo, it should be of something symbolic, not just for funsies. Also, this way if it’s really symbolic, you’ll always remember why you got it, and won’t end up regretting it after a while. That would suck.
I agree it would be interesting if the authors could start a discussion between tattoo’d people and people who aren’t tattoo’d, even those with strong negative stigmas of people with tattoos. Like a discussion between a neo-primitive as described in the article discussing the symbolic meaning of their tattoos with someone who generally doesn’t accept them as art. Even those who may regret getting tattood could stimulate an interesting discussion on the growing social norms and stigmas of the art form. It could show on a smaller scale the evolving attitudes on tattoos.
I agree with Tara that people should hear other opinion on tattoos, and I have the similar suggestion for the author to rewrite this article. Even thought more and more people are getting tattoos, but majority of people are people who do not have tattoos. It will be very helpful if people who try to get tattoos can have other opinion about getting a tattoos is good or bad. I think people who really want to have a tattoos are not the bad thing, but they need to think very carefully because tattoos are something that will stay forever. What if people who have tattoos got regret in the end. They will need to speed more money and more time to have the tattoos remove, but you will have scar anyway. That is something are not worth it to do. People who try to get a tattoos must have the responsibility for what they do. People decided to have a tattoos is a very important decision, is not like where to have dinner. This will effect of people future and the whole life. To make sure it tattoos is really what you want is the most important step for getting a tattoos.
I agree with Maria that the authors should go more into depth about why tattoos are so prejudiced in society, because this heavily influences peoples' decision of whether to get a tattoo or not and contributes to the overall meaning a tattoo can have to an individual.
In their article from the magazine Contexts, Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones explore the reasons why tattoos are becoming more prevalent in today’s culture. They found that society’s general attitude towards tattoos were changing dramatically; in the mid-twentieth century, this form of body art was somewhat uncommon and seen as strictly a sign of rebellion against social norms while today they are much more common and can represent many things. Tattoos used to be associated with gang activity, and promiscuity among women. Kang and Jones examined data from surveys and interviewed individuals about why they decided to get tattooed and what it means to them. Their results indicate that people receive tattoos for many reasons – some do indeed get them as a form of rebellion, some as a sign of permanence in a changing world, and many see it as a mark of adulthood. The authors took special note of women with tattoos and neo-primitives, contrasting the views society has had over the years. Despite rapidly growing popularity and acceptance, a very large percentage of employers still view tattoos negatively, as signs of gang affiliation and criminal behavior.
Were Kang and Jones to write this article again, I might suggest looking into what trends there may be among the symbolism of tattoos. They did mention some images which were common among female wearers (including roses, hearts, and animals), however I think the conflict between intended meanings versus interpreted meanings would make for some interesting discussion. The authors mentioned that employers tend to view tattoos negatively, but does it make a difference where the tattoo is, or what it depicts? Has the symbolism used in body art changed over the years as the procedure has become more mainstream? Looking into these questions may give a deeper insight into why people get tattoos, into different perspectives of self-expression, and how this symbolism is viewed by the professional world.
I agree with your analysis of this article. I think it's good that you pointed out how much things has changed within the society when it comes to tattoos and how people perceptions of it changed in recent years. However, I also liked how you pointed out that tattoos are no longer a sign of rebellious, like some people get it for a deeper meaning, but that doesn't mean that the whole society has come to accept tattoos as a whole. I also like your suggestions on what the authors could add if they were to rewrite the article. I wrote something similar to that, the deeper meaning of tattoos in the professional world and why some has a negative view on it.
I completely agree with you, I think the author should have mention why employers view tattoos in a negative light. I find it very interesting that employers can go as far as not hiring a potential candidate for a job because they have a tattoo. In light of this issue, I feel like many individuals would get tattoos as a form of creative expression if tattoos were not looked at as unprofessional. I know personally being an economic major and wanting to go into the business field, I am discouraged of getting a tattoo because I fear being since as unprofessional to employers. Nonetheless, the culture of tattoos has been changing throughout the years and many people have been more accepting of tattoos.
In the article written by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones, they argued on why tattoos has become the norm for everyone now. The authors argued that tattoos allow people to express themselves, and for most women, it is to show that they have control over their own body, and they’re allow to do what they want with their body. However, what the author also argues is that even though tattoos have become increasingly popular, many work forces still take tattoos into considerations when they’re trying to hire someone. Those that have tattoos in a working field needs to hide their tattoos to prevent being judge. One receptionist that Mifflin interviewed while doing this study stated that “people think I’m stupid until they talk to me. They think because you look different you have no respect for society and that you’re not educated” to show that even though the permanent ink has become increasing popular for people to express themselves, they’re still being looked at as someone that’s different and someone who has no education. The authors try to show the negative and positive aspects of having tattoos. Society has become increasingly acceptable for tattoos, however, it doesn’t mean that they still don’t have a negative outlook on those that has ink on their body. They’re showing that people with tattoos may not be heavily judged on now as it was back in the 20th century, but it doesn’t mean that they must accept those with tattoos and judge them the same with those without ink on their body. There’s still a long way to go in the society as a whole before those with and without tattoos being look at the same way. If the authors were to rewrite this article, it would be great for them interview people without tattoos and ask for their opinions and how they perceive others that has ink on their body. Do they still perceive those people as trouble makers, uneducated or do they look at them the same as those without the tattoos? The authors and researchers interviewed those with tattoos and why they decided to ink their body, however, they never went on to interview those without the tattoos. I think it would be great to see both point of view and why some people prefer to not have tattoos and how come certain businesses would rather hire people without any ink on their body.
I agree with Thu on her analysis of this article. Tattoos may have become more popular, but there is still a stigma in the workplace. There is still a clear divide of opinions between the old views of tattoos being seen as something of criminals with the new view of tattoos as an outlet of expression. It would be great to have another point of view included of the people that prefer not to have tattoos. I agree that it would be beneficial to do an organized survey to see how people perceive others that have tattoos.
In Kang and Jones’ article, they talk about people getting tattoos, and that it is a symbol of their rebellion, a way to break free from social control. They find that most of the students that have tattoos are high achieving students, rather than the stereotypical gang affiliated students; and they get tattoos as a symbolic representation of breaking free from various pressures of the world. Women also get tattoos, for the same reasons that the youth do – to gain control over their own bodies, and break from social norms. Although, tattoos are becoming the social norm, so they’re also conforming to standards of femininity. Although many people in the US have tattoos, it still carries a stigma that can lead to negative interactions between members of the same community. They explain that this is because although a tattoo may mean something to its owner, it may come off as a different meaning to its receiver. Although tattoos are a great way for members of society to express themselves, there are limits and times to which they must be hidden, and times where tattoos can be revealed.
If the author were to add something, I would interview people who have had tattoo for a long period of time, say 50 years. Does the tattoo they have still symbolize the same thing it meant when they first got it? How do they feel about that tattoo now, and do they wish that they could go back in time and stop themselves from getting it? Although it is a very popularized thing to do now, will people regret it? I feel that by interviewing people who have had tattoos for a long time, it would be interesting to see if they still love their tattoo, or has it held them back in many opportunities in life, such as getting their dream job, socializing with family, etc. Lastly, do tattoos that people get in their youths differ from tattoos that they get in their middle aged years, and how does that change based on their maturity/ thought process at the time?
I strongly agree with your statement that tattoos are the symbol of people's rebellion. According to the article, Kong and Jones provide us sufficient data and statistics that teenagers and young adults are the majority people who get tattoos. Your discussion of the reason of high school students get tattoos is really deliberate; high school students simply want to break free from all different kinds of pressures from parents, school work, applying for colleges, etc. I fact, high school students already mature enough to take care of their bodies, but society still think that high school students may regard tattoos as cool gang signs or just to attract girls' attention. This article powerfully contradict those people opinions, and demonstrate that tattoos for most high school students are the symbol of their uniqueness.
Hi Victoria, Be careful with that first line of your analysis; I believe that Kang and Jones only mentioned rebellion as one of many things that tattoos can symbolize. The two authors also mentioned that tattoos for some wearers are a sign of permanence in an ever-changing world. That being said, I like your idea of interviewing older bearers of this body art. This would give readers a unique look at the longevity of symbolism. I suppose this topic would mean a deviation from the original intent of the article - that being to examine why people get tattoos in the first place - however it may also give an insight into how society's views on tattoos may change in the future when this surge of inked youth reaches adulthood and beyond.
Nowadays, tattoo is becoming acceptable for people, showing their uniqueness. In Kang and Jones' article, they argue that tattoo is getting popular worldwide, which can be interpreted as signs of rebellion or faddishness. According to the article, among the expanding numbers of people who get tattoos, majority generations are teenagers who go to high school and colleges. In fact, teenagers around age 18 to 21 are starting having their own opinions about the world; they eager to free themselves from the restriction of various social norms that they have to follow. Therefore, tattoo becomes their best option for teenagers to showcase that they are able to be independent, and they are not little kids anymore. In the article, Kong and Jones mention a high school student, Christine, who claims that she's tired about all the nonsense rules that made by the school. Tattoo becomes her best way to release her pressure and anger. What's more, for adults, tattoos really include deep and personal meanings for them. adult people tend to use tattoo to memorize dead friends or family members, or motivate themselves keep working hard every time they see their tattoos.
If authors were to rewrite their article, they should discuss the impacts that parents who get tattoos bring to their children. The article cover the sufficient explanations of why teenagers, men and women get tattoos. However, people's desires of getting tattoos may originally come from their parents. The reason is children will grow up see their parents tattoos all the time, and kids will potentially think that it's really normal to get tattoos. For majority parents, they definitely want to the perfect role models for their kids. Everything they do and say will affect their children. Therefore, Parents tattoo is accepted by children, and children will build a stereotype in their mind that tattoo is something that showcase ones' uniqueness. Thus, when kids grow up to teenagers or adults, they are more likely to get tattoos. Although my personal opinion may not be correct, the authors actually can discuss this point in their article, doing some researches to see if there are some relationships between tatted parents and their kids.
I think the idea that parents may affect their children's views on tattoos is an interesting idea. Parents affect their children in many facets, such as religion and political views, so maybe tattoos are not any different. Maybe as a kid a person may have heard their parents' negative remarks about tattoos and this becomes part of the kid's opinion on tattoos for their whole life. I suspect that this may go both ways, meaning that some kids that have parents with tattoos may see tattoos as normal or may actually dislike tattoos more since their parents have them. As it becomes more normal to have tattoos, it will be interesting to see if rates start to decline since it is not as big of a statement anymore. Something else the authors may add is how people view tattoos when it comes to the attractiveness of potential partners and see if people get tattoos to enhance beauty and attract people rather than to make a statement.
I agree with Tyrus; the authors should address the impact of parents' decisions to get tattoos on their child's perspective on tattoos, because this inevitably influences their decisions later on to get tattoos or not. As we have learned, socialization, especially primary socialization through our family, is how we learn how to behave in social situations, how we learn what is socially acceptable and what is not. If a child's parents have tattoos, they probably won't see other people with tattoos as "lowly" or "unprofessional." Since tattoos are becoming more prominent in teens, their children will most likely witness their parent with tattoos on their body. This could forever change the socialization of tattoos and why people end up getting tattoos.
Why Do People Get Tattoos? By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
The author’s main argument within this article is looking at the meaning and reasoning behind people’s tattoos. According to the reading, society’s view and attitude towards tattoos have changed drastically throughout the years. Tattoos were very uncommon and not apart of the social norm because it was seen as a sign of rebellion. Gang members, rebellious teenagers, and entertainers generally wore tattoos. But times have changed, as many people now use their body as a new type of artist canvas. People can now use their bodies as a form of creative expression, creative outlet, and freedom of experience. In addition, people assert masculinity and femininity when looking at the reasoning behind tattoos. Men get tattoos to reinforce their Masculinity, whereas women get tattoos to establish their strength and independence. Nonetheless, tattoos can be socialized as unprofessional to most professional fields.
If Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones were to rewrite this article, the issues or topics I would suggest them add is suggests and personal stories of people with tattoos. By receiving this information, people can really understand significance, ideology, and symbolism behind tattoos. In addition, it would be great to learn about the history behind tribal and gang tattoos. I think there is a big difference between how society views on normal everyday citizens getting tattoos and gang/tribal tattoos. Most gang/tribal tattoos portray a deeper meaning or hide message within their prints. Thus, I would suggest the author discuss more about the history behind the creation of the tattoo. Furthermore, I would suggestion the authors talk about the different technicals of getting tattoos. For example, people in modern day use ink and tattoo pens, whereas when technology was not as advanced they used charcoal ink and sharp pieces of wood or rocks.
I agree with your suggestion to the writers in adding more personal stories with tattooed individuals to give better insight behind their motivation and reasoning. As rooted as stereotypes are, especially in regards to body modifications like tattoos, the only thing that can truly be done is to proactively reach out to others and spread insight of others' perspectives no matter how different it is. I also liked your idea of the writers adding background information on permanently tattooing one's body. It would be interesting to see what began the tradition of gang and tribal tattoos as well. History can only further add insight and knowledge for those who don't quite understand why people feel strongly enough to permanently add imagery and symbols on their skin.
Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones in "why do people get tattoos?" explore how tattoos function within society, using the studies conducted by other sociologists. Kang and Jones argue that people with tattoos form a community that interact and all get tattoos for different reasons. Kang and Jones describe that most youth get tattoos to show their independence, their adulthood, or to show their membership in a group. Many women get tattoos to show their control over their own bodies but some still get tattoos as a way to appease their significant others. Kang and Jones describe that women with tattoos are often looked at negatively in comparison to men with tattoos, showing how society thinks it is acceptable for men to have tattoos but not women. Women also view tattoos as a way to challenge gender norms in society by going against what is socially created as acceptable. Kang and Jones argue that by getting tattoos nowadays women are both conforming and challenging to the norms. Lastly, they speak of tattoo enthusiasts who look for tattoos in a tribal way and use this as a way of opposing modern society. People may look at tattooed people as a minority but as time has gone on they have become an established group with their own ideas and acceptable behaviors. There are many reasons people get tattoos but there is always the possibility that their reason is not easily identifiable from just the tattoo that person has, so often times if the person tries to make a point with tattoos their message is not clear to everybody.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I would want to see them analyze how multiple people get the same or similar tattoos. The tattoos that are common must not mean the same thing to every single person. This point would further show how tattoos are hard to decipher for people other than the person with the tattoo. Some people may have just got a tattoo for fun in a social situation but others may have got the same exact tattoo for an emotional reason, showing how a tattoo could both be for group acceptance and for a bigger purpose. I would also want Kang and Jones to further explore how people with tattoos have created their own group with its own norms separate from society. What behaviors are specific to this group and what are the major differences between their norms and society’s norms are questions that could be looked into. Lastly, the authors could look into how tattoo artists view themselves as either part of the tattoo community or the art community or both and how this affects their practices with customers.
I agree that one of the main points of this study was that there are many reasons for people to get tattoos. I think that your idea of finding meaning behind similar tattoos is interesting. It could be that they just get the tattoos so they can specifically identify someone else who have the same taste as them or if they do it because it has a deeper connection to them, a study on this could have interesting results. I also agree that it could be interesting if the study specifically found the different subcultures or subgroups inside the tattoo culture and find out how they are different or how similar they are to each other, and to compare their group norms to society’s norms. To expand on your tattoo as art suggestion, it could also be interesting how they could study tattoos as an art form and if other people not in the culture would agree to that and how they would react to tattoo being considered art.
Kang and Jones argues that a variety of people get tattoos from teenagers to adults for many reasons, but that stigma still exists with having a tattoo. Teenagers and young adults get tattoos to assert their new independence. Armstrong found that many of the high school students rarely got their tattoos for a gang affiliation, and were hardworking successful students. Women also got tattoos because it gave them control over their bodies, and challenged gender norms. Other get tattoos to criticize the consumer culture, and some like neo-primitives get tattoos believe that the tattoos symbolize a way to get back to their primal roots. Yet, although tattoos have become more common, they still carry a negative stigma. Showing a tattoo might make it harder to get a job, and many people feel necessary to cover the tattoo while working .Many professionals may see tattoos as being affiliated with a gang and more likely to be involved in crime.
In this article, Kang and Jones could explain more about if the types of tattoos affects social stigma. If someone has many tattoos is she or he less likely to get the job compared to someone that has a smaller tattoo? In addition, I think Kang and Jones could add more quotes or stories about people who have tattoos and how they feel society perceives them. By adding stories, it could strengthen her argument that people still look negatively on tattoos because Kang and Jones may find that many people feel societal pressure to conform and cover up their tattoos. I also think that adding more quotes and stories from the view point of someone who is a professional, and is looking on hiring someone, on how they view tattoos would be helpful to understand why there is a stigma with tattoos.
I completely agree that there is still too much of a negative stigma that revolves around hiring people with tattoos but I think it would be interesting to hear the story from both sides. Along with getting quotes from hiring professionals to see how they view tattoos it would beneficial to get quotes from people who have tattoos that are having trouble finding jobs, as well as people with tattoos that aren't having trouble finding work. These testimonies might be able to shed some light on which working sectors view tattoos a bad, and vice versa.
I read about a program in California (I think) that provides inmates with the option to get their tattoos removed for free or cheap in case they have regrets about getting them. Speaking toward latent consequences of socialization, programs like this (while they might be trying to help) only further the stigma of tattoos.
"Why Do People Get Tattoos" By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
It seems as though the stereotype of people that possess tattoos are being broken as the practice increase in popularity. Kang and Jones focus on three groups: youth, women, and members of tattoo subcultures to explore the evolving reasons behind tattoos. In terms of the youth population, it is a way to assert individuality and rebel against the pressures that comes from authority figures. In this sense, youths are taking control over their bodies during a time in their life when everything is changing. Ironically, youth also uses tattoos as a mark of being an adult or commemorations for important events in their lives. This is most exemplified with Eve getting a tattoo to make a memento of her marriage as she sees this as a meaningful time of her life. A similar dichotomy exists with women who get tattoos. Tattoos are a way for women to go against the ideals of what a man wants and taking ownership of their bodies. Many women from different backgrounds, even well established families, have used tattoos to avoid being branded as the quiet and obedient homemaker. Women with tattoos do face the stereotype of being promiscuous as demonstrated by a rape case in the 1920s. After discovering that the victim of the case had a tattoo, the rapists were released from the crime since the tattoo was seen as an admission of guilt, regardless of her chosen meaning behind the mark. Lastly, women used tattoos to challenge gender norms but often women also enforces these expectations by getting very feminine tattoos. Tattoo subcultures take a more traditional take on the practice and try to use it as a spiritual and ritualistic experience. The Neo-primitives uses tattoos as a form of membership in a society that has similar beliefs for the practice. Though there is an increase in popularity for tattoos, they are still viewed negatively by employers. Most importantly, the meanings that people get tattoos are often lost based on social context and background, thus being replaced with a bad stigma that society has formulated. If the authors were to re-write the article, they should include more information on the stigma against tattoos and the background history to these beliefs. It would be interesting to know why tattoos have such different meanings across cultures. The article could also include which tattoos are more stigmatized than others. An example includes the bad association with women and lower back tattoos. When did women getting tattoos come with such bad associations? Also, some additional information on Neo-primitives would also be helpful since most people are probably unaware of this whole concept. By adding more history on this subgroup, readers could learn about tattoos from a different perspective.
I agree with what you've said that the author should add in the article. I myself isn't familiar with the tattoo culture because I don't really know friends that have a tattoo so I agree that it would be helpful if more stories were added to let the readers have a better picture of the situations. Also I agree that background history is an important part that should be added because mostly how people think nowadays are shaped by history. If in the beginning, tattoos are banned and seen as a bad thing, this kind of thinking would more or less still linger in people's minds. I would like to know more about how the background history of tattoos and beliefs did affect people's thinkings nowadays.
“Why do people get tattoos?” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones In this study by Kang and Jones, they explore why certain people choose to decorate their bodies with tattoos and find out the reasoning behind their choices. The main argument in this article is that there is no single explanation as to why people choose to get tattoos. The reasons that made them get tattoos vary from person to person. According to the research people get tattoos because they want to express who they are, to show what they have gone through in life, how they see themselves and how they want others to see them. Tattoos have become more socially accepted in today’s world. People of any gender, age, or socio-economical background can get a tattoo and it would be considered a norm. For women, getting tattoos is a sign of them challenging gender norms or show that they have control over their own bodies. There are also many subcultures even within the tattoo culture. These subcultures make people who have tattoos connect with each other and feel like they are part of a group.
If they were to rewrite the study, I think that they could include more examples or interviews with males. They covered a lot of the aspects with females but they should also do the same for males, to show why they get tattoos and how they feel about it. I also would like them to do a study on whether most people would consider tattoos as art or just to distinguish themselves from other people and to find out others who feel the same way. It would also be interesting to include in their study people who do not have tattoos and ask them what they think about it. They could include people of different ages to maybe show that older people might be more resistant with the idea or if younger people are more accepting of tattoos even if they don’t have any themselves.
I really like how you phrased their main argument -- there is no single reason why people get tattoos. I also think the authors could have included more interviews with men. They claim that "men are more likely to use tattoos to reinforce traditional notions of masculinity", but they don't have any interviews or data to back up that claim. It would be interesting to see if men agree or disagree with their claim. Going along with the idea of tattoos as art, the authors could include information regarding people's views of tattoos as art. Some of them truly are works of art and creativity, but it would be interesting to see if people with tattoos feel that way as well or if they see them for their intended meanings or both (or any other variation of that).
In this article, Kang and Jones discuss why people getting tattoos for different reasons. According to a survey from 2003, the U.S adult population has tattoos been increase. That mean more and more people are getting tattoos for different reasons and people in society are both feel people that have tattoos are very common. Why people would willing to get a tattoos in their body and willing to stay the tattoos for their whole life? I think I have two different reasons that can explain that. First, young people getting tattoos are try to be cool. They think that tattoos can represent for themselves and use tattoos as unique aspects of themselves. When young people still at college, they would not think too much about getting a tattoos will affect their future. For Example to getting a job or how society view this person if they got tattoos. Second, I think some of the people getting tattoos are for commitment. They think they can express their love for getting a tattoos in the body to show how important their partner in their relationship. But in fact, people are showing less responsibility in marriage or in relationship. People got divorce or broke up all the time. Is it worth it to have a tattoos for a whole life? Overall people getting tattoos for different reasons, but they need to think is to having a tattoos for whole life is worth it or not.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would be important to mention how people having tattoos in the pass, and if to let them have a second chance, would they still willing to have the tattoos again? Kang and Jones can do the study to ask for different age people that have tattoos, how tattoos affect their life. Also, how other people view as stranger to see that people have tattoos. In my own personal opinion, people that having tattoos are view as bad student or they have something happen to their life that make them to become a different person. Many parents are also abundant their kids to have a tattoos unless they finial grow up and become parents. Otherwise they are not allow their children to have tattoos. To having a tattoos is something that should be deep consider and can be respond for that. People cannot get a tattoos only for extemporaneous action. What if people got regard after they have a tattoos, they need to suffer more pain to remove the tattoos and having a chance to never get remove clearly. If people can have more opinion from people who already have tattoos will be very helpful for them to understanding how important tattoos can affect people life. To having a tattoos is a personal decision, but people need to understand that tattoos will stay forever and is not an easy thing to remove it.
I agree with you that the authors should mention whether or not people ever regret getting tattooed. One of the reasons why I didn't get any tattoo yet is regret. People change as over time so what they thought was important at the time might not be as important later on. For me, I don't view people with tattoos as bad students, but rather a person who's very expressive and true to himself. Tattoos is an opened book. It really can tell a life story of that person and I believe that's the main reason why people get tattoo(s) in the first place.
The article, “Why do people get tattoos?,” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones focuses on the group of people that gets tattoos and there reasons for engraving permanent ink on their bodies. In a multitude of cases, tattoos are believed to be an expression of how sees themselves, how they’ve lived, and how they connect to the social worlds. Interestingly, studies have found that people do not fully know the interpretation of their tattoos and let others perceive and respond to their tattoos in their own way. The answer of who gets tattoos varies from generation to generation. Today, many teens and college students get tattoos as a sign of coming to age, independence, and as a comforting source to realize that tattoos cannot be erased in an ever changing world. Also, tattoos act as a way for those to remember a life changing part of their lives such as, graduating from college, getting married, or living alone for the first time. Unlike the past, many youth today that are getting tattoos are not criminals and laborers, but instead to that of artists and free thinkers. For women, getting a tattoo demonstrates a resistance to gender norms, whereas others use tattoos as a way to enforce mainstream ideas of femininity Also, tattoos act as a way for women to cover up trauma or a violated part of themselves.
I think that the article brings up some good points about how tattoos have gradually changed from being associated with criminals to an art form. However, I think that the article should’ve included more points about the stigma of tattoos today and why there is still a negative stigma towards those that have tattoos in regards to job interviews and college admissions. I think that this would further demonstrate how tattoos are still viewed negatively, and whether it’s possible for society to slowly shift from this negative idea of having a tattoo to something more positive. I liked how the author gave different viewpoints towards tattoos for women as a way for them to be more empowered in their everyday lives, since the idea of having a tattoo for a female is completely different from that of a male. I would have liked to see if there was any changes in the way that men in the present day get tattoos as opposed to earlier times. I think this would give a good statistic as to whether or not the majority of people getting tattoos presently are still criminals or if tattoos really are a way of expression for most people.
I agree that the authors should have expanded their article to include men and their reasons behind getting tattoos. It would be interesting to see whether men also view their tattoos as a means of empowerment, similar to the perspective of women. I also agree to adding statistics to evaluate how many tattooed individuals are criminals because it would reveal whether our notion is correct that tattoos and the meanings associated with them are shifting in a positive direction. This may also reveal whether the stigma we attach to tattoos is reasonable or if ours fears and prejudice towards tattooed individuals are completely irrational. By focusing more on why there is negative stigma regarding tattoos, society can strive to change these false perceptions and notions and look beyond the indivudual's appearance.
I agree that society's perception that people who get tattoos is incorrect and many people get tattoos to express themselves. Since many believe tattoos are art, tattoos are an easy way for people to express their opinions on public issues. Tattoos could also be seen similar to rap music, people believed that it was ghetto music but was in fact enjoyed by people of all socioeconomic classes. I also agree with the author that a perspective on why men get tattoos and if it has changed at all. Knowing this could help repeal the stigma towards tattoos.
Kang and Jones argue that while tattoos act as symbols of empowerment with personal meaning to the individual, the stigma associated with tattooed individuals often devalues and misinterprets the message attempting to be conveyed. The authors highlight how society’s perception of tattoos has gradually been shifting as marks that once classified the individual as a criminal or gang member has now evolved into symbols that have become mainstream, depicting the artistry and independence of an individual. Tattoos are often used as means to assert personal growth or to call for social change. Whether it be the youth claiming their independence, women challenging gender norms, or neo-primitives “challenging the spiritual emptiness of our culture” (45), individuals see their tattoos as opportunities to express themselves apart from society. While society’s views of tattoos has been changing, there still remains discrimination and prejudice towards tattooed people, specifically in the workplace where individuals feel the need to cover their tattoos out of fear that they will not receive a job based on their appearance. Though tattoos often exemplify the positive and intimate meanings pertaining to their owner, the authors assert that one’s social context shapes others’ responses by limiting the effectiveness and intentions of tattoos.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would suggest them to include more evidence or interviews regarding the negative views associated with tattoos. For example, if the Kang and Jones were to perform experiments evaluating the difference between individuals with tattoos and individuals without applying for a position in the workplace, the authors could support their claim that employers and institutions have hidden prejudices towards tattooed individuals. There could be interviews of both employers and employees regarding the workplace’s policies and perception of tattoos. The authors could also touch more on how tattoos signify conformity and attempts to be mainstream for certain individuals. While the authors highlight much of the positive meaning behind tattoos such as empowerment, independence, and self-identity, I am interested in how tattoos may be the very product of new cultural norms.
I completely agree with all the points you brought up in your argument. Without doubt, the authors are trying to show the different reasons why people get tattoos and society’s continued negative stigma regarding tattoos. In addition, I agree that individuals get tattoos for a variety of meanings including independence, individualism, personal growth, breaking gender norms, or for spiritualism. Additionally, I agree with your point about society’s continual prejudice and discrimination against people with tattoos, especially in the workplace. I also strongly agree with the point that people with tattoos are often limited in their intentionality because often times the meaning of their tattoos will be misconstrued by society. Lastly, I agree that the authors could add more interviews regarding negative views of tattoos because they did focus primarily on the positive meanings of why people get tattoos, and the idea of some people getting tattoos because it is more of a norm now is also an interesting concept.
In the article, “Why do people get tattoos?” Kang describes how people view their tattoos, how society views tattoos, and also their relation to media and consumer culture’s influence on “body politics”. Kang conducted a study where she surveyed high school and college students about their tattoos and found that most of these students were high achievers and not affiliated with gangs—which is the stereotype for someone who has tattoos. She discovered that famous people often influenced young people to get tattoos and young people also got tattoos to assert their autonomy and authority over their own bodies in response to authority figures and judgmental people—as if to mark adulthood. Youths also got tattoos to establish permanence in a memory, group, or promise—like a marriage. An important argument that Kang presents is that women are more likely to get tattoos to defy and reproduce conventional standards of femininity whereas men are more likely to get tattoos to reinforce stereotypical masculinity. Another important note is that some women feel inadequate in their femininity, so they get traditionally feminine tattoos in order to be more accepted by society and feel better about their own bodies---this is important because it clearly expresses how gender socialization drastically affects how males and females act and behave in order to fit in to society. Women also get tattoos to create a sense of community with other women around shared experiences such as conformity, resistance to conformity, disease, and abuse—many of these women use tattoos to reclaim their bodies from illness. Kang also describes how there’s tattoo subcultures, one of them being neo-primitives who go completely against the mainstream and gender norms—this is important because neo-primitives are doing the opposite of how they were socialized, and are refusing to conform to society and its norms. Unfortunately, society still discriminates against people who have tattoos and people are more likely to judge tattooed people as stupid, drug users, gang members, etc. Tattoos even have a larger stigma around people of color, and people who want jobs often cannot get the job because of their tattoos or have to cover them up, and this is a perfect example of how society attaches meaning to things that inherently mean nothing because to society, tattoos are seen in a negative light.
If Kang were to rewrite this article, I think she should include more information about how tattoos are viewed differently on people of different races. Kang briefly mentions that people of color are even more discriminated against for having tattoos but she provided no research or examples that would be important to include. This information will shine more light on racism in America. Kang should also include more information about queer people and the queer community in regards to tattoos—how are tattoos perceived in the LGBTQIA community? Are queer people more likely to get tattoos because they are more discriminated against than straight people and why? It would also be interesting to research how white women and women of color are viewed differently who have tattoos because even though all women are oppressed, women of color face even more discrimination due to racism, which would be interesting to explore regarding tattoos. Kang should include surveys and interviews concerning these social issues related to tattoos.
I agree with your suggestion of exploring varying contexts in terms of race when considering the associated meanings of tattoos. Race also goes into the topic of class and how tattoos are mostly associated to a lower place in society. This is most highlighted with the gang association of tattoos. It would be interesting to know what the higher class thinks of the practice especially in today's modern times. Getting examples and statistics about tattoos and the LGBT community would also provide a varying perspective on the topic. The likelihood of them getting tattoos could be very telling of the discrimination they face, similar to women who get tattoos. Essentially, it would be be powerful to show more examples of people that are not expected to be the stereotypical tattoo bearer. This could prove the idea that, much like many sociological constructions, everyone can attach their own meanings to their tattoos and yet other people from a varying background could easily force their own ideals on someone else's form of expression.
The authors’ main argument is that tattoos express an individual’s identity, his/her past experiences, and how he/she sees himself/herself “in relation to others and to their social worlds”. Tattoos can be symbols of rebellion. They can also signify group memberships, such as to gangs or friend groups, or even to a certain university as one of the interviewees mentions. Tattoos are often used to commemorate milestones, such as a marriage or beating cancer. However, tattoos can be viewed with stigma and could lead to discrimination. For example, professionals might feel negatively towards tattoos, therefore they might not hire people who may be more than qualified for a job just because they have a tattoo. In addition, others may interpret tattoos differently than the individual with the tattoo intended. The man in the article with a swastika tattoos is a perfect example of this. With this tattoo, he wants to “reclaim the ancient symbol from its connections with Nazism”, but most people would see his swastika tattoos as white supremacy and anti-Semitic.
If the authors were to rewrite the article, I think they should discuss the significance of tattoos in native cultures. In Polynesian cultures, tattoos have lots of meaning and tattooing is reserved for highly trained specialists who do them using a traditional method. In addition, it would be interesting to know how tattoos are viewed in non-Western cultures. Are they socially accepted? Is there stigma attached to having tattoos, like in America? Looking at tattoos from more of a macro perspective could bring some insight into the popularity of tattoos in the U.S. and how that relates to tattooing around the world.
I agree with you on how tattoos may be viewed differently in other cultures, which is a meso to macro examination on something that affects the micro. The article takes a specific approach of tattoos by examining tattoos in America, but tattoos are viewed differently depending on geography. The article should include interviews with people from Eastern cultures, like Japan for example, where tattoos are seen as a form of protection when working in dangerous occupations such as fishing. The tattoos sometimes are a pictorial representation of a myth that stood out to the individual. Or, tattoos may be stigmatized and seen as impure, an imperfection placed on a pure body. Tattoos are common in most cultures, but it would be interesting to note the reasons for tattoos in different cultures (East vs. West comparison).
I agree with Zoe that it would have been valuable to the discussion to add the importance of tattoos in other cultures. From my knowledge, many cultures use tattoos for group identification as well as spiritual and religious reasons. This is similar to the motivations of neo-primitives, who also get tattoos to separate themselves from modern society and establish themselves as a group who share the same values. However, I feel that the stigma associated with tattoos is not as prevalent in these cultures as it is in American culture, and I would also like to know why this is. I think it is interesting that there are such contradictory attitudes toward tattoos and that these attitudes differ culturally.
Hi Zoe, I really enjoyed reading your interpretation of the article, and completely agree with your argument. I like how you discussed how tattoos exemplify rebellion, and how you also discussed their symbolic meaning among different groups. Like yourself, I wish the author had discussed tattoos in context of other historical cultures, although that would be a more anthropological argument rather than a sociological one. I also like how you discussed why people used tattoos to display deviance despite the negative stigma the tattoo could hold.
Both Kang and Jones argue that tattoos are forms of self expression and embrace one’s individuality and connections in life, but these seemingly harmless images embroidered on one’s skin carries many negative consequences. According to research done on tattoos, “Atkinson [found] that tattoos and the tattooing experience give young people feelings of greater control and authority over their own lives.” This is also true to men, women, and people in subcultures. However these tattoos have held negative connotations, such as sexual promiscuity and lower class for women or gang affiliations. This has led to discrimination amongst tattoo bearers. For example, a study by UCLA found that 90% of campus recruiters looked down upon tattoos. While tattoos are becoming widely accepted in today’s culture, they are still greatly stigmatized despite the strong sense of self expression associated with tattoos. The effects are long lasting such that people are unable to fully express themselves without the worry of being judged.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, they could include more recent statistics about tattoos and whether or not the trend is still as strong today. Most of the evidence included in this was in the early 2000’s, which does not take in the current situation today. Also, the evidence does not seem to include male interviewees. It would strengthen their argument to see how males’ tattoos are seen in society. I do like the wealth of evidence that they retrieved from interviews with people from different groups and walks of life. Though, it would also be fascinating to interview the same people who have had tattoos for a while, or people who choose to erase their tattoos. Information as such can help clarify or deny stereotypes as well as long term effects associated with tattoos.
I hadn't thought about including people who have gotten their tattoos removed but I think thats a fantastic way to see how much the outside world views tattoos affects the people who actually have tattoos. There seems to be a large divide between what a tattoo is used for ranging from a very personal message to a very outward message. If tattoos are really meant to mean something to the person that got it then outside views of it (excluding professional ones) shouldn't really bother them. Using this data we could determine if more people are getting tattoos to express something to the world, or they are getting something to remind themselves of something that happened in their own lifetime.
I completely agree that excluding the testimonies from males with tattoos because they could be used to see how views of tattoos have changed in the classically predominant group that was known to have tattoos.
Dorm Room Dealers The author argues that drug dealers of affluent status are generally ignored by police. Although college drug dealers are careless with concealing their illegal activities, according to the author the police ignore these dealers and focus on poorer individuals. One example in the reading showed that college campus police caught a dealers with marijuana but rather than pressing a criminal charge the student was fined and ordered to attend two drug classes. According to one dealer because they were in college they felt there was protection against the police. Rather than targeting easily visible targets the dealer argued that police went after people who “were not working towards a productive future.” If the author were to rewrite the article they should add a section about what happens when minority or less affluent looking dealers come into trouble with campus police. Although the article did make a note that they attempted to find minority dealer and because of the small number of minority dealers it may have been impossible to find one, it would still be interesting to see how the police treated minority dealers. Seeing how punishment would change depending on appearance could help show social biases within communities. Additionally, it would be interesting to see how campus police responded if the interviewers developed a similar relation to the police that they had to the dealers. Insight into how police profile students would allow a greater understanding of why certain groups are ignored by the police
I think that emphasizing more on minority or less affluent looking deals coming into trouble with police would make this argument stronger. I think that when police come into college parties or see drugs being dispersed on a college campus that they are less likely to give harsh punishments, unlike if they were to see a homeless man or a person selling drugs on the streets. I think that the idea that the police have towards college students is that they are less likely to be doing any hardcore drugs or they have more of a potential later on in life, whereas, drug dealers are more likely to be committing more crimes or end up in jail. I think that the bias that the police have towards drug dealers on the street and at a college or university differentiates how they treat the dealer and the punishment they receive. This creates a false security for college students making them believe that it's, "okay," to deal drugs on campus without any negative repercussions.
In an article written by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones on a study conducted on tattoos, there are several motivations and reasonings discussed behind ink body art. The rapid spread of tattoos in present day is explored and compared to past feelings in regards to tattoos, as well as, the deeply rooted perceptions of the art form amongst our society. In the past, tattoos were considered indicators for rebellion against the norm in various way - their presence on the bodies of women were often connected to the notion of promiscuity (with a 1920s rape case of a woman’s butterfly tattoo used against her in the suit) or frowned upon due to society’s association of tattoos with gang activity. In the present, tattoos are now also being seen as an expression of one’s individuality. They are seen as a way for people to claim ownership of their bodies as well as a way to address and accept traumatic experiences and insecurities.
Although, after conducting their study on the reason behind people getting their bodies inked through data gathered from surveys and interviews, Jones and Kang assessed that even with the growing popularity of tattoos in recent years, the negative preconceptions of tattoos continue to persist in society. In the workplace and places of law, tattoos are still obviously frowned upon and associated with crime and rebellion. A given example of this is when lawyers warning their clients with visible tattoos that the inks’ presence may negatively influence jurors and judges, especially those of white, middle class backgrounds. Kang and Jones conclude that the complications in tattoos lie in the historical and cultural perspectives that usually lead to unintended and unwanted stereotypes behind tattoos, and the (tattooed) individual’s social context.
If the authors were to rewrite their article, they should add data of a mixed group with varying feelings towards tattoos to add to the discussion of the way that body ink is stigmatized in the present. It would be especially interesting to have more detailed insight on those with negative feelings towards tattoos to gauge how entrenched the stereotypes are within society. I would also be interested in tatooed individuals being checked up on some time after being tattooed to gauge their feelings towards their own body art, and if any of their feelings changed since initially being tattooed.
In their article “Why do people get tattoos?,” Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones' main argument is that many people get tattoos for many reasons and many people are also against getting tattoos. According to them, tattoos are increasingly popular among high school and college students to represent their individual meanings. For many young people, they get tattoos to represent their independence and important events. This means that young people with tattoos are artists and free thinkers rather than criminals and laborers in the past. For some women, tattooing their bodies demonstrates an importance in healing from trauma or abuse. By doing so, they are able to redeem their violated parts. However, people such as medical professionals still discriminate people with tattoos as gang affiliated. Because of this discrimination among others, many young people conceal their tattoos during the job application and interview process as well as even when receiving the job.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, they should include research and other data on older folks with tattoos. The authors provide many factual evidence on young people and their tattoos; however, having factual evidence on older folks would help in persuading the youth of whether getting a tattoo is the best thing to do in the long run. To do so, the authors could provide data on whether they regretted their tattoos or not. Many young people’s tattoos’ meanings change over time due to experiencing new things each day and convey different thoughts throughout their lives. Because of this, young people should consider this before receiving their first tattoo and be informed through the evidence of older folks with tattoos.
I think that the article emphasizes the ideas and reasons why one gets a tattoos without any implication on regret. The articles emphasizes less on persuading why youth shouldn't get tattoos and more on what a tattoo signifies. I agree that writing about how previous generations had tattoos and any regret that they had towards one would discourage youth in the present day from getting tattoos, however, I don't think that the implications of it are relevant in this article. I think that it would be interesting to see how what people tattoo on their bodies change over time and the reasons for this change over time. I think that this would give a better idea of how the ideology of getting a tattoo has changed from being from mostly criminals to an expression of oneself.
"Why Do People Get Tattoos?"- Miliann Kang & Katherine Jones
In “Why do people get tattoos?” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones, I think their most important argument is the juxtaposition between why people choose to get tattoos and how the rest of society perceives their tattoos. As one 24 year old woman noted about her pegasus, “it is rearing up on its hind legs with its wings spread like it’s about to take off, much like the way I want to break free of my self-doubt and start loving me for me.” This clearly demonstrates the concept of increasingly more youth deciding to get tattoos to express themselves and show greater control over their own bodies. However, according to the article, 90% of recruiters at a university said they looked negatively on tattoos and that teenagers with tattoos are still perceived as gang members, drug users, drop outs and trouble makers. In addition, groups such as women are likely to get tattoos to take control of their bodies and challenge conventional standards of femininity, but their tattoos are now “culturally written over”. Another group -the neo-primatives- use tattoos as a ritual experience and as a critique of consumer society, however, tattoos themselves have become a popular consumer commodity. Most individuals with tattoos are at odds with why they chose to get a tattoo and society’s negative perceptions of tattoos. Also people are still more likely to think that others with tattoos are uneducated, but in a national survey of high school students, researchers found that actually the most tattooed teenagers are high-achieving students and few reported being in gangs.
Overall, I believe the authors did a really good job of including many groups and reasons as to why people get tattoos. They mentioned such groups as women, men, teenagers, other youths, “tattoo enthusiasts”, people who get tattoos for special meanings, people who get them to heal from illness or abuse, as a way to fight social norms, etc. One aspect they could add to this article, however, is more interviews and quotes from people who are against tattoos. They offer a short limitations on tattoos section, but they could go a bit more depth into different societal views on tattoos. Additionally, I think they could add a little bit of commentary perhaps from groups of people who do not have tattoos and their reasoning behind not wanting to get a tattoo to offer even more diverse viewpoints on the tattoo debate.
I agree, the article doesn't share the full range of people. Both tattoo and tattoo-less, I know my mom would have a strong word against tattoos. She always thought that it was somehow harmful and unattractive to the human body. but overall, I do feel like the author did a very good job of including as many groups and reasons as to why people get tattoos. The opposite point of you would've been great, but overall I thought the article was very well informed. Something that I was interested in that wasn't in the article concerning tattoos was how the tattoo has changed. It started off Thousands of years ago with tribal traditions and it has lasted all the way to today. I would have loved to seen comparisons of tattoos from the agent times compared to modern day tattoos.
"Why Do people Get Tatoos" By Milan kang and Katherine Jones
Today it seems that increasingly diverse groups of people are getting tattoos, popular perceptions are often out of sync with the individual meetings behind these tattoos. Sociologists who study tattoos focus on the patterns in the overall Trends, the examine the influence of media and consumer culture and the influence of gender, sexuality, race etc.researchers have found that the reason people get tattoos is to express who they are as individuals. He said to use represent what they've lived through and how they see themselves compared to other people in the world. The article also touches on how tattooing is especially a popular among the youth, of people under 25 28% of adults have a tattoo, compared to the 15% of adults older than 25, that is a big jump. The reason for these tattoos for the youth maybe it's because they are trying to assert their independence and establish who they are as a person without the influence of their parents. Tattooing also offers woman control over their own bodies. One example comes to mind from the article was a self-conscious 24 old girl in this article who got a Pegasus that was standing on its rear legs to show that she is confident her body. Former perceptions of tattooed woman as being sexually promiscuous and a lower social class are slowly being put to rest, woman like Winston Churchhill's mother and many other high-social -ranking women now sport the ink. Tattooing has become it's own culture, it is showing that ripping up your body with tattoos is a way of getting in touch with yourself and others were tied into the same culture. The tattoo speaks to the complex of humans that is in need of expression. Through the appearance of their bodies, the tattoo serves as a canvas for the message they want people to receive.
if Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think he would be interesting to show how the physical nature of tattoos are actually changing. Nowadays there's tattoo realism and color tattoos that were seldom touched on in the article. If a comparison was brought up between a tattoo from the 1970s to a modern-day tattoo , they would look different. I feel like it would be interesting to explore these differences.Also, when the article mentions that some people are trying to get in touch with their tribal roots by getting tattoos, I think it would have been interesting to which cultures have a history of tattooing and what it meant to their social world. another thing that I would've liked to seen in the article was a statistic on people with tattoos getting jobs. We hear all the time that your employers don't want you to have tattoos, but is that statistic actually true?
Why do people get tattoos? By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
In Kang and Jones’ article, they talk about how people getting tattoos is a sign of rebellion or faddishness, a way to express themselves freely and break away from society’s control. They say that tattooing is most popular with teens and college students, the stage when young people really want to establish their independence to the world. This is really important because people often stereotype those who get tattoos as delinquents, trouble-makers, or gang members, but Kang and Jones find that most tattooed students were high-achieving students with no gang affiliations. In fact, since 1980 more and more artists and free thinkers have gotten tattoos. Tattoos and their experience have become a way to gain control over their own lives and bodies from external pressures such as school and family. Kang and Jones also argue that tattoos are also a way to express permanent membership into certain communities and, remember important events, and mark adulthood. This is important because in a world where social context defines you, tattoos can be a means of going against that and creating a means to define yourself the way you want to. Another important argument Kang and Jones make is that many women get tattoos as a way of taking control over the expression of their own bodies and resist having their bodies be appealing only for men. While other women get tattoos as a means of conforming to the idea that their bodies be attractive for men by placing feminine symbols (hearts, flowers, animals) on sexualized parts of their bodies (hip, lower back, shoulder). This is important because both these types of women have “culturally written” meanings attached to their tattoos according to their social context. And even though the tattoos are great ways of expressing themselves, there are limits to what kind of tattoo you get, where you get it, and how big it is; therefore, there isn’t much agency.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, something they could add is data and interviews of people who have gotten tattoos and had them for their whole lives into old age. Do older people who have had their tattoos for 50 or 60 years feel the same way about their tattoos as when they first got them? Or was their tattoo just a “stage” of their lives that they eventually passed. How do their grandchildren view their tattoos? Do they regret getting their tattoos at a young age and wish they had never gotten it? How many of those interviewed at old age are actually successful? It would be interesting to see to what degree tattooing has affected their success in making money, getting a job, their personal relationships etc. and whether or not they still want to keep their tattoos. I think another interesting thing the authors could add is how each religion might view getting tattoos and how that might affect whether someone wants to get one or not. Someone who comes from middle east with an Islamic religion might have moved to the US with their parents when they were young and grew up here. They might have grown to accept the same cultural views as Americans but still must conform to their religious and cultural backgrounds their household lives in. So how do those individuals feel about getting tattoos? This is important because it can show yet another conflict that exists within those who want to get tattoos.
I agree with Sogol’s idea that it would be interesting for the authors to examine statistics and personal stories about people who have had tattoos for a long time. The author could look at a variety of ways that having tattoos has affected people's lives, including their relationships with family members and their jobs. It’s possible that people with tattoos have experienced rejection from family members and had difficulty finding jobs due to their tattoos, or it is also possible that their tattoos have helped them strengthen social relationships and get hired for jobs. I also agree that it would be a cool idea for the authors to analyze how people of different religions feel about getting tattoos. People who practice religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islamism could have negative opinions towards tattoos that have been shaped by their religious ideals. Yet there are certainly people who practice one of these religions and also have tattoos, so it would be interesting to see if they felt deviant from their religions because of their tattoos.
I agree with Sogol tattoos are popular among high school and college students, which is when they demonstrate their stages of independence. At that time of age, many youngsters desire independence. As a previous high school and current college student, I definitely see why they would use tattoos as a form of independence. However, I also agree that the author could incorporate data and interviews of older people who had tattoos since they were young. By doing so, we can if it is the best thing for high school and college students to get their tattoo in the long run. It is true that many people feel indifferent about their tattoos in the long run because of the different events that happen to them after a while and that it might be just a stage. Many youngsters do not understand the consequences of having a tattoo such as it affects their success through people discriminating them.
In their paper Kang and Jones discuss why people historically got tattoos as well as addressed the increasing amount of tattooing in high school and college level adults. The central theme of the paper focused on tattooing being a form of self expression and giving a sense of control over ones body and image. Many people believe that getting a tattoo marks them with something that makes them unique and establishes themselves as an entity separate from the masses of people around them. Still, there are others who use tattoos as a way of expressing their opinions on different subject, or try to use them to promote awareness for something they see as a problem. Unfortunately, even though tattooing is becoming more of a main stream consumer item, the negative stigma that comes with tattoos is still very much alive within our society. Because of this many peoples tattoos are not viewed as originally intended by the tattooe and can actually cause more anxiety, doing the exact opposite of its original purpose. Jones and Kane also discuss the different subcultures that have arisen from tattooing, such as neo-primatives and "tattoo enthusiasts". To people within these groups, tattooing is used to create both a sense of community with people around them and the world they live in, but they meet the same problems that even causal tattooers do in main stream media. It seems that the large amount of variability in types and themes of tattoos causes there not to be an overarching reason why people get tattoos.
If they were to rewrite this paper I think that they should not only focus on different cultures and their views toward tattooing but should have also included men as a category. It was stated in the beginning that getting a tattoo was traditionally a male society but then do not elaborate on how that practice has changed within the male societies today. Being able to see how the role of tattoo's has changed within the classical considered group could give a baseline for how other groups attitudes toward tattoo's might change over time.
I agree Jacob that because of the negative stigma that still comes with a tattoo causes people to feel the opposite of what their tattoo was supposed to make them feel. I said in my blog post that it is interesting that people get tattoos to express themselves or show people who they want to be as an adult (high school and college students), but they end up having to cover up their tattoos in job interviews or at work because having tattoos can be looked down upon. The contradiction between tattoos being a form of self expression and also a source of shame is unfortunate, because young adults end up feeling anxiety about a tattoo that was supposed to make them feel empowered. I also think it would be interesting to see more evidence about how the practice has changed in male societies today. I said it would have been interesting to include some data proving that employers don't want you to have tattoos, because the authors mention that employers may not pick you for a job if you have a tattoo; but it would be nice to see some evidence on this. I agree that seeing how the role of tattoos has changed within a group would show how attitudes would change over time, and I suggested that the author should have done a survey of a large group of wide variety (young and old people) and ask them their feelings towards tattoos.
In their article “Why do People Get tattoos?” Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones’s main point is that tattoos are growing in popularity and they appeal to different groups of people for different reasons. For younger individuals, tattoos can be a way to express their independence or symbolize meaningful life events, including making friends or getting married. Amongst women, tattoos are a way of controlling their physical appearance and are used both to deviate away from femininity and to express femininity. For others like neo-primitives, tattooing can be used as a way to express disdain for society and can exemplify a spiritual experience. Kang and Jones point out that while tattoos can be seen as a positive form of self-expression, they often have negative effects due to inaccurate interpretations by others and stigma in the workplace. Tattoos serve as a way for people to express their individuality, show control, develop a spiritual connection, or commemorate an important life-event.
If Kang and Jones rewrote their article, I think it would be interesting for them to include more information about how much advanced planning people put into getting tattoos. The authors could explore whether most people thought about their tattoos for months before getting them, or if they got tattoos as spur-the-moment decisions. The authors could also ask people if they were still happy with what their tattoos symbolized and if they felt that their tattoos were still meaningful. It would be interesting to see if people who put more advanced planning into their tattoos reported higher rates of continually liking their tattoos than those who got tattoos as spur-the-moment decisions. If this is the case, this information could be used to advise people who are getting tattoos that they should probably think about them for a while, since tattoos are permanent.
I agree with Ashley that if the author were to rewrite this article he should include some statistics of how much planning someone puts in before deciding to get a tattoo. This would be interesting because if there are more people getting tattoos who don’t put much thought into it than there are people who take the time to deeply consider everything before getting one, then that can say something about the tattoo-getting process overall. If more people are putting little to no time and thought, then that could mean that tattoos are not as symbolic and meaningful as people make it out to be. It would give further evidence that most people are getting tattoos to fit into a particular social context rather an expression of themselves. And I also agree that it would be interesting to include if those who put more thought and time into getting their tattoo still find their tattoo meaningful. If those who put a lot of time and thought didn’t end up liking their tattoos anymore as they grew older, then that would mean that a tattoo in and of itself is nothing more than a voluntary branding of their body that shows how far a person is willing to go to be accepted in their social context. So then if tattooing was made illegal everywhere would people go to other extremes to be accepted? Or is tattooing a safer alternative?
Kang and Jones primary argument is that tattoos express an individual's character in relation to society. However, the stigma of tattoos can be seen as sign of rebellion by society. Tattoos are regularly used to recognize turning points, for example, a marriage, personal growth and action for social change. In any case, tattoos can be seen with shame and could prompt hatred. For instance, recruiters may feel contrarily towards tattoos, in this way they won't employ individuals who might be over qualified because they have a tattoo’s. In spite of the fact that tattoos regularly show the positive side towards their actual meaning, authors express that one's social setting shapes others' reactions by constraining the strength and purpose of tattoos.
If I would to rewrite this article, I would do interviews and/or research of whether there were times when tattoos enhanced someone attractiveness as a person and/or helped finding a potential career. This would be an interesting discussion that suggests that people vary in opinions and possibly encourage others to get tattooed. Also an interesting study that can be included is where people are more accepting of tattooed people and why. Could it be because of social atmosphere, culture, religion, etc?
In Dorm Room Dealers, Fritsvold and Mohamed compare drug dealers in the college setting and the “street” setting. One major point in the reading is related to how college students and users are perceived by and perceived to law enforcement. College drug dealers are rarely arrested compared to their “street” counterparts. Fritsvold and Mohamed suggest that this is due to there not being as much of a stigma, their appearance of not “looking like a criminal,” that their crimes are perceived to be of a “lower priority,” and the manner by which the college police address these actions. The authors’ findings here are important because they add to the work that challenges our criminal justice system and our current laws. Their findings provide evidence conflicts with the principle that every should be seen equally before the law.
Since the reading did not included the entire book, it would not be accurate to say how I would like the reading to be rewritten. However, I would like to have seen in the chapter of “Perceived and Actual Risks” an exploration of how suspicious behavior is recognized. The authors suggested that it was odd that the drug transactions and possession were never caught or reported even though they were rarely conducted secretly or with discretion. However, I wonder if those participating in the drug related activities believed that in their current situation that it would actually be wise to not utilize the risk mitigation techniques mentioned. I can certainly see how safes, meetings in secluded areas, and discreet packaging could actually raise more suspicion. This kind of thinking would be in line with the idea that the best way to hide something is in plain sight. To test the validity of that thought process, I would also like to know whether random people in the community noticed drug-related activities and how frequently it was observed within the population.
"Why Do People Get Tatoos" Milan Kang and Katherine Jones
In this article, the authors discuss why tattoos have become some popular and normal in today’s society. I think an interesting point in this article was that even though they argue that tattoos have become more popular, they also state that employers still look down upon people with tattoos, and that tattoos affect the chances of whether or not the person will be hired. For example, they say that people feel the need to hide their tattoos while at work or in an interview. I found this intriguing because the authors argue that especially for women tattoos are a symbol that they have control over their own body, and they can express themselves how they want to; yet they cover them up at work to evade judgment. The correlation between the increase of high school and college students getting tattoos and the remaining criticism of tattoos in the workplace ultimately causes people with tattoos to often feel the need to hide them; the opposite of what they originally got the tattoos for. They also argue that the reason teens and young adults are getting tattoos more than others is because they are at a time in their lives when they want to be independent and establish their own image that is unique, almost to mark adulthood. A tattoo often has meaning behind it, and it’s a way for young people to show people who they are and want to be. If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would have been interesting to include some data proving that employers don't want you to have tattoos, because the authors mention that employers may not pick you for a job if you have a tattoo; but it would be nice to see some statistical evidence. I also thought they could include more about how tattoos have changed. I know that they mentioned that more young people are getting tattoos now, but how have the tattoos that these people are getting changed? Are they more personal? They also stated that some people got tattoos because they wanted to be in touch with their tribal roots, but they didn’t provide much evidence on how the tattoos looked historically versus now; that would have been interesting to see. I think something that would strengthen the argument would be to do a survey of a random large sample (young people and old people) and see how people feel about tattoos, and see if they see it in a positive or negative light.
I agree with you that the authors should include how tattoos have changed over time. The authors mentioned that until recently tattoos symbolized gang affiliation. I would like to know what kind of tattoos are gang tattoos vs. personal and artistic tattoos. Consistent with this idea of tracking how tattoos change over time I would like to know if this information carries over to other body modification efforts, such as eyeball tattoos, silicone donuts injected into people foreheads, and large ear gauges. I’m sure that the neo-primitives have considered these types of body modifications in response to society portraying tattoos in the mainstream. I agree with this idea because it would include a new way to understand how tattoos have evolved to become more than just a symbol of deviance.
The most important argument that the author, Kang and Jones, is trying to convey is that people often misinterpret the meaning and reason for getting tattoos. Like art, tattoos have can have more than one meaning, the intended meaning of the artist and its interpretation by the public. And for the most part, tattoos are still looked upon unfavorably. Businesses often have a negative impression of people with tattoos citing that, “teenagers with tattoos are more likely to be perceived as gang members, drug users, dropouts, and troublemakers.” What the authors are trying to get across is that tattoos are not a moniker for one type of personality type. Many people get tattoos for different reasons. Some people use tattoos to symbolize their commitment to a spouse or friendship, some use tattoos to indicate their autonomy over their bodies, and some use tattoos to reject mainstream ideas of femininity. This is important because people who have tattoos are often a target for discrimination such as when two rapists were set free because the woman they rapped had a tattoo. I was disappointed to hear that this type of injustice can occur just because a person had art displayed on her body.
If the authors were to rewrite this article I think it would be beneficial to include more information about the people who dislike tattoos. I got the impression that the author was partial to people who had tattoos. I do agree that many people with tattoos are treated unfairly, but I think that this article could make a stronger impact if the language and writing were as unbiased as possible. Let me hear more from people who dislike tattoos, I want to hear their reasons for disliking tattoos and their thought process behind it. This article seemed to quickly sum up people who dislike tattoos as narrow-minded individuals who have beliefs that are in opposition to empirical data. This topic should be added because figuring out why people dislike tattoos can better prepare us to convince them to become more accepting of people with tattoos.
Getting tattoo has been getting more and more popular nowadays. The article examined the reason of why people would get tattoos on their bodies. For example, women get tattoos to challenge femininity, take control over their body and explore ways to define themselves. While men get tattoos to prove their masculinity. Also, people get tattoos to commemorate a special event or phase in life, for example marriage, relationships and their college career. Some people also get tattoos to reclaim themselves from traumatic experiences, for example fighting a disease and abuses. They point out that tattoos help them overcome their fear and aid them at the situation. But on the flip side, the author suggests that although tattoo doesn't necessarily symbolize rebellion, it is still seen negatively in our society. For example some employers would avoid hiring tattooed individuals. And tattoos have the limitation of being misinterpreted.
If the authors were to add more to this article, I would suggest them to add the point of view of those who don't want a tattoo and see their reasoning behind. It is always good to have two sides of the story so to give the readers a fuller picture of the tattoo situation in the society. It would shed light on the incident of why tattoos are still seen negatively amongst society. Also, the authors could analyse the views of different cultures regarding tattoos, because from what I know, Asian countries aren't as open to tattoos as stated in this article. I assume this article mainly talks about the US culture, but it would be helpful to know how other cultures think about tattoos as well.
In this article, the authors talk about the evolution of tattoo culture and explain the reasoning behind why certain people get tattoos. They argue that people do not fully control the meaning of their tattoos -- social contexts also influence the how other people interpret tattoos. In the past, tattoos were viewed in a negative way and were seen mostly among working class males. However currently, tattoos are seen amongst a greater variety of individuals, with women taking up almost half of the tattooed population. Among youth, tattooing is used as a way of self-expression, resistance to authority, and commemoration of special events in one’s life. For women, tattooing is used to regain control over their bodies, reshape gender norms, and recover from traumatic experiences. Women with tattoos have often been looked down upon and regarded as low-class and trashy. Although this point of view is no longer commonly held, tattoos are still taboo among some people. Despite the special meanings that people place on their tattoos, they still often hide them when in a professional setting such as applying for a job. Tattoos can also have a negative effect on relationships such as that between a teenager and their parents.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I think it would be interesting to compare tattoos between older people and younger people. Have the types of tattoos that people get changed from then to now? Did people back then get tattoos to assume a certain type of identity, while people now get tattoos for a meaningful purpose? Are people today motivated to get tattoos for the same reasons that people back then got tattoos? I also think it would be beneficial to include more information about the prevalence of tattoos between the different social classes. One would think that lower to middle-class people are more likely to get tattoos, but I think that tattoos are also starting to gain popularity among upper-class individuals.
I agree with Mika that this article should include information about how tattoos have been viewed in different eras. I believe the history of tattoos would be very interesting to explore—such as early tribal tattoos. I also agree that it would be informative to explore if motivations and reasons to get tattoos have changed over the years. How have tattoos been viewed in terms of acceptance from the early ages of tattoos to the 19th-21st centuries? It would also be interesting to include how ages from these different time eras view tattoos. Do people regret getting their tattoos when they’re older or is that just a myth used by parents to discourage their children from getting tattoos? It would also be interesting, like Mika suggested to explore how people from different socioeconomic backgrounds are viewed in regards to tattoos. Do tattoos signify a lower class or are tattoos becoming popular amongst upper middle class citizens? Do tattoos that have special meanings matter more than aesthetically pleasing tattoos and how does this relate to people of different socioeconomic backgrounds? It would be important to explore even further how types of tattoos are judged differently—what meanings does society attach to certain tattoos?
Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones argue that people get tattoos to represent themselves artistically and communicate to others how they view themselves and their experiences in the world. However, this meaning can be misconstrued by other people’s judgments and society’s perception of tattoos. People with tattoos have received discrimination for decades due to the fact that people automatically associated tattoos with people in gangs and people of low class. This discrimination has continued to be prevalent in our society, but as tattoos are becoming more prominent amongst more groups of people, particularly women and young adults, tattoos have begun to represent more concrete significant social implications. For instance, women use tattoos to express autonomy over their body and often to show strength over struggles they have overcome. Unfortunately, in the professional world these women (and also men) face a stigma that their tattoos link them to unprofessionalism and inability to work as hard. Another major reason people get tattoos is join in a community of people whom they can relate to and identify themselves with.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite their article, they should elaborate more on the impact of tattoos on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans community, considering it mentions that 31% of them have at least one tattoo, and the reasons why they get them. They should also include a section about those who decide to dedicate their lives to tattoos by becoming tattoos artists, and why they believe it is an important practice. This would provide a very unique and convincing perspective that shows why tattoos have become such an integral part of so many lives. Lastly, they should further explain why people have been discouraged to get tattoos and give examples of how socialization in modern day continues to solidify the belief that tattoos are only for lowly people.
I agree with Elizabeth that a stronger look at the LGBT community would have been very interesting in terms of how tattoos are perceived. Especially with the rapidly changing relations between the mainstream and the LGBT community, some very interesting parallels could be created. As LGBT people are becoming more accepted, how has that influenced the types of tattoos that they are getting? Are their tattoos continuing to be counter-culture, or are the tattoos becoming more typically gendered and mainstream? This could provide some insight into how the LGBT community feels the world perceives them, and how much relations have actually improved since the Regan era. I think Elizabeth brings up some really strong points, but I disagree with her about workplace tattoos. While I think in some scenarios tattoos can keep people from getting jobs, the "mainstream" tattoos that are discussed in the article are often more hidden and personal, often not harming employment. I think it would be interesting to see how much tattoo culture has shifted because of the social norms put out by employers. There are many communities and newer job markets that are more open to heavy tattooing as well. Many programming startups hire tattooed individuals, and those within the tattoo subculture hire those with tattoos.
Why do people get tattoos? Kang and Jones argue that the negative image of tattoos causes others to judge those who inked themselves when in fact tattoos are there to make these individual to feel secure and strong. Tattoos become more popular over the year and many people are starting to get tattoo on their bodies. Kang and Jones study focuses more on the meso-level and macro-level. They performed two surveys – one survey is from 642 high school students in Texas and another one is based on national sample of 1762 students. The authors point out that tattoos are not just for male and working-class but it’s for male, female, various age-groups and socio-economic background. Kang and Jones point out several reasons as to why people choose to get tattoo. One of the main subject that they look at is female. Unlike popular belief – tattoos are gang affiliated – people get tattoo(s) in order to make themselves feel secure or even as a memento of something significant. According to one interviewee, getting a tattoo is a way for her to break free of self-doubt – feeling ugly – and start loving her own body. Some people might argue that women drawn to tattoos because they want to challenge the idea that women should be perfect, quiet, and womanlike. However, according to female interviewees, they use tattoos as a way to enforce their body. Most women would get tattoos in hidden or sexualized areas of her body. Plus, most of their tattoos are feminine such as flower; thus they are not challenging femininity.
To make this article more informative, Kang and Jones should look into the history of tattoos. Where and when tattoo was first originated. Knowing the history of tattoos will give us a better understanding of why tattoos have such a negative image in the first place. Technically, tattoos are just drawing and painting. Also, Kang and Jones should interview people who don’t have tattoos and their reason(s) for not having one. I personally enjoy looking at tattoos on others but wouldn’t get one myself because I’m terrified of needles.
In the article, Why Do People Get Tattoos, the authors discussed several reasons individuals choose to get tattooed. They explained how for many individuals, tattoos can be a form of "self expression, commemoration, community building, and social commentary". Kang and Jones explored how tattoos can be used as a way to cope with trauma or illness, a way for people - especially woman - to take ownership of their bodies, and a means to challenge societal norms.Tattoos can also be seen as a spiritual experience for some, providing a primitive way to embrace oneself physically. Tattoos create solidarity and allow for deep connections between people based on something so personal. Even though tattoos are embraced with incredible positivity by those who choose to get them, the majority of outsiders look upon tattoos with disgust. From an outside perspective, tattoos appear to be primarily present in working class, minority individuals who are often wrongly associated as being involved with drug and/or other criminal activities. For some, they can even be seen as a form of self harm. Thus, many individuals who have tattoos feel the need to hide them for fear of ridicule, unemployment, social rejection, and false judgement. Regardless of the stigma that can be felt toward tattoos, their prevalence in society is constantly increasing. This is partially due to their trendiness and versatility, which allows all people to express themselves in their own way.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would suggest including historical context as to why tattoos origionally became associated with lower socioeconomic groups and people of color. That would help illuminate the intersectionality between lower SES groups, minority groups, and the desire to get tattooed. The article mentioned how tattoos are common in the LGBTQ community but neglected to explore the reasoning behind it further - an analysis I feel would have added insightful nuance to the overall argument. I personally would have liked a deeper look into how different religions view tattoos and whether or not this causes internal conflict for people. I used to find tattoos intriguing and planned to get one. However, once I learned that they go against my religious teachings I became less inclined to get one.
Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones argue in “Why Do People Get Tattoos?” that tattoos, while generally seen as negative and affiliated with underground culture, have become a part of mainstream culture, and this has affected the tattoo industry drastically. Tattoos have shifted in meaning most significantly amongst youth, women, and other tattoo subcultures. Teenagers and college students are looking to tattoos as a means for creating an identity and developing a sense of self outside of their parents. Kang argues that women typically used tattoos as a means to break gender norms and to separate themselves from traditional roles, but as tattoos have become mainstream, many women now use tattoos as a source of femininity and sexuality. Women also use tattoos to cope with abuse, scars, or their own insecurities. As both of these communities have pushed tattoos into the mainstream, extreme tattooees are seeking new material and methods for tattoos in an attempt to break away with what has now become a mainstream industry. I think Kang made these arguments to understand where the tattoo industry is today in terms of how society uses tattoos to express themselves. Her understanding of the tattoo industry seems to push the idea that tattoos have been coopted by popular culture, and the unique permanence of tattoos has shifted, for better or for worse, away from the underground and into the mainstream.
I think if Kang were to make the article stronger, a historical perspective would have helped significantly. There is a heavy undertone of comparing tattoos today relative to how they used to be, so a more delineated timeline would have helped to clarify what has changed about the way society perceives tattoos. I think interviews with much older people who have tattoos would have been interesting and could have given the piece a stronger historical context. The piece focused most heavily on women and tattoos, which provided a lot of insight for me, but tattoos specific to men were not discussed in much detail, other than their use to strengthen masculine traits. I would be interested in seeing how men’s tattoos have changed over time, if they have at all. It would have also been interesting to learn about tattoo artists themselves, and how their craft has changed over time. I think they could provide some deep insights, especially if they have been tattooing their whole lives.
I agree with Matthew that a historical perspective would have made this article stronger. The article suggests that many people nowadays do not fit the stereotype of people with tattoos. It would be interesting to know how those stereotypes came to be, especially since tattoos have a long history in many different cultures and were a sign of rank and power in certain communities. I would like to know the history of what tattoos meant within gangs and why tattoos have such a strong association with gangs, laborers, and sexually promiscuous women rather than other groups. Since tattoos are something that often require skill, equipment and the paid labor of the tattoo artists, it seems odd that the association has been toward those of lower class and not of higher class people who would theoretically be able to afford it more so. By explaining why those who have historically fit the stereotype got tattoos, it would provide a better comparison for the discussion of how the reasons to get tattoos have changed.
In the article Kang and Jones provide an in depth synopsis of the emergence of tattooing and tattoo culture in the U.S. and how it has evolved over the past century in terms of its prevalence, objectives, and social stigmas it invokes. An important part of the article is the changing dichotomy of why certain groups get tattoo’d and how different sects of society perceive these tattoos. Like in the early 20th century when women tattoo’d themselves to break free from the oppression of women and gender norms but society labeling them as promiscuous, highlighted by the 1920s rape case example in the article. They further talk about how people get tattoos to help cope with traumatic experiences such as breast cancer scars, tough times in their life (pegasus tattoo), break free from societal norms and to feel unique, or to re appropriate symbols and beliefs (swastika tattoo). Unfortunately society still misinterprets some of the intentions of tattoos when in ERs tattoos on minorities and youth are seen as part of gang affiliation, employers negatively view tattoos on their employees, jury panels see them as pointing towards guilt in court cases, and in general facing negative social stigmas.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would expand the analysis to other cultures and countries outside the U.S. I recently stumbled upon a video where a tattoo activist visited South Korea, where tattooing is illegal and it shows how that has affected their culture in various ways which would create an interesting comparison. Also comparing to cultures where tattooing is regularly practiced such as Polynesian cultures, and further analyzing how it affects them and their culture when they immigrate to the U.S. and other places with different ideas on tattooing.
In the article, the authors assert that tattoos, when used by specific social groups, are either used to support social norms or to defy them through deviance. While tattoos carry a strong stigma, the authors argue that sometimes it is this stigma that makes them desirable. Some people wish to be set apart from others, to be different, and to stand out. The author then goes on to discuss many groups who use tattoos to defy social norms/expectations: youths who hope to assert independence in an insecure world, women who hope to reclaim their bodies, or heavy tattooers who hope to reconnect with the primal experiences of tribal tattooers. Other times, tattoos even support social norms; such is the case of men who use tattoos to reinforce notions of masculinity. Unfortunately, the authors argue that tattoos are not often the most effective ways of showing deviance, since the message a tattoo tries to convey is not always the message received by others and tattooers often find difficulties with employment.
I believe that the article should have addressed the topic against a historical backdrop. What historical changes amongst sociological groups caused the shift in more people getting tattoos to show deviance? For example, why are tattoos much more common among the youth today than in the past? What has made tattoos more acceptable in today’s society, especially among groups like women, than in the past? Was the process in which tattoos became more acceptable the result of an incoming generation (tattoos are viewed more desirable by today’s youth) or has the shift occurred all across society (so older people from past generations also find themselves getting tattoos now)?
I agree with Austin that including more historical context would have been beneficial for furthering the argument and for giving more context. I was also interested to know what caused the change in attitude toward tattoos; why did it change from something previously associated with small numbers of minority groups to being embraced nationally by all types of individuals? If we can pinpoint what caused this change, society might be able to view tattoos more positively and without stigma. Austin also touched on the various ages individuals choose to get tattoos, and thoughtfully pondered whether or not different age groups have different desires in getting tattoos. In my own family, a dichotomy exists between older and younger generations in their thoughts on tattooing. Since my grandparents grew up during the Holocaust, they have negative associations with tattoos. My peers and cousins view tattooing as a positive form of self expression to reclaim that negative history. I personally wonder whether the increase of technology also influenced this influx of tattooing. I feel that technology takes away a lot of our individuality, so maybe tattooing is a way that some people respond to this absence of unique expression in their lives.
This would be an interesting perspective to put into the article and very important. Besides history, this will help us understand different cultures and it’s influence on tattoos. I know for a fact, henna (not permanent tattoo) in the Middle East is highly encouraged to put on for women during celebratory events. This shows throughout history henna is seen as beauty in that particular culture. History of tattoo in America would be an interesting viewpoint to see how in some parts of America they are becoming more accepting of it.
Why do People get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn this article, Kang and Jones discuss the meaning behind why people get tattoos as well as what age groups are most interested in them. Tattoos serve many purposes for those who get them; teenagers are able to assert their independence and control over their own body, and these teenagers are most commonly the high achieving students. The concept of the tattoo has morphed from something of gang members and inmates to something more mainstream, commonly as a memory of the past amongst friends or a commitment between newly wed couples. More than half the people tattooed today are women, wanting to defy standards and gain control of their bodies; whereas men commonly get tattoos to reinforce their masculinity. Though women get tattoos to assert their independence, no matter what their tattoo may be or mean they must still deal with the struggle to gain professional respect. Another common reason people get tattooed is as a means of dealing with trauma or abuse. Overall the meaning behind why people get tattoos is varied, but centers on individuality and freedom of expression.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, it would be interesting to include more about the historical meaning of tattoos and where they first originated. There was a lot of discussion about why people get tattoos, but Kang and Jones could provide more information about the other viewpoint of those against tattoos and why they feel that way. Tattoos are more common in today’s society, but there are still people who reject it based on their culture or personal views. It could be interesting to interview more tattoo artists and see why they got into the profession and what prejudice they may experience. Understanding the taboo of tattoo and combining it with the reason behind why people get tattoos could provide a more comprehensive understanding.
I agree with your idea that the authors should talk more about the history of tattoos. I know that tribal groups were big on tattoos and that each tattoo had a different meaning. I wonder if people nowadays who get tribal tattoos get them for their actual historical significance, because they look cool, or maybe another reason. I think that’s important to note the history of tattoos because it can show how far the tattoo practice has come and what has changed since historical times. Maybe there wasn’t as much discrimination towards tattoos back then, so maybe there was some point in history that changed people’s minds about tattoos such a rise of tattoos in gangs. This reminds me about a class discussion we had in the beginning of the quarter and how the professor said that society’s interpretations can change. If in historical times tattoos were viewed differently than they are now, then maybe society can change again so that tattoos can be viewed in a better light than they do now.
DeleteI agree with Maria, that it wold be helpful of the historical meaning of tattoos. If we learn why they were popular before and why people got them, then today we can learn why they continue to be popular and stigmatized. I also agree that Kang and Jones should add more view points from those who are against tattoos. If they did this, people could understand why they dislike tattoos, and may learn that having a tattoo doesn't correlate with disliking the person. Through looking into the other viewpoint, researchers may find that it's not the tattoo but other factors like personality or beliefs that affect societies negative view on tattoos.
DeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteI think the main argument made in this article is that tattoo popularity is rising as more people are getting tattoos for different reasons. Previously, people thought that only select groups got tattoos such as gangs, sexually promiscuous women, and rebellious youth. Today, people are getting tattoos for a multitude of reasons: to take control of their own body, to contradict their gender roles, to solidify their gender roles, for group bonding, to symbolize survivorship from illness or personal issues, and many more. Also, the authors argue that a rise in tattoos changes the perceptions of not only the people getting the tattoos but the tattoos themselves. People nowadays see tattoos as a form of art that can be interpreted in many ways.
I think these points are important to understand because it shows how society’s views of tattoos are changing and the implications it can have on discrimination for people who have them. To understand that there is more than one reason for getting a tattoo and that there are multiple interpretations for a given tattoo shows that not all people with tattoos are the same and that not all tattoos themselves mean the same things. We cannot simply lump all people with tattoos into one group and discriminate them for having tattoos. Although many people in gangs have tattoos and some people have tattoos that are offensive, this does not mean that all people with tattoos are poorly behaved and that all tattoos are meant to offend people. Realizing the true reasons behind getting tattoos can help get rid of the negative stigma which burdens people with tattoos who experience discrimination.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would be important to mention what people with tattoos have to say to people without tattoos. Would they recommend others to get tattoos? Why? Or would they discourage others from getting tattoos because they might regret getting tattoos after a while or because they might face overwhelming discrimination. I think this is important to note because it would show people without tattoos that although tattoos are rising in popularity, maybe they are not as glamorous as they seem. Also, this would be important to note because it would show how society’s interpretations of tattoos shapes the behavior of people who might consider to get tattoos based on the discrimination that others experience.
I agree with Tara in that we should hear everyone’s opinion on tattoos, and whether or not they advise getting one. By understanding that everyone has a different reason for getting a tattoo, it should give you the chance to think through what you want to do, and why you’re doing it. I feel like a lot of people in this day and age get tattoos just to fit in, and think that it’s cool. However, like you said, it may impact your career goals, and might not allow you to land the job you’ve always wanted, because society has discriminated against you because you have that tattoo. Personally, I feel that if you were to get a tattoo, it should be of something symbolic, not just for funsies. Also, this way if it’s really symbolic, you’ll always remember why you got it, and won’t end up regretting it after a while. That would suck.
DeleteI agree it would be interesting if the authors could start a discussion between tattoo’d people and people who aren’t tattoo’d, even those with strong negative stigmas of people with tattoos. Like a discussion between a neo-primitive as described in the article discussing the symbolic meaning of their tattoos with someone who generally doesn’t accept them as art. Even those who may regret getting tattood could stimulate an interesting discussion on the growing social norms and stigmas of the art form. It could show on a smaller scale the evolving attitudes on tattoos.
DeleteI agree with Tara that people should hear other opinion on tattoos, and I have the similar suggestion for the author to rewrite this article. Even thought more and more people are getting tattoos, but majority of people are people who do not have tattoos. It will be very helpful if people who try to get tattoos can have other opinion about getting a tattoos is good or bad. I think people who really want to have a tattoos are not the bad thing, but they need to think very carefully because tattoos are something that will stay forever. What if people who have tattoos got regret in the end. They will need to speed more money and more time to have the tattoos remove, but you will have scar anyway. That is something are not worth it to do. People who try to get a tattoos must have the responsibility for what they do. People decided to have a tattoos is a very important decision, is not like where to have dinner. This will effect of people future and the whole life. To make sure it tattoos is really what you want is the most important step for getting a tattoos.
DeleteI agree with Maria that the authors should go more into depth about why tattoos are so prejudiced in society, because this heavily influences peoples' decision of whether to get a tattoo or not and contributes to the overall meaning a tattoo can have to an individual.
ReplyDeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn their article from the magazine Contexts, Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones explore the reasons why tattoos are becoming more prevalent in today’s culture. They found that society’s general attitude towards tattoos were changing dramatically; in the mid-twentieth century, this form of body art was somewhat uncommon and seen as strictly a sign of rebellion against social norms while today they are much more common and can represent many things. Tattoos used to be associated with gang activity, and promiscuity among women. Kang and Jones examined data from surveys and interviewed individuals about why they decided to get tattooed and what it means to them. Their results indicate that people receive tattoos for many reasons – some do indeed get them as a form of rebellion, some as a sign of permanence in a changing world, and many see it as a mark of adulthood. The authors took special note of women with tattoos and neo-primitives, contrasting the views society has had over the years. Despite rapidly growing popularity and acceptance, a very large percentage of employers still view tattoos negatively, as signs of gang affiliation and criminal behavior.
Were Kang and Jones to write this article again, I might suggest looking into what trends there may be among the symbolism of tattoos. They did mention some images which were common among female wearers (including roses, hearts, and animals), however I think the conflict between intended meanings versus interpreted meanings would make for some interesting discussion. The authors mentioned that employers tend to view tattoos negatively, but does it make a difference where the tattoo is, or what it depicts? Has the symbolism used in body art changed over the years as the procedure has become more mainstream? Looking into these questions may give a deeper insight into why people get tattoos, into different perspectives of self-expression, and how this symbolism is viewed by the professional world.
I agree with your analysis of this article. I think it's good that you pointed out how much things has changed within the society when it comes to tattoos and how people perceptions of it changed in recent years. However, I also liked how you pointed out that tattoos are no longer a sign of rebellious, like some people get it for a deeper meaning, but that doesn't mean that the whole society has come to accept tattoos as a whole. I also like your suggestions on what the authors could add if they were to rewrite the article. I wrote something similar to that, the deeper meaning of tattoos in the professional world and why some has a negative view on it.
DeleteI completely agree with you, I think the author should have mention why employers view tattoos in a negative light. I find it very interesting that employers can go as far as not hiring a potential candidate for a job because they have a tattoo. In light of this issue, I feel like many individuals would get tattoos as a form of creative expression if tattoos were not looked at as unprofessional. I know personally being an economic major and wanting to go into the business field, I am discouraged of getting a tattoo because I fear being since as unprofessional to employers. Nonetheless, the culture of tattoos has been changing throughout the years and many people have been more accepting of tattoos.
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DeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn the article written by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones, they argued on why tattoos has become the norm for everyone now. The authors argued that tattoos allow people to express themselves, and for most women, it is to show that they have control over their own body, and they’re allow to do what they want with their body. However, what the author also argues is that even though tattoos have become increasingly popular, many work forces still take tattoos into considerations when they’re trying to hire someone. Those that have tattoos in a working field needs to hide their tattoos to prevent being judge. One receptionist that Mifflin interviewed while doing this study stated that “people think I’m stupid until they talk to me. They think because you look different you have no respect for society and that you’re not educated” to show that even though the permanent ink has become increasing popular for people to express themselves, they’re still being looked at as someone that’s different and someone who has no education. The authors try to show the negative and positive aspects of having tattoos. Society has become increasingly acceptable for tattoos, however, it doesn’t mean that they still don’t have a negative outlook on those that has ink on their body. They’re showing that people with tattoos may not be heavily judged on now as it was back in the 20th century, but it doesn’t mean that they must accept those with tattoos and judge them the same with those without ink on their body. There’s still a long way to go in the society as a whole before those with and without tattoos being look at the same way.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, it would be great for them interview people without tattoos and ask for their opinions and how they perceive others that has ink on their body. Do they still perceive those people as trouble makers, uneducated or do they look at them the same as those without the tattoos? The authors and researchers interviewed those with tattoos and why they decided to ink their body, however, they never went on to interview those without the tattoos. I think it would be great to see both point of view and why some people prefer to not have tattoos and how come certain businesses would rather hire people without any ink on their body.
I agree with Thu on her analysis of this article. Tattoos may have become more popular, but there is still a stigma in the workplace. There is still a clear divide of opinions between the old views of tattoos being seen as something of criminals with the new view of tattoos as an outlet of expression. It would be great to have another point of view included of the people that prefer not to have tattoos. I agree that it would be beneficial to do an organized survey to see how people perceive others that have tattoos.
DeleteWhy do people get tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn Kang and Jones’ article, they talk about people getting tattoos, and that it is a symbol of their rebellion, a way to break free from social control. They find that most of the students that have tattoos are high achieving students, rather than the stereotypical gang affiliated students; and they get tattoos as a symbolic representation of breaking free from various pressures of the world. Women also get tattoos, for the same reasons that the youth do – to gain control over their own bodies, and break from social norms. Although, tattoos are becoming the social norm, so they’re also conforming to standards of femininity. Although many people in the US have tattoos, it still carries a stigma that can lead to negative interactions between members of the same community. They explain that this is because although a tattoo may mean something to its owner, it may come off as a different meaning to its receiver. Although tattoos are a great way for members of society to express themselves, there are limits and times to which they must be hidden, and times where tattoos can be revealed.
If the author were to add something, I would interview people who have had tattoo for a long period of time, say 50 years. Does the tattoo they have still symbolize the same thing it meant when they first got it? How do they feel about that tattoo now, and do they wish that they could go back in time and stop themselves from getting it? Although it is a very popularized thing to do now, will people regret it? I feel that by interviewing people who have had tattoos for a long time, it would be interesting to see if they still love their tattoo, or has it held them back in many opportunities in life, such as getting their dream job, socializing with family, etc. Lastly, do tattoos that people get in their youths differ from tattoos that they get in their middle aged years, and how does that change based on their maturity/ thought process at the time?
I strongly agree with your statement that tattoos are the symbol of people's rebellion. According to the article, Kong and Jones provide us sufficient data and statistics that teenagers and young adults are the majority people who get tattoos. Your discussion of the reason of high school students get tattoos is really deliberate; high school students simply want to break free from all different kinds of pressures from parents, school work, applying for colleges, etc. I fact, high school students already mature enough to take care of their bodies, but society still think that high school students may regard tattoos as cool gang signs or just to attract girls' attention. This article powerfully contradict those people opinions, and demonstrate that tattoos for most high school students are the symbol of their uniqueness.
DeleteHi Victoria,
DeleteBe careful with that first line of your analysis; I believe that Kang and Jones only mentioned rebellion as one of many things that tattoos can symbolize. The two authors also mentioned that tattoos for some wearers are a sign of permanence in an ever-changing world. That being said, I like your idea of interviewing older bearers of this body art. This would give readers a unique look at the longevity of symbolism. I suppose this topic would mean a deviation from the original intent of the article - that being to examine why people get tattoos in the first place - however it may also give an insight into how society's views on tattoos may change in the future when this surge of inked youth reaches adulthood and beyond.
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ReplyDeleteWhy do people get tattoos?
ReplyDeleteNowadays, tattoo is becoming acceptable for people, showing their uniqueness. In Kang and Jones' article, they argue that tattoo is getting popular worldwide, which can be interpreted as signs of rebellion or faddishness. According to the article, among the expanding numbers of people who get tattoos, majority generations are teenagers who go to high school and colleges. In fact, teenagers around age 18 to 21 are starting having their own opinions about the world; they eager to free themselves from the restriction of various social norms that they have to follow. Therefore, tattoo becomes their best option for teenagers to showcase that they are able to be independent, and they are not little kids anymore. In the article, Kong and Jones mention a high school student, Christine, who claims that she's tired about all the nonsense rules that made by the school. Tattoo becomes her best way to release her pressure and anger. What's more, for adults, tattoos really include deep and personal meanings for them. adult people tend to use tattoo to memorize dead friends or family members, or motivate themselves keep working hard every time they see their tattoos.
If authors were to rewrite their article, they should discuss the impacts that parents who get tattoos bring to their children. The article cover the sufficient explanations of why teenagers, men and women get tattoos. However, people's desires of getting tattoos may originally come from their parents. The reason is children will grow up see their parents tattoos all the time, and kids will potentially think that it's really normal to get tattoos. For majority parents, they definitely want to the perfect role models for their kids. Everything they do and say will affect their children. Therefore, Parents tattoo is accepted by children, and children will build a stereotype in their mind that tattoo is something that showcase ones' uniqueness. Thus, when kids grow up to teenagers or adults, they are more likely to get tattoos. Although my personal opinion may not be correct, the authors actually can discuss this point in their article, doing some researches to see if there are some relationships between tatted parents and their kids.
I think the idea that parents may affect their children's views on tattoos is an interesting idea. Parents affect their children in many facets, such as religion and political views, so maybe tattoos are not any different. Maybe as a kid a person may have heard their parents' negative remarks about tattoos and this becomes part of the kid's opinion on tattoos for their whole life. I suspect that this may go both ways, meaning that some kids that have parents with tattoos may see tattoos as normal or may actually dislike tattoos more since their parents have them. As it becomes more normal to have tattoos, it will be interesting to see if rates start to decline since it is not as big of a statement anymore. Something else the authors may add is how people view tattoos when it comes to the attractiveness of potential partners and see if people get tattoos to enhance beauty and attract people rather than to make a statement.
DeleteI agree with Tyrus; the authors should address the impact of parents' decisions to get tattoos on their child's perspective on tattoos, because this inevitably influences their decisions later on to get tattoos or not. As we have learned, socialization, especially primary socialization through our family, is how we learn how to behave in social situations, how we learn what is socially acceptable and what is not. If a child's parents have tattoos, they probably won't see other people with tattoos as "lowly" or "unprofessional." Since tattoos are becoming more prominent in teens, their children will most likely witness their parent with tattoos on their body. This could forever change the socialization of tattoos and why people end up getting tattoos.
DeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos? By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
ReplyDeleteThe author’s main argument within this article is looking at the meaning and reasoning behind people’s tattoos. According to the reading, society’s view and attitude towards tattoos have changed drastically throughout the years. Tattoos were very uncommon and not apart of the social norm because it was seen as a sign of rebellion. Gang members, rebellious teenagers, and entertainers generally wore tattoos. But times have changed, as many people now use their body as a new type of artist canvas. People can now use their bodies as a form of creative expression, creative outlet, and freedom of experience. In addition, people assert masculinity and femininity when looking at the reasoning behind tattoos. Men get tattoos to reinforce their Masculinity, whereas women get tattoos to establish their strength and independence. Nonetheless, tattoos can be socialized as unprofessional to most professional fields.
If Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones were to rewrite this article, the issues or topics I would suggest them add is suggests and personal stories of people with tattoos. By receiving this information, people can really understand significance, ideology, and symbolism behind tattoos. In addition, it would be great to learn about the history behind tribal and gang tattoos. I think there is a big difference between how society views on normal everyday citizens getting tattoos and gang/tribal tattoos. Most gang/tribal tattoos portray a deeper meaning or hide message within their prints. Thus, I would suggest the author discuss more about the history behind the creation of the tattoo. Furthermore, I would suggestion the authors talk about the different technicals of getting tattoos. For example, people in modern day use ink and tattoo pens, whereas when technology was not as advanced they used charcoal ink and sharp pieces of wood or rocks.
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DeleteI agree with your suggestion to the writers in adding more personal stories with tattooed individuals to give better insight behind their motivation and reasoning. As rooted as stereotypes are, especially in regards to body modifications like tattoos, the only thing that can truly be done is to proactively reach out to others and spread insight of others' perspectives no matter how different it is. I also liked your idea of the writers adding background information on permanently tattooing one's body. It would be interesting to see what began the tradition of gang and tribal tattoos as well. History can only further add insight and knowledge for those who don't quite understand why people feel strongly enough to permanently add imagery and symbols on their skin.
DeleteMiliann Kang and Katherine Jones in "why do people get tattoos?" explore how tattoos function within society, using the studies conducted by other sociologists. Kang and Jones argue that people with tattoos form a community that interact and all get tattoos for different reasons. Kang and Jones describe that most youth get tattoos to show their independence, their adulthood, or to show their membership in a group. Many women get tattoos to show their control over their own bodies but some still get tattoos as a way to appease their significant others. Kang and Jones describe that women with tattoos are often looked at negatively in comparison to men with tattoos, showing how society thinks it is acceptable for men to have tattoos but not women. Women also view tattoos as a way to challenge gender norms in society by going against what is socially created as acceptable. Kang and Jones argue that by getting tattoos nowadays women are both conforming and challenging to the norms. Lastly, they speak of tattoo enthusiasts who look for tattoos in a tribal way and use this as a way of opposing modern society. People may look at tattooed people as a minority but as time has gone on they have become an established group with their own ideas and acceptable behaviors. There are many reasons people get tattoos but there is always the possibility that their reason is not easily identifiable from just the tattoo that person has, so often times if the person tries to make a point with tattoos their message is not clear to everybody.
ReplyDeleteIf Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I would want to see them analyze how multiple people get the same or similar tattoos. The tattoos that are common must not mean the same thing to every single person. This point would further show how tattoos are hard to decipher for people other than the person with the tattoo. Some people may have just got a tattoo for fun in a social situation but others may have got the same exact tattoo for an emotional reason, showing how a tattoo could both be for group acceptance and for a bigger purpose. I would also want Kang and Jones to further explore how people with tattoos have created their own group with its own norms separate from society. What behaviors are specific to this group and what are the major differences between their norms and society’s norms are questions that could be looked into. Lastly, the authors could look into how tattoo artists view themselves as either part of the tattoo community or the art community or both and how this affects their practices with customers.
I agree that one of the main points of this study was that there are many reasons for people to get tattoos. I think that your idea of finding meaning behind similar tattoos is interesting. It could be that they just get the tattoos so they can specifically identify someone else who have the same taste as them or if they do it because it has a deeper connection to them, a study on this could have interesting results. I also agree that it could be interesting if the study specifically found the different subcultures or subgroups inside the tattoo culture and find out how they are different or how similar they are to each other, and to compare their group norms to society’s norms. To expand on your tattoo as art suggestion, it could also be interesting how they could study tattoos as an art form and if other people not in the culture would agree to that and how they would react to tattoo being considered art.
DeleteKang and Jones argues that a variety of people get tattoos from teenagers to adults for many reasons, but that stigma still exists with having a tattoo. Teenagers and young adults get tattoos to assert their new independence. Armstrong found that many of the high school students rarely got their tattoos for a gang affiliation, and were hardworking successful students. Women also got tattoos because it gave them control over their bodies, and challenged gender norms. Other get tattoos to criticize the consumer culture, and some like neo-primitives get tattoos believe that the tattoos symbolize a way to get back to their primal roots. Yet, although tattoos have become more common, they still carry a negative stigma. Showing a tattoo might make it harder to get a job, and many people feel necessary to cover the tattoo while working .Many professionals may see tattoos as being affiliated with a gang and more likely to be involved in crime.
ReplyDeleteIn this article, Kang and Jones could explain more about if the types of tattoos affects social stigma. If someone has many tattoos is she or he less likely to get the job compared to someone that has a smaller tattoo? In addition, I think Kang and Jones could add more quotes or stories about people who have tattoos and how they feel society perceives them. By adding stories, it could strengthen her argument that people still look negatively on tattoos because Kang and Jones may find that many people feel societal pressure to conform and cover up their tattoos. I also think that adding more quotes and stories from the view point of someone who is a professional, and is looking on hiring someone, on how they view tattoos would be helpful to understand why there is a stigma with tattoos.
I completely agree that there is still too much of a negative stigma that revolves around hiring people with tattoos but I think it would be interesting to hear the story from both sides. Along with getting quotes from hiring professionals to see how they view tattoos it would beneficial to get quotes from people who have tattoos that are having trouble finding jobs, as well as people with tattoos that aren't having trouble finding work. These testimonies might be able to shed some light on which working sectors view tattoos a bad, and vice versa.
DeleteI read about a program in California (I think) that provides inmates with the option to get their tattoos removed for free or cheap in case they have regrets about getting them. Speaking toward latent consequences of socialization, programs like this (while they might be trying to help) only further the stigma of tattoos.
"Why Do People Get Tattoos" By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though the stereotype of people that possess tattoos are being broken as the practice increase in popularity. Kang and Jones focus on three groups: youth, women, and members of tattoo subcultures to explore the evolving reasons behind tattoos. In terms of the youth population, it is a way to assert individuality and rebel against the pressures that comes from authority figures. In this sense, youths are taking control over their bodies during a time in their life when everything is changing. Ironically, youth also uses tattoos as a mark of being an adult or commemorations for important events in their lives. This is most exemplified with Eve getting a tattoo to make a memento of her marriage as she sees this as a meaningful time of her life. A similar dichotomy exists with women who get tattoos. Tattoos are a way for women to go against the ideals of what a man wants and taking ownership of their bodies. Many women from different backgrounds, even well established families, have used tattoos to avoid being branded as the quiet and obedient homemaker. Women with tattoos do face the stereotype of being promiscuous as demonstrated by a rape case in the 1920s. After discovering that the victim of the case had a tattoo, the rapists were released from the crime since the tattoo was seen as an admission of guilt, regardless of her chosen meaning behind the mark. Lastly, women used tattoos to challenge gender norms but often women also enforces these expectations by getting very feminine tattoos. Tattoo subcultures take a more traditional take on the practice and try to use it as a spiritual and ritualistic experience. The Neo-primitives uses tattoos as a form of membership in a society that has similar beliefs for the practice. Though there is an increase in popularity for tattoos, they are still viewed negatively by employers. Most importantly, the meanings that people get tattoos are often lost based on social context and background, thus being replaced with a bad stigma that society has formulated.
If the authors were to re-write the article, they should include more information on the stigma against tattoos and the background history to these beliefs. It would be interesting to know why tattoos have such different meanings across cultures. The article could also include which tattoos are more stigmatized than others. An example includes the bad association with women and lower back tattoos. When did women getting tattoos come with such bad associations? Also, some additional information on Neo-primitives would also be helpful since most people are probably unaware of this whole concept. By adding more history on this subgroup, readers could learn about tattoos from a different perspective.
I agree with what you've said that the author should add in the article. I myself isn't familiar with the tattoo culture because I don't really know friends that have a tattoo so I agree that it would be helpful if more stories were added to let the readers have a better picture of the situations. Also I agree that background history is an important part that should be added because mostly how people think nowadays are shaped by history. If in the beginning, tattoos are banned and seen as a bad thing, this kind of thinking would more or less still linger in people's minds. I would like to know more about how the background history of tattoos and beliefs did affect people's thinkings nowadays.
Delete“Why do people get tattoos?” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
ReplyDeleteIn this study by Kang and Jones, they explore why certain people choose to decorate their bodies with tattoos and find out the reasoning behind their choices. The main argument in this article is that there is no single explanation as to why people choose to get tattoos. The reasons that made them get tattoos vary from person to person. According to the research people get tattoos because they want to express who they are, to show what they have gone through in life, how they see themselves and how they want others to see them. Tattoos have become more socially accepted in today’s world. People of any gender, age, or socio-economical background can get a tattoo and it would be considered a norm. For women, getting tattoos is a sign of them challenging gender norms or show that they have control over their own bodies. There are also many subcultures even within the tattoo culture. These subcultures make people who have tattoos connect with each other and feel like they are part of a group.
If they were to rewrite the study, I think that they could include more examples or interviews with males. They covered a lot of the aspects with females but they should also do the same for males, to show why they get tattoos and how they feel about it. I also would like them to do a study on whether most people would consider tattoos as art or just to distinguish themselves from other people and to find out others who feel the same way. It would also be interesting to include in their study people who do not have tattoos and ask them what they think about it. They could include people of different ages to maybe show that older people might be more resistant with the idea or if younger people are more accepting of tattoos even if they don’t have any themselves.
I really like how you phrased their main argument -- there is no single reason why people get tattoos. I also think the authors could have included more interviews with men. They claim that "men are more likely to use tattoos to reinforce traditional notions of masculinity", but they don't have any interviews or data to back up that claim. It would be interesting to see if men agree or disagree with their claim. Going along with the idea of tattoos as art, the authors could include information regarding people's views of tattoos as art. Some of them truly are works of art and creativity, but it would be interesting to see if people with tattoos feel that way as well or if they see them for their intended meanings or both (or any other variation of that).
DeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn this article, Kang and Jones discuss why people getting tattoos for different reasons. According to a survey from 2003, the U.S adult population has tattoos been increase. That mean more and more people are getting tattoos for different reasons and people in society are both feel people that have tattoos are very common. Why people would willing to get a tattoos in their body and willing to stay the tattoos for their whole life? I think I have two different reasons that can explain that. First, young people getting tattoos are try to be cool. They think that tattoos can represent for themselves and use tattoos as unique aspects of themselves. When young people still at college, they would not think too much about getting a tattoos will affect their future. For Example to getting a job or how society view this person if they got tattoos. Second, I think some of the people getting tattoos are for commitment. They think they can express their love for getting a tattoos in the body to show how important their partner in their relationship. But in fact, people are showing less responsibility in marriage or in relationship. People got divorce or broke up all the time. Is it worth it to have a tattoos for a whole life? Overall people getting tattoos for different reasons, but they need to think is to having a tattoos for whole life is worth it or not.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would be important to mention how people having tattoos in the pass, and if to let them have a second chance, would they still willing to have the tattoos again? Kang and Jones can do the study to ask for different age people that have tattoos, how tattoos affect their life. Also, how other people view as stranger to see that people have tattoos. In my own personal opinion, people that having tattoos are view as bad student or they have something happen to their life that make them to become a different person. Many parents are also abundant their kids to have a tattoos unless they finial grow up and become parents. Otherwise they are not allow their children to have tattoos. To having a tattoos is something that should be deep consider and can be respond for that. People cannot get a tattoos only for extemporaneous action. What if people got regard after they have a tattoos, they need to suffer more pain to remove the tattoos and having a chance to never get remove clearly. If people can have more opinion from people who already have tattoos will be very helpful for them to understanding how important tattoos can affect people life. To having a tattoos is a personal decision, but people need to understand that tattoos will stay forever and is not an easy thing to remove it.
I agree with you that the authors should mention whether or not people ever regret getting tattooed. One of the reasons why I didn't get any tattoo yet is regret. People change as over time so what they thought was important at the time might not be as important later on. For me, I don't view people with tattoos as bad students, but rather a person who's very expressive and true to himself. Tattoos is an opened book. It really can tell a life story of that person and I believe that's the main reason why people get tattoo(s) in the first place.
DeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteThe article, “Why do people get tattoos?,” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones focuses on the group of people that gets tattoos and there reasons for engraving permanent ink on their bodies. In a multitude of cases, tattoos are believed to be an expression of how sees themselves, how they’ve lived, and how they connect to the social worlds. Interestingly, studies have found that people do not fully know the interpretation of their tattoos and let others perceive and respond to their tattoos in their own way. The answer of who gets tattoos varies from generation to generation. Today, many teens and college students get tattoos as a sign of coming to age, independence, and as a comforting source to realize that tattoos cannot be erased in an ever changing world. Also, tattoos act as a way for those to remember a life changing part of their lives such as, graduating from college, getting married, or living alone for the first time. Unlike the past, many youth today that are getting tattoos are not criminals and laborers, but instead to that of artists and free thinkers. For women, getting a tattoo demonstrates a resistance to gender norms, whereas others use tattoos as a way to enforce mainstream ideas of femininity Also, tattoos act as a way for women to cover up trauma or a violated part of themselves.
I think that the article brings up some good points about how tattoos have gradually changed from being associated with criminals to an art form. However, I think that the article should’ve included more points about the stigma of tattoos today and why there is still a negative stigma towards those that have tattoos in regards to job interviews and college admissions. I think that this would further demonstrate how tattoos are still viewed negatively, and whether it’s possible for society to slowly shift from this negative idea of having a tattoo to something more positive. I liked how the author gave different viewpoints towards tattoos for women as a way for them to be more empowered in their everyday lives, since the idea of having a tattoo for a female is completely different from that of a male. I would have liked to see if there was any changes in the way that men in the present day get tattoos as opposed to earlier times. I think this would give a good statistic as to whether or not the majority of people getting tattoos presently are still criminals or if tattoos really are a way of expression for most people.
I agree that the authors should have expanded their article to include men and their reasons behind getting tattoos. It would be interesting to see whether men also view their tattoos as a means of empowerment, similar to the perspective of women. I also agree to adding statistics to evaluate how many tattooed individuals are criminals because it would reveal whether our notion is correct that tattoos and the meanings associated with them are shifting in a positive direction. This may also reveal whether the stigma we attach to tattoos is reasonable or if ours fears and prejudice towards tattooed individuals are completely irrational. By focusing more on why there is negative stigma regarding tattoos, society can strive to change these false perceptions and notions and look beyond the indivudual's appearance.
DeleteI agree that society's perception that people who get tattoos is incorrect and many people get tattoos to express themselves. Since many believe tattoos are art, tattoos are an easy way for people to express their opinions on public issues. Tattoos could also be seen similar to rap music, people believed that it was ghetto music but was in fact enjoyed by people of all socioeconomic classes. I also agree with the author that a perspective on why men get tattoos and if it has changed at all. Knowing this could help repeal the stigma towards tattoos.
Delete“why do people get tattoos?”
ReplyDeleteKang and Jones argue that while tattoos act as symbols of empowerment with personal meaning to the individual, the stigma associated with tattooed individuals often devalues and misinterprets the message attempting to be conveyed. The authors highlight how society’s perception of tattoos has gradually been shifting as marks that once classified the individual as a criminal or gang member has now evolved into symbols that have become mainstream, depicting the artistry and independence of an individual. Tattoos are often used as means to assert personal growth or to call for social change. Whether it be the youth claiming their independence, women challenging gender norms, or neo-primitives “challenging the spiritual emptiness of our culture” (45), individuals see their tattoos as opportunities to express themselves apart from society. While society’s views of tattoos has been changing, there still remains discrimination and prejudice towards tattooed people, specifically in the workplace where individuals feel the need to cover their tattoos out of fear that they will not receive a job based on their appearance. Though tattoos often exemplify the positive and intimate meanings pertaining to their owner, the authors assert that one’s social context shapes others’ responses by limiting the effectiveness and intentions of tattoos.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would suggest them to include more evidence or interviews regarding the negative views associated with tattoos. For example, if the Kang and Jones were to perform experiments evaluating the difference between individuals with tattoos and individuals without applying for a position in the workplace, the authors could support their claim that employers and institutions have hidden prejudices towards tattooed individuals. There could be interviews of both employers and employees regarding the workplace’s policies and perception of tattoos. The authors could also touch more on how tattoos signify conformity and attempts to be mainstream for certain individuals. While the authors highlight much of the positive meaning behind tattoos such as empowerment, independence, and self-identity, I am interested in how tattoos may be the very product of new cultural norms.
I completely agree with all the points you brought up in your argument. Without doubt, the authors are trying to show the different reasons why people get tattoos and society’s continued negative stigma regarding tattoos. In addition, I agree that individuals get tattoos for a variety of meanings including independence, individualism, personal growth, breaking gender norms, or for spiritualism. Additionally, I agree with your point about society’s continual prejudice and discrimination against people with tattoos, especially in the workplace. I also strongly agree with the point that people with tattoos are often limited in their intentionality because often times the meaning of their tattoos will be misconstrued by society. Lastly, I agree that the authors could add more interviews regarding negative views of tattoos because they did focus primarily on the positive meanings of why people get tattoos, and the idea of some people getting tattoos because it is more of a norm now is also an interesting concept.
Delete
ReplyDeleteIn the article, “Why do people get tattoos?” Kang describes how people view their tattoos, how society views tattoos, and also their relation to media and consumer culture’s influence on “body politics”. Kang conducted a study where she surveyed high school and college students about their tattoos and found that most of these students were high achievers and not affiliated with gangs—which is the stereotype for someone who has tattoos. She discovered that famous people often influenced young people to get tattoos and young people also got tattoos to assert their autonomy and authority over their own bodies in response to authority figures and judgmental people—as if to mark adulthood. Youths also got tattoos to establish permanence in a memory, group, or promise—like a marriage. An important argument that Kang presents is that women are more likely to get tattoos to defy and reproduce conventional standards of femininity whereas men are more likely to get tattoos to reinforce stereotypical masculinity. Another important note is that some women feel inadequate in their femininity, so they get traditionally feminine tattoos in order to be more accepted by society and feel better about their own bodies---this is important because it clearly expresses how gender socialization drastically affects how males and females act and behave in order to fit in to society. Women also get tattoos to create a sense of community with other women around shared experiences such as conformity, resistance to conformity, disease, and abuse—many of these women use tattoos to reclaim their bodies from illness. Kang also describes how there’s tattoo subcultures, one of them being neo-primitives who go completely against the mainstream and gender norms—this is important because neo-primitives are doing the opposite of how they were socialized, and are refusing to conform to society and its norms. Unfortunately, society still discriminates against people who have tattoos and people are more likely to judge tattooed people as stupid, drug users, gang members, etc. Tattoos even have a larger stigma around people of color, and people who want jobs often cannot get the job because of their tattoos or have to cover them up, and this is a perfect example of how society attaches meaning to things that inherently mean nothing because to society, tattoos are seen in a negative light.
If Kang were to rewrite this article, I think she should include more information about how tattoos are viewed differently on people of different races. Kang briefly mentions that people of color are even more discriminated against for having tattoos but she provided no research or examples that would be important to include. This information will shine more light on racism in America. Kang should also include more information about queer people and the queer community in regards to tattoos—how are tattoos perceived in the LGBTQIA community? Are queer people more likely to get tattoos because they are more discriminated against than straight people and why? It would also be interesting to research how white women and women of color are viewed differently who have tattoos because even though all women are oppressed, women of color face even more discrimination due to racism, which would be interesting to explore regarding tattoos. Kang should include surveys and interviews concerning these social issues related to tattoos.
I agree with your suggestion of exploring varying contexts in terms of race when considering the associated meanings of tattoos. Race also goes into the topic of class and how tattoos are mostly associated to a lower place in society. This is most highlighted with the gang association of tattoos. It would be interesting to know what the higher class thinks of the practice especially in today's modern times. Getting examples and statistics about tattoos and the LGBT community would also provide a varying perspective on the topic. The likelihood of them getting tattoos could be very telling of the discrimination they face, similar to women who get tattoos. Essentially, it would be be powerful to show more examples of people that are not expected to be the stereotypical tattoo bearer. This could prove the idea that, much like many sociological constructions, everyone can attach their own meanings to their tattoos and yet other people from a varying background could easily force their own ideals on someone else's form of expression.
Delete"Why do people get tattoos?"
ReplyDeleteThe authors’ main argument is that tattoos express an individual’s identity, his/her past experiences, and how he/she sees himself/herself “in relation to others and to their social worlds”. Tattoos can be symbols of rebellion. They can also signify group memberships, such as to gangs or friend groups, or even to a certain university as one of the interviewees mentions. Tattoos are often used to commemorate milestones, such as a marriage or beating cancer. However, tattoos can be viewed with stigma and could lead to discrimination. For example, professionals might feel negatively towards tattoos, therefore they might not hire people who may be more than qualified for a job just because they have a tattoo. In addition, others may interpret tattoos differently than the individual with the tattoo intended. The man in the article with a swastika tattoos is a perfect example of this. With this tattoo, he wants to “reclaim the ancient symbol from its connections with Nazism”, but most people would see his swastika tattoos as white supremacy and anti-Semitic.
If the authors were to rewrite the article, I think they should discuss the significance of tattoos in native cultures. In Polynesian cultures, tattoos have lots of meaning and tattooing is reserved for highly trained specialists who do them using a traditional method. In addition, it would be interesting to know how tattoos are viewed in non-Western cultures. Are they socially accepted? Is there stigma attached to having tattoos, like in America? Looking at tattoos from more of a macro perspective could bring some insight into the popularity of tattoos in the U.S. and how that relates to tattooing around the world.
I agree with you on how tattoos may be viewed differently in other cultures, which is a meso to macro examination on something that affects the micro. The article takes a specific approach of tattoos by examining tattoos in America, but tattoos are viewed differently depending on geography. The article should include interviews with people from Eastern cultures, like Japan for example, where tattoos are seen as a form of protection when working in dangerous occupations such as fishing. The tattoos sometimes are a pictorial representation of a myth that stood out to the individual. Or, tattoos may be stigmatized and seen as impure, an imperfection placed on a pure body. Tattoos are common in most cultures, but it would be interesting to note the reasons for tattoos in different cultures (East vs. West comparison).
DeleteI agree with Zoe that it would have been valuable to the discussion to add the importance of tattoos in other cultures. From my knowledge, many cultures use tattoos for group identification as well as spiritual and religious reasons. This is similar to the motivations of neo-primitives, who also get tattoos to separate themselves from modern society and establish themselves as a group who share the same values. However, I feel that the stigma associated with tattoos is not as prevalent in these cultures as it is in American culture, and I would also like to know why this is. I think it is interesting that there are such contradictory attitudes toward tattoos and that these attitudes differ culturally.
DeleteHi Zoe,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your interpretation of the article, and completely agree with your argument. I like how you discussed how tattoos exemplify rebellion, and how you also discussed their symbolic meaning among different groups. Like yourself, I wish the author had discussed tattoos in context of other historical cultures, although that would be a more anthropological argument rather than a sociological one. I also like how you discussed why people used tattoos to display deviance despite the negative stigma the tattoo could hold.
Why do people get tattoos?
ReplyDeleteBoth Kang and Jones argue that tattoos are forms of self expression and embrace one’s individuality and connections in life, but these seemingly harmless images embroidered on one’s skin carries many negative consequences. According to research done on tattoos, “Atkinson [found] that tattoos and the tattooing experience give young people feelings of greater control and authority over their own lives.” This is also true to men, women, and people in subcultures. However these tattoos have held negative connotations, such as sexual promiscuity and lower class for women or gang affiliations. This has led to discrimination amongst tattoo bearers. For example, a study by UCLA found that 90% of campus recruiters looked down upon tattoos. While tattoos are becoming widely accepted in today’s culture, they are still greatly stigmatized despite the strong sense of self expression associated with tattoos. The effects are long lasting such that people are unable to fully express themselves without the worry of being judged.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, they could include more recent statistics about tattoos and whether or not the trend is still as strong today. Most of the evidence included in this was in the early 2000’s, which does not take in the current situation today. Also, the evidence does not seem to include male interviewees. It would strengthen their argument to see how males’ tattoos are seen in society. I do like the wealth of evidence that they retrieved from interviews with people from different groups and walks of life. Though, it would also be fascinating to interview the same people who have had tattoos for a while, or people who choose to erase their tattoos. Information as such can help clarify or deny stereotypes as well as long term effects associated with tattoos.
I hadn't thought about including people who have gotten their tattoos removed but I think thats a fantastic way to see how much the outside world views tattoos affects the people who actually have tattoos. There seems to be a large divide between what a tattoo is used for ranging from a very personal message to a very outward message. If tattoos are really meant to mean something to the person that got it then outside views of it (excluding professional ones) shouldn't really bother them. Using this data we could determine if more people are getting tattoos to express something to the world, or they are getting something to remind themselves of something that happened in their own lifetime.
DeleteI completely agree that excluding the testimonies from males with tattoos because they could be used to see how views of tattoos have changed in the classically predominant group that was known to have tattoos.
Dorm Room Dealers
ReplyDeleteThe author argues that drug dealers of affluent status are generally ignored by police. Although college drug dealers are careless with concealing their illegal activities, according to the author the police ignore these dealers and focus on poorer individuals. One example in the reading showed that college campus police caught a dealers with marijuana but rather than pressing a criminal charge the student was fined and ordered to attend two drug classes. According to one dealer because they were in college they felt there was protection against the police. Rather than targeting easily visible targets the dealer argued that police went after people who “were not working towards a productive future.”
If the author were to rewrite the article they should add a section about what happens when minority or less affluent looking dealers come into trouble with campus police. Although the article did make a note that they attempted to find minority dealer and because of the small number of minority dealers it may have been impossible to find one, it would still be interesting to see how the police treated minority dealers. Seeing how punishment would change depending on appearance could help show social biases within communities. Additionally, it would be interesting to see how campus police responded if the interviewers developed a similar relation to the police that they had to the dealers. Insight into how police profile students would allow a greater understanding of why certain groups are ignored by the police
I think that emphasizing more on minority or less affluent looking deals coming into trouble with police would make this argument stronger. I think that when police come into college parties or see drugs being dispersed on a college campus that they are less likely to give harsh punishments, unlike if they were to see a homeless man or a person selling drugs on the streets. I think that the idea that the police have towards college students is that they are less likely to be doing any hardcore drugs or they have more of a potential later on in life, whereas, drug dealers are more likely to be committing more crimes or end up in jail. I think that the bias that the police have towards drug dealers on the street and at a college or university differentiates how they treat the dealer and the punishment they receive. This creates a false security for college students making them believe that it's, "okay," to deal drugs on campus without any negative repercussions.
DeleteIn an article written by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones on a study conducted on tattoos, there are several motivations and reasonings discussed behind ink body art. The rapid spread of tattoos in present day is explored and compared to past feelings in regards to tattoos, as well as, the deeply rooted perceptions of the art form amongst our society. In the past, tattoos were considered indicators for rebellion against the norm in various way - their presence on the bodies of women were often connected to the notion of promiscuity (with a 1920s rape case of a woman’s butterfly tattoo used against her in the suit) or frowned upon due to society’s association of tattoos with gang activity. In the present, tattoos are now also being seen as an expression of one’s individuality. They are seen as a way for people to claim ownership of their bodies as well as a way to address and accept traumatic experiences and insecurities.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, after conducting their study on the reason behind people getting their bodies inked through data gathered from surveys and interviews, Jones and Kang assessed that even with the growing popularity of tattoos in recent years, the negative preconceptions of tattoos continue to persist in society. In the workplace and places of law, tattoos are still obviously frowned upon and associated with crime and rebellion. A given example of this is when lawyers warning their clients with visible tattoos that the inks’ presence may negatively influence jurors and judges, especially those of white, middle class backgrounds. Kang and Jones conclude that the complications in tattoos lie in the historical and cultural perspectives that usually lead to unintended and unwanted stereotypes behind tattoos, and the (tattooed) individual’s social context.
If the authors were to rewrite their article, they should add data of a mixed group with varying feelings towards tattoos to add to the discussion of the way that body ink is stigmatized in the present. It would be especially interesting to have more detailed insight on those with negative feelings towards tattoos to gauge how entrenched the stereotypes are within society. I would also be interested in tatooed individuals being checked up on some time after being tattooed to gauge their feelings towards their own body art, and if any of their feelings changed since initially being tattooed.
"Why do people get tattoos"
ReplyDeleteIn their article “Why do people get tattoos?,” Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones' main argument is that many people get tattoos for many reasons and many people are also against getting tattoos. According to them, tattoos are increasingly popular among high school and college students to represent their individual meanings. For many young people, they get tattoos to represent their independence and important events. This means that young people with tattoos are artists and free thinkers rather than criminals and laborers in the past. For some women, tattooing their bodies demonstrates an importance in healing from trauma or abuse. By doing so, they are able to redeem their violated parts. However, people such as medical professionals still discriminate people with tattoos as gang affiliated. Because of this discrimination among others, many young people conceal their tattoos during the job application and interview process as well as even when receiving the job.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, they should include research and other data on older folks with tattoos. The authors provide many factual evidence on young people and their tattoos; however, having factual evidence on older folks would help in persuading the youth of whether getting a tattoo is the best thing to do in the long run. To do so, the authors could provide data on whether they regretted their tattoos or not. Many young people’s tattoos’ meanings change over time due to experiencing new things each day and convey different thoughts throughout their lives. Because of this, young people should consider this before receiving their first tattoo and be informed through the evidence of older folks with tattoos.
I think that the article emphasizes the ideas and reasons why one gets a tattoos without any implication on regret. The articles emphasizes less on persuading why youth shouldn't get tattoos and more on what a tattoo signifies. I agree that writing about how previous generations had tattoos and any regret that they had towards one would discourage youth in the present day from getting tattoos, however, I don't think that the implications of it are relevant in this article. I think that it would be interesting to see how what people tattoo on their bodies change over time and the reasons for this change over time. I think that this would give a better idea of how the ideology of getting a tattoo has changed from being from mostly criminals to an expression of oneself.
Delete"Why Do People Get Tattoos?"- Miliann Kang & Katherine Jones
ReplyDeleteIn “Why do people get tattoos?” by Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones, I think their most important argument is the juxtaposition between why people choose to get tattoos and how the rest of society perceives their tattoos. As one 24 year old woman noted about her pegasus, “it is rearing up on its hind legs with its wings spread like it’s about to take off, much like the way I want to break free of my self-doubt and start loving me for me.” This clearly demonstrates the concept of increasingly more youth deciding to get tattoos to express themselves and show greater control over their own bodies. However, according to the article, 90% of recruiters at a university said they looked negatively on tattoos and that teenagers with tattoos are still perceived as gang members, drug users, drop outs and trouble makers. In addition, groups such as women are likely to get tattoos to take control of their bodies and challenge conventional standards of femininity, but their tattoos are now “culturally written over”. Another group -the neo-primatives- use tattoos as a ritual experience and as a critique of consumer society, however, tattoos themselves have become a popular consumer commodity. Most individuals with tattoos are at odds with why they chose to get a tattoo and society’s negative perceptions of tattoos. Also people are still more likely to think that others with tattoos are uneducated, but in a national survey of high school students, researchers found that actually the most tattooed teenagers are high-achieving students and few reported being in gangs.
Overall, I believe the authors did a really good job of including many groups and reasons as to why people get tattoos. They mentioned such groups as women, men, teenagers, other youths, “tattoo enthusiasts”, people who get tattoos for special meanings, people who get them to heal from illness or abuse, as a way to fight social norms, etc. One aspect they could add to this article, however, is more interviews and quotes from people who are against tattoos. They offer a short limitations on tattoos section, but they could go a bit more depth into different societal views on tattoos. Additionally, I think they could add a little bit of commentary perhaps from groups of people who do not have tattoos and their reasoning behind not wanting to get a tattoo to offer even more diverse viewpoints on the tattoo debate.
I agree, the article doesn't share the full range of people. Both tattoo and tattoo-less, I know my mom would have a strong word against tattoos. She always thought that it was somehow harmful and unattractive to the human body. but overall, I do feel like the author did a very good job of including as many groups and reasons as to why people get tattoos. The opposite point of you would've been great, but overall I thought the article was very well informed. Something that I was interested in that wasn't in the article concerning tattoos was how the tattoo has changed. It started off Thousands of years ago with tribal traditions and it has lasted all the way to today. I would have loved to seen comparisons of tattoos from the agent times compared to modern day tattoos.
Delete"Why Do people Get Tatoos"
ReplyDeleteBy Milan kang and Katherine Jones
Today it seems that increasingly diverse groups of people are getting tattoos, popular perceptions are often out of sync with the individual meetings behind these tattoos. Sociologists who study tattoos focus on the patterns in the overall Trends, the examine the influence of media and consumer culture and the influence of gender, sexuality, race etc.researchers have found that the reason people get tattoos is to express who they are as individuals. He said to use represent what they've lived through and how they see themselves compared to other people in the world. The article also touches on how tattooing is especially a popular among the youth, of people under 25 28% of adults have a tattoo, compared to the 15% of adults older than 25, that is a big jump. The reason for these tattoos for the youth maybe it's because they are trying to assert their independence and establish who they are as a person without the influence of their parents. Tattooing also offers woman control over their own bodies. One example comes to mind from the article was a self-conscious 24 old girl in this article who got a Pegasus that was standing on its rear legs to show that she is confident her body. Former perceptions of tattooed woman as being sexually promiscuous and a lower social class are slowly being put to rest, woman like Winston Churchhill's mother and many other high-social -ranking women now sport the ink. Tattooing has become it's own culture, it is showing that ripping up your body with tattoos is a way of getting in touch with yourself and others were tied into the same culture. The tattoo speaks to the complex of humans that is in need of expression. Through the appearance of their bodies, the tattoo serves as a canvas for the message they want people to receive.
if Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think he would be interesting to show how the physical nature of tattoos are actually changing. Nowadays there's tattoo realism and color tattoos that were seldom touched on in the article. If a comparison was brought up between a tattoo from the 1970s to a modern-day tattoo , they would look different. I feel like it would be interesting to explore these differences.Also, when the article mentions that some people are trying to get in touch with their tribal roots by getting tattoos, I think it would have been interesting to which cultures have a history of tattooing and what it meant to their social world. another thing that I would've liked to seen in the article was a statistic on people with tattoos getting jobs. We hear all the time that your employers don't want you to have tattoos, but is that statistic actually true?
Why do people get tattoos? By Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones
ReplyDeleteIn Kang and Jones’ article, they talk about how people getting tattoos is a sign of rebellion or faddishness, a way to express themselves freely and break away from society’s control. They say that tattooing is most popular with teens and college students, the stage when young people really want to establish their independence to the world. This is really important because people often stereotype those who get tattoos as delinquents, trouble-makers, or gang members, but Kang and Jones find that most tattooed students were high-achieving students with no gang affiliations. In fact, since 1980 more and more artists and free thinkers have gotten tattoos. Tattoos and their experience have become a way to gain control over their own lives and bodies from external pressures such as school and family. Kang and Jones also argue that tattoos are also a way to express permanent membership into certain communities and, remember important events, and mark adulthood. This is important because in a world where social context defines you, tattoos can be a means of going against that and creating a means to define yourself the way you want to. Another important argument Kang and Jones make is that many women get tattoos as a way of taking control over the expression of their own bodies and resist having their bodies be appealing only for men. While other women get tattoos as a means of conforming to the idea that their bodies be attractive for men by placing feminine symbols (hearts, flowers, animals) on sexualized parts of their bodies (hip, lower back, shoulder). This is important because both these types of women have “culturally written” meanings attached to their tattoos according to their social context. And even though the tattoos are great ways of expressing themselves, there are limits to what kind of tattoo you get, where you get it, and how big it is; therefore, there isn’t much agency.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, something they could add is data and interviews of people who have gotten tattoos and had them for their whole lives into old age. Do older people who have had their tattoos for 50 or 60 years feel the same way about their tattoos as when they first got them? Or was their tattoo just a “stage” of their lives that they eventually passed. How do their grandchildren view their tattoos? Do they regret getting their tattoos at a young age and wish they had never gotten it? How many of those interviewed at old age are actually successful? It would be interesting to see to what degree tattooing has affected their success in making money, getting a job, their personal relationships etc. and whether or not they still want to keep their tattoos. I think another interesting thing the authors could add is how each religion might view getting tattoos and how that might affect whether someone wants to get one or not. Someone who comes from middle east with an Islamic religion might have moved to the US with their parents when they were young and grew up here. They might have grown to accept the same cultural views as Americans but still must conform to their religious and cultural backgrounds their household lives in. So how do those individuals feel about getting tattoos? This is important because it can show yet another conflict that exists within those who want to get tattoos.
I agree with Sogol’s idea that it would be interesting for the authors to examine statistics and personal stories about people who have had tattoos for a long time. The author could look at a variety of ways that having tattoos has affected people's lives, including their relationships with family members and their jobs. It’s possible that people with tattoos have experienced rejection from family members and had difficulty finding jobs due to their tattoos, or it is also possible that their tattoos have helped them strengthen social relationships and get hired for jobs. I also agree that it would be a cool idea for the authors to analyze how people of different religions feel about getting tattoos. People who practice religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islamism could have negative opinions towards tattoos that have been shaped by their religious ideals. Yet there are certainly people who practice one of these religions and also have tattoos, so it would be interesting to see if they felt deviant from their religions because of their tattoos.
DeleteI agree with Sogol tattoos are popular among high school and college students, which is when they demonstrate their stages of independence. At that time of age, many youngsters desire independence. As a previous high school and current college student, I definitely see why they would use tattoos as a form of independence. However, I also agree that the author could incorporate data and interviews of older people who had tattoos since they were young. By doing so, we can if it is the best thing for high school and college students to get their tattoo in the long run. It is true that many people feel indifferent about their tattoos in the long run because of the different events that happen to them after a while and that it might be just a stage. Many youngsters do not understand the consequences of having a tattoo such as it affects their success through people discriminating them.
DeleteWhy do People get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn their paper Kang and Jones discuss why people historically got tattoos as well as addressed the increasing amount of tattooing in high school and college level adults. The central theme of the paper focused on tattooing being a form of self expression and giving a sense of control over ones body and image. Many people believe that getting a tattoo marks them with something that makes them unique and establishes themselves as an entity separate from the masses of people around them. Still, there are others who use tattoos as a way of expressing their opinions on different subject, or try to use them to promote awareness for something they see as a problem. Unfortunately, even though tattooing is becoming more of a main stream consumer item, the negative stigma that comes with tattoos is still very much alive within our society. Because of this many peoples tattoos are not viewed as originally intended by the tattooe and can actually cause more anxiety, doing the exact opposite of its original purpose. Jones and Kane also discuss the different subcultures that have arisen from tattooing, such as neo-primatives and "tattoo enthusiasts". To people within these groups, tattooing is used to create both a sense of community with people around them and the world they live in, but they meet the same problems that even causal tattooers do in main stream media. It seems that the large amount of variability in types and themes of tattoos causes there not to be an overarching reason why people get tattoos.
If they were to rewrite this paper I think that they should not only focus on different cultures and their views toward tattooing but should have also included men as a category. It was stated in the beginning that getting a tattoo was traditionally a male society but then do not elaborate on how that practice has changed within the male societies today. Being able to see how the role of tattoo's has changed within the classical considered group could give a baseline for how other groups attitudes toward tattoo's might change over time.
I agree Jacob that because of the negative stigma that still comes with a tattoo causes people to feel the opposite of what their tattoo was supposed to make them feel. I said in my blog post that it is interesting that people get tattoos to express themselves or show people who they want to be as an adult (high school and college students), but they end up having to cover up their tattoos in job interviews or at work because having tattoos can be looked down upon. The contradiction between tattoos being a form of self expression and also a source of shame is unfortunate, because young adults end up feeling anxiety about a tattoo that was supposed to make them feel empowered. I also think it would be interesting to see more evidence about how the practice has changed in male societies today. I said it would have been interesting to include some data proving that employers don't want you to have tattoos, because the authors mention that employers may not pick you for a job if you have a tattoo; but it would be nice to see some evidence on this. I agree that seeing how the role of tattoos has changed within a group would show how attitudes would change over time, and I suggested that the author should have done a survey of a large group of wide variety (young and old people) and ask them their feelings towards tattoos.
DeleteWhy do People get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn their article “Why do People Get tattoos?” Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones’s main point is that tattoos are growing in popularity and they appeal to different groups of people for different reasons. For younger individuals, tattoos can be a way to express their independence or symbolize meaningful life events, including making friends or getting married. Amongst women, tattoos are a way of controlling their physical appearance and are used both to deviate away from femininity and to express femininity. For others like neo-primitives, tattooing can be used as a way to express disdain for society and can exemplify a spiritual experience. Kang and Jones point out that while tattoos can be seen as a positive form of self-expression, they often have negative effects due to inaccurate interpretations by others and stigma in the workplace. Tattoos serve as a way for people to express their individuality, show control, develop a spiritual connection, or commemorate an important life-event.
If Kang and Jones rewrote their article, I think it would be interesting for them to include more information about how much advanced planning people put into getting tattoos. The authors could explore whether most people thought about their tattoos for months before getting them, or if they got tattoos as spur-the-moment decisions. The authors could also ask people if they were still happy with what their tattoos symbolized and if they felt that their tattoos were still meaningful. It would be interesting to see if people who put more advanced planning into their tattoos reported higher rates of continually liking their tattoos than those who got tattoos as spur-the-moment decisions. If this is the case, this information could be used to advise people who are getting tattoos that they should probably think about them for a while, since tattoos are permanent.
I agree with Ashley that if the author were to rewrite this article he should include some statistics of how much planning someone puts in before deciding to get a tattoo. This would be interesting because if there are more people getting tattoos who don’t put much thought into it than there are people who take the time to deeply consider everything before getting one, then that can say something about the tattoo-getting process overall. If more people are putting little to no time and thought, then that could mean that tattoos are not as symbolic and meaningful as people make it out to be. It would give further evidence that most people are getting tattoos to fit into a particular social context rather an expression of themselves. And I also agree that it would be interesting to include if those who put more thought and time into getting their tattoo still find their tattoo meaningful. If those who put a lot of time and thought didn’t end up liking their tattoos anymore as they grew older, then that would mean that a tattoo in and of itself is nothing more than a voluntary branding of their body that shows how far a person is willing to go to be accepted in their social context. So then if tattooing was made illegal everywhere would people go to other extremes to be accepted? Or is tattooing a safer alternative?
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ReplyDeleteKang and Jones primary argument is that tattoos express an individual's character in relation to society. However, the stigma of tattoos can be seen as sign of rebellion by society. Tattoos are regularly used to recognize turning points, for example, a marriage, personal growth and action for social change. In any case, tattoos can be seen with shame and could prompt hatred. For instance, recruiters may feel contrarily towards tattoos, in this way they won't employ individuals who might be over qualified because they have a tattoo’s. In spite of the fact that tattoos regularly show the positive side towards their actual meaning, authors express that one's social setting shapes others' reactions by constraining the strength and purpose of tattoos.
ReplyDeleteIf I would to rewrite this article, I would do interviews and/or research of whether there were times when tattoos enhanced someone attractiveness as a person and/or helped finding a potential career. This would be an interesting discussion that suggests that people vary in opinions and possibly encourage others to get tattooed. Also an interesting study that can be included is where people are more accepting of tattooed people and why. Could it be because of social atmosphere, culture, religion, etc?
Dorm Room Dealers
ReplyDeleteIn Dorm Room Dealers, Fritsvold and Mohamed compare drug dealers in the college setting and the “street” setting. One major point in the reading is related to how college students and users are perceived by and perceived to law enforcement. College drug dealers are rarely arrested compared to their “street” counterparts. Fritsvold and Mohamed suggest that this is due to there not being as much of a stigma, their appearance of not “looking like a criminal,” that their crimes are perceived to be of a “lower priority,” and the manner by which the college police address these actions. The authors’ findings here are important because they add to the work that challenges our criminal justice system and our current laws. Their findings provide evidence conflicts with the principle that every should be seen equally before the law.
Since the reading did not included the entire book, it would not be accurate to say how I would like the reading to be rewritten. However, I would like to have seen in the chapter of “Perceived and Actual Risks” an exploration of how suspicious behavior is recognized. The authors suggested that it was odd that the drug transactions and possession were never caught or reported even though they were rarely conducted secretly or with discretion. However, I wonder if those participating in the drug related activities believed that in their current situation that it would actually be wise to not utilize the risk mitigation techniques mentioned. I can certainly see how safes, meetings in secluded areas, and discreet packaging could actually raise more suspicion. This kind of thinking would be in line with the idea that the best way to hide something is in plain sight. To test the validity of that thought process, I would also like to know whether random people in the community noticed drug-related activities and how frequently it was observed within the population.
"Why Do People Get Tatoos"
ReplyDeleteMilan Kang and Katherine Jones
In this article, the authors discuss why tattoos have become some popular and normal in today’s society. I think an interesting point in this article was that even though they argue that tattoos have become more popular, they also state that employers still look down upon people with tattoos, and that tattoos affect the chances of whether or not the person will be hired. For example, they say that people feel the need to hide their tattoos while at work or in an interview. I found this intriguing because the authors argue that especially for women tattoos are a symbol that they have control over their own body, and they can express themselves how they want to; yet they cover them up at work to evade judgment. The correlation between the increase of high school and college students getting tattoos and the remaining criticism of tattoos in the workplace ultimately causes people with tattoos to often feel the need to hide them; the opposite of what they originally got the tattoos for. They also argue that the reason teens and young adults are getting tattoos more than others is because they are at a time in their lives when they want to be independent and establish their own image that is unique, almost to mark adulthood. A tattoo often has meaning behind it, and it’s a way for young people to show people who they are and want to be.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite this article, I think it would have been interesting to include some data proving that employers don't want you to have tattoos, because the authors mention that employers may not pick you for a job if you have a tattoo; but it would be nice to see some statistical evidence. I also thought they could include more about how tattoos have changed. I know that they mentioned that more young people are getting tattoos now, but how have the tattoos that these people are getting changed? Are they more personal? They also stated that some people got tattoos because they wanted to be in touch with their tribal roots, but they didn’t provide much evidence on how the tattoos looked historically versus now; that would have been interesting to see. I think something that would strengthen the argument would be to do a survey of a random large sample (young people and old people) and see how people feel about tattoos, and see if they see it in a positive or negative light.
DeleteI agree with you that the authors should include how tattoos have changed over time. The authors mentioned that until recently tattoos symbolized gang affiliation. I would like to know what kind of tattoos are gang tattoos vs. personal and artistic tattoos. Consistent with this idea of tracking how tattoos change over time I would like to know if this information carries over to other body modification efforts, such as eyeball tattoos, silicone donuts injected into people foreheads, and large ear gauges. I’m sure that the neo-primitives have considered these types of body modifications in response to society portraying tattoos in the mainstream. I agree with this idea because it would include a new way to understand how tattoos have evolved to become more than just a symbol of deviance.
Why Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteThe most important argument that the author, Kang and Jones, is trying to convey is that people often misinterpret the meaning and reason for getting tattoos. Like art, tattoos have can have more than one meaning, the intended meaning of the artist and its interpretation by the public. And for the most part, tattoos are still looked upon unfavorably. Businesses often have a negative impression of people with tattoos citing that, “teenagers with tattoos are more likely to be perceived as gang members, drug users, dropouts, and troublemakers.” What the authors are trying to get across is that tattoos are not a moniker for one type of personality type. Many people get tattoos for different reasons. Some people use tattoos to symbolize their commitment to a spouse or friendship, some use tattoos to indicate their autonomy over their bodies, and some use tattoos to reject mainstream ideas of femininity. This is important because people who have tattoos are often a target for discrimination such as when two rapists were set free because the woman they rapped had a tattoo. I was disappointed to hear that this type of injustice can occur just because a person had art displayed on her body.
If the authors were to rewrite this article I think it would be beneficial to include more information about the people who dislike tattoos. I got the impression that the author was partial to people who had tattoos. I do agree that many people with tattoos are treated unfairly, but I think that this article could make a stronger impact if the language and writing were as unbiased as possible. Let me hear more from people who dislike tattoos, I want to hear their reasons for disliking tattoos and their thought process behind it. This article seemed to quickly sum up people who dislike tattoos as narrow-minded individuals who have beliefs that are in opposition to empirical data. This topic should be added because figuring out why people dislike tattoos can better prepare us to convince them to become more accepting of people with tattoos.
Why Do People Get Tattoos
ReplyDeleteGetting tattoo has been getting more and more popular nowadays. The article examined the reason of why people would get tattoos on their bodies. For example, women get tattoos to challenge femininity, take control over their body and explore ways to define themselves. While men get tattoos to prove their masculinity. Also, people get tattoos to commemorate a special event or phase in life, for example marriage, relationships and their college career. Some people also get tattoos to reclaim themselves from traumatic experiences, for example fighting a disease and abuses. They point out that tattoos help them overcome their fear and aid them at the situation. But on the flip side, the author suggests that although tattoo doesn't necessarily symbolize rebellion, it is still seen negatively in our society. For example some employers would avoid hiring tattooed individuals. And tattoos have the limitation of being misinterpreted.
If the authors were to add more to this article, I would suggest them to add the point of view of those who don't want a tattoo and see their reasoning behind. It is always good to have two sides of the story so to give the readers a fuller picture of the tattoo situation in the society. It would shed light on the incident of why tattoos are still seen negatively amongst society. Also, the authors could analyse the views of different cultures regarding tattoos, because from what I know, Asian countries aren't as open to tattoos as stated in this article. I assume this article mainly talks about the US culture, but it would be helpful to know how other cultures think about tattoos as well.
Why Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteIn this article, the authors talk about the evolution of tattoo culture and explain the reasoning behind why certain people get tattoos. They argue that people do not fully control the meaning of their tattoos -- social contexts also influence the how other people interpret tattoos. In the past, tattoos were viewed in a negative way and were seen mostly among working class males. However currently, tattoos are seen amongst a greater variety of individuals, with women taking up almost half of the tattooed population. Among youth, tattooing is used as a way of self-expression, resistance to authority, and commemoration of special events in one’s life. For women, tattooing is used to regain control over their bodies, reshape gender norms, and recover from traumatic experiences. Women with tattoos have often been looked down upon and regarded as low-class and trashy. Although this point of view is no longer commonly held, tattoos are still taboo among some people. Despite the special meanings that people place on their tattoos, they still often hide them when in a professional setting such as applying for a job. Tattoos can also have a negative effect on relationships such as that between a teenager and their parents.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I think it would be interesting to compare tattoos between older people and younger people. Have the types of tattoos that people get changed from then to now? Did people back then get tattoos to assume a certain type of identity, while people now get tattoos for a meaningful purpose? Are people today motivated to get tattoos for the same reasons that people back then got tattoos? I also think it would be beneficial to include more information about the prevalence of tattoos between the different social classes. One would think that lower to middle-class people are more likely to get tattoos, but I think that tattoos are also starting to gain popularity among upper-class individuals.
I agree with Mika that this article should include information about how tattoos have been viewed in different eras. I believe the history of tattoos would be very interesting to explore—such as early tribal tattoos. I also agree that it would be informative to explore if motivations and reasons to get tattoos have changed over the years. How have tattoos been viewed in terms of acceptance from the early ages of tattoos to the 19th-21st centuries? It would also be interesting to include how ages from these different time eras view tattoos. Do people regret getting their tattoos when they’re older or is that just a myth used by parents to discourage their children from getting tattoos? It would also be interesting, like Mika suggested to explore how people from different socioeconomic backgrounds are viewed in regards to tattoos. Do tattoos signify a lower class or are tattoos becoming popular amongst upper middle class citizens? Do tattoos that have special meanings matter more than aesthetically pleasing tattoos and how does this relate to people of different socioeconomic backgrounds? It would be important to explore even further how types of tattoos are judged differently—what meanings does society attach to certain tattoos?
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ReplyDeleteWhy Do People Get Tattoos?
ReplyDeleteMiliann Kang and Katherine Jones argue that people get tattoos to represent themselves artistically and communicate to others how they view themselves and their experiences in the world. However, this meaning can be misconstrued by other people’s judgments and society’s perception of tattoos. People with tattoos have received discrimination for decades due to the fact that people automatically associated tattoos with people in gangs and people of low class. This discrimination has continued to be prevalent in our society, but as tattoos are becoming more prominent amongst more groups of people, particularly women and young adults, tattoos have begun to represent more concrete significant social implications. For instance, women use tattoos to express autonomy over their body and often to show strength over struggles they have overcome. Unfortunately, in the professional world these women (and also men) face a stigma that their tattoos link them to unprofessionalism and inability to work as hard. Another major reason people get tattoos is join in a community of people whom they can relate to and identify themselves with.
If Kang and Jones were to rewrite their article, they should elaborate more on the impact of tattoos on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans community, considering it mentions that 31% of them have at least one tattoo, and the reasons why they get them. They should also include a section about those who decide to dedicate their lives to tattoos by becoming tattoos artists, and why they believe it is an important practice. This would provide a very unique and convincing perspective that shows why tattoos have become such an integral part of so many lives. Lastly, they should further explain why people have been discouraged to get tattoos and give examples of how socialization in modern day continues to solidify the belief that tattoos are only for lowly people.
I agree with Elizabeth that a stronger look at the LGBT community would have been very interesting in terms of how tattoos are perceived. Especially with the rapidly changing relations between the mainstream and the LGBT community, some very interesting parallels could be created. As LGBT people are becoming more accepted, how has that influenced the types of tattoos that they are getting? Are their tattoos continuing to be counter-culture, or are the tattoos becoming more typically gendered and mainstream? This could provide some insight into how the LGBT community feels the world perceives them, and how much relations have actually improved since the Regan era. I think Elizabeth brings up some really strong points, but I disagree with her about workplace tattoos. While I think in some scenarios tattoos can keep people from getting jobs, the "mainstream" tattoos that are discussed in the article are often more hidden and personal, often not harming employment. I think it would be interesting to see how much tattoo culture has shifted because of the social norms put out by employers. There are many communities and newer job markets that are more open to heavy tattooing as well. Many programming startups hire tattooed individuals, and those within the tattoo subculture hire those with tattoos.
DeleteWhy do people get tattoos?
ReplyDeleteKang and Jones argue that the negative image of tattoos causes others to judge those who inked themselves when in fact tattoos are there to make these individual to feel secure and strong. Tattoos become more popular over the year and many people are starting to get tattoo on their bodies. Kang and Jones study focuses more on the meso-level and macro-level. They performed two surveys – one survey is from 642 high school students in Texas and another one is based on national sample of 1762 students. The authors point out that tattoos are not just for male and working-class but it’s for male, female, various age-groups and socio-economic background. Kang and Jones point out several reasons as to why people choose to get tattoo. One of the main subject that they look at is female. Unlike popular belief – tattoos are gang affiliated – people get tattoo(s) in order to make themselves feel secure or even as a memento of something significant. According to one interviewee, getting a tattoo is a way for her to break free of self-doubt – feeling ugly – and start loving her own body. Some people might argue that women drawn to tattoos because they want to challenge the idea that women should be perfect, quiet, and womanlike. However, according to female interviewees, they use tattoos as a way to enforce their body. Most women would get tattoos in hidden or sexualized areas of her body. Plus, most of their tattoos are feminine such as flower; thus they are not challenging femininity.
To make this article more informative, Kang and Jones should look into the history of tattoos. Where and when tattoo was first originated. Knowing the history of tattoos will give us a better understanding of why tattoos have such a negative image in the first place. Technically, tattoos are just drawing and painting. Also, Kang and Jones should interview people who don’t have tattoos and their reason(s) for not having one. I personally enjoy looking at tattoos on others but wouldn’t get one myself because I’m terrified of needles.
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ReplyDeleteTitle: Why Do People Get Tattoos
ReplyDeleteIn the article, Why Do People Get Tattoos, the authors discussed several reasons individuals choose to get tattooed. They explained how for many individuals, tattoos can be a form of "self expression, commemoration, community building, and social commentary". Kang and Jones explored how tattoos can be used as a way to cope with trauma or illness, a way for people - especially woman - to take ownership of their bodies, and a means to challenge societal norms.Tattoos can also be seen as a spiritual experience for some, providing a primitive way to embrace oneself physically. Tattoos create solidarity and allow for deep connections between people based on something so personal. Even though tattoos are embraced with incredible positivity by those who choose to get them, the majority of outsiders look upon tattoos with disgust. From an outside perspective, tattoos appear to be primarily present in working class, minority individuals who are often wrongly associated as being involved with drug and/or other criminal activities. For some, they can even be seen as a form of self harm. Thus, many individuals who have tattoos feel the need to hide them for fear of ridicule, unemployment, social rejection, and false judgement. Regardless of the stigma that can be felt toward tattoos, their prevalence in society is constantly increasing. This is partially due to their trendiness and versatility, which allows all people to express themselves in their own way.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would suggest including historical context as to why tattoos origionally became associated with lower socioeconomic groups and people of color. That would help illuminate the intersectionality between lower SES groups, minority groups, and the desire to get tattooed. The article mentioned how tattoos are common in the LGBTQ community but neglected to explore the reasoning behind it further - an analysis I feel would have added insightful nuance to the overall argument. I personally would have liked a deeper look into how different religions view tattoos and whether or not this causes internal conflict for people. I used to find tattoos intriguing and planned to get one. However, once I learned that they go against my religious teachings I became less inclined to get one.
Miliann Kang and Katherine Jones argue in “Why Do People Get Tattoos?” that tattoos, while generally seen as negative and affiliated with underground culture, have become a part of mainstream culture, and this has affected the tattoo industry drastically. Tattoos have shifted in meaning most significantly amongst youth, women, and other tattoo subcultures. Teenagers and college students are looking to tattoos as a means for creating an identity and developing a sense of self outside of their parents. Kang argues that women typically used tattoos as a means to break gender norms and to separate themselves from traditional roles, but as tattoos have become mainstream, many women now use tattoos as a source of femininity and sexuality. Women also use tattoos to cope with abuse, scars, or their own insecurities. As both of these communities have pushed tattoos into the mainstream, extreme tattooees are seeking new material and methods for tattoos in an attempt to break away with what has now become a mainstream industry. I think Kang made these arguments to understand where the tattoo industry is today in terms of how society uses tattoos to express themselves. Her understanding of the tattoo industry seems to push the idea that tattoos have been coopted by popular culture, and the unique permanence of tattoos has shifted, for better or for worse, away from the underground and into the mainstream.
ReplyDeleteI think if Kang were to make the article stronger, a historical perspective would have helped significantly. There is a heavy undertone of comparing tattoos today relative to how they used to be, so a more delineated timeline would have helped to clarify what has changed about the way society perceives tattoos. I think interviews with much older people who have tattoos would have been interesting and could have given the piece a stronger historical context. The piece focused most heavily on women and tattoos, which provided a lot of insight for me, but tattoos specific to men were not discussed in much detail, other than their use to strengthen masculine traits. I would be interested in seeing how men’s tattoos have changed over time, if they have at all. It would have also been interesting to learn about tattoo artists themselves, and how their craft has changed over time. I think they could provide some deep insights, especially if they have been tattooing their whole lives.
I agree with Matthew that a historical perspective would have made this article stronger. The article suggests that many people nowadays do not fit the stereotype of people with tattoos. It would be interesting to know how those stereotypes came to be, especially since tattoos have a long history in many different cultures and were a sign of rank and power in certain communities. I would like to know the history of what tattoos meant within gangs and why tattoos have such a strong association with gangs, laborers, and sexually promiscuous women rather than other groups. Since tattoos are something that often require skill, equipment and the paid labor of the tattoo artists, it seems odd that the association has been toward those of lower class and not of higher class people who would theoretically be able to afford it more so. By explaining why those who have historically fit the stereotype got tattoos, it would provide a better comparison for the discussion of how the reasons to get tattoos have changed.
DeleteWhy do people get tattoos
ReplyDeleteIn the article Kang and Jones provide an in depth synopsis of the emergence of tattooing and tattoo culture in the U.S. and how it has evolved over the past century in terms of its prevalence, objectives, and social stigmas it invokes. An important part of the article is the changing dichotomy of why certain groups get tattoo’d and how different sects of society perceive these tattoos. Like in the early 20th century when women tattoo’d themselves to break free from the oppression of women and gender norms but society labeling them as promiscuous, highlighted by the 1920s rape case example in the article. They further talk about how people get tattoos to help cope with traumatic experiences such as breast cancer scars, tough times in their life (pegasus tattoo), break free from societal norms and to feel unique, or to re appropriate symbols and beliefs (swastika tattoo). Unfortunately society still misinterprets some of the intentions of tattoos when in ERs tattoos on minorities and youth are seen as part of gang affiliation, employers negatively view tattoos on their employees, jury panels see them as pointing towards guilt in court cases, and in general facing negative social stigmas.
If the authors were to rewrite this article, I would expand the analysis to other cultures and countries outside the U.S. I recently stumbled upon a video where a tattoo activist visited South Korea, where tattooing is illegal and it shows how that has affected their culture in various ways which would create an interesting comparison. Also comparing to cultures where tattooing is regularly practiced such as Polynesian cultures, and further analyzing how it affects them and their culture when they immigrate to the U.S. and other places with different ideas on tattooing.
Why Do People Get Tattoos
ReplyDeleteIn the article, the authors assert that tattoos, when used by specific social groups, are either used to support social norms or to defy them through deviance. While tattoos carry a strong stigma, the authors argue that sometimes it is this stigma that makes them desirable. Some people wish to be set apart from others, to be different, and to stand out. The author then goes on to discuss many groups who use tattoos to defy social norms/expectations: youths who hope to assert independence in an insecure world, women who hope to reclaim their bodies, or heavy tattooers who hope to reconnect with the primal experiences of tribal tattooers. Other times, tattoos even support social norms; such is the case of men who use tattoos to reinforce notions of masculinity. Unfortunately, the authors argue that tattoos are not often the most effective ways of showing deviance, since the message a tattoo tries to convey is not always the message received by others and tattooers often find difficulties with employment.
I believe that the article should have addressed the topic against a historical backdrop. What historical changes amongst sociological groups caused the shift in more people getting tattoos to show deviance? For example, why are tattoos much more common among the youth today than in the past? What has made tattoos more acceptable in today’s society, especially among groups like women, than in the past? Was the process in which tattoos became more acceptable the result of an incoming generation (tattoos are viewed more desirable by today’s youth) or has the shift occurred all across society (so older people from past generations also find themselves getting tattoos now)?
I agree with Austin that including more historical context would have been beneficial for furthering the argument and for giving more context. I was also interested to know what caused the change in attitude toward tattoos; why did it change from something previously associated with small numbers of minority groups to being embraced nationally by all types of individuals? If we can pinpoint what caused this change, society might be able to view tattoos more positively and without stigma. Austin also touched on the various ages individuals choose to get tattoos, and thoughtfully pondered whether or not different age groups have different desires in getting tattoos. In my own family, a dichotomy exists between older and younger generations in their thoughts on tattooing. Since my grandparents grew up during the Holocaust, they have negative associations with tattoos. My peers and cousins view tattooing as a positive form of self expression to reclaim that negative history. I personally wonder whether the increase of technology also influenced this influx of tattooing. I feel that technology takes away a lot of our individuality, so maybe tattooing is a way that some people respond to this absence of unique expression in their lives.
DeleteThis would be an interesting perspective to put into the article and very important. Besides history, this will help us understand different cultures and it’s influence on tattoos. I know for a fact, henna (not permanent tattoo) in the Middle East is highly encouraged to put on for women during celebratory events. This shows throughout history henna is seen as beauty in that particular culture. History of tattoo in America would be an interesting viewpoint to see how in some parts of America they are becoming more accepting of it.
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