My freshman year of college, I took a class called LOGOS and in the first two weeks of class we had read Rene Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy and I was introduced to his phrase "Cogito Ergo Sum: I Think, Therefore I Am" and something about that idea has stuck with me ever since. The idea that the outside world is decieving and all that we can truly know is that we are thinking just really makes me think. I got that phrase tattooed on my upper lefthand shoulder to remind me that I am a "thinking thing" and as such, I need to use that to my advantage. I also decided on the phrase because it was the first real piece of LOGOS knowledge that I could say that I understood and really liked. It marked the beginning of my experience in that class/program and I got it in my last few weeks in the program last April. It not only represents that idea of thinking and intelligence, but it represents the program that has changed the way that I look at the world around me.
It's a simple tattoo, just three words written in a cursive script, but this simple piece of art that I have has changed the way that I look at others, just as the idea and class that it represents, which is a really cool thing. By having a tattoo of my own, I've stopped judging others. One of my best friends has tattoos and never in a million years would I have thought that I would hang out with people with tattoos, but you know what? I've already started looking at other tattoo ideas. Something about using your body as an artistic canvas and having meaningful, little pieces of work that aren't typically visible, is totally cool with me now. Now, I'm not going to go out and have my body covered in ink from head to toe, but I am not opposed to getting one or two more little tattoos. One of the biggest oppositions to getting a tattoo is the question of whether or not you'll like it as much when you get older, but I'm 20 years old. I have many more years to worry about that. I'll probably be thought of as a badass old lady some day with the cool, intellectual tattoo. Some of the most fascinating people I've ever met have been tatted up and I think there's something to say about that.
People’s decisions about tattoos are often not thought through completely. Do these people have in mind the fact that someday they will have to find a job, or keep one in some instances? Professionalism is a trait that is highly regarded today in our society, and let’s be honest, tattoos don’t usually scream “professional”. In fact, sometimes they scream the opposite of that. Often times I wonder whether people really consider the permanence of a tattoo before they get inked. The good news about this “permanent” decision is that you have an option of tattoo removal. Laser tattoo’s impact on society is highly regarded right now. It is estimated that about 25% of the U.S. population has some kind of tattoo, and at some point as many as 50% of them may want to have it removed. There is good news for those who do not want their tattoos anymore. New laser removal processes can get rid of your tattoo with very little side effects. We are at the point where tattoos can be accepted in the workplace, but most of society does not approve of them in certain respected positions. After doing some research, I found that most tattoo removal takes place on the areas of the body that are harder to cover or hide. The cause of this may be because of our culture’s view of tattoos. While some people may be just wary of tattoos, there are those people who make crazy judgments about individuals who have them. I also believe that in some cases, tattoos can lower your credibility. While it is unfair to judge someone by a choice they made to express their individuality, we live in a very judgmental society. Maybe someday tattoos will be a widely accepted characteristic of someone, but that day is not today.
ReplyDeleteFor more information you can check out: http://www.newlookhouston.com/