The Tattoo Age

I remember the days when you crossed the street at the sight of a guy covered with tattoos walking toward you on the sidewalk. If you had a tattoo you were likely grouped with the likes of biker gangs, inmates, or strippers. Maybe I was just way more judgmental than the average young man. Don’t worry, this perspective has changed in my eyes and the stigma that accompanied tattoos has seemingly shifted. Today I would venture a guess that about 30% of those between 18 and 30 have tattoos. It’s an accepted form of expression. Folks, we’ve entered “The Tattoo Age.”

Make no mistake, I support it and am even among that suspected 30% (but you’ll only see mine at the beach).

When I was 18 I decided that I wanted to get an ear pierced. It was partly because everyone was listening to hip-hop music at the time and for some reason, even in a small suburban town in Connecticut, I wanted to be a tad gangster. It was also partly because I could do it, it was an expression of my independence. Thankfully, that phase didn’t last long and earrings can be removed just as quickly as they are put in. Tattoos, however, are a different story.

I thought long and hard before deciding to permanently mark my skin with ink. A few ideas came and passed and after a hefty price quote for an intricate crest design in college, I decided I would have to wait until I actually had some kind of income. By the time I was gainfully employed, I had finally developed an idea that didn’t sour after a few months. After approving the artist’s sketch of what it would look like, it was made permanent. As I noted above, part of my plan was to make sure that it was easily concealable so that it could be hidden from view if desired (it’s on my back, get your mind out of the gutter).

When I see these young artsy folks walking around with colorful and intricate ink all over their arms and legs and necks and hands, I think about how that stuff will never go away (and how they afford what must have cost thousands of dollars). I respect the desire for self-expression and I even admire the uniqueness of some of the designs I have seen, but when you’re 80 what are your grandchildren going to say about that blue and purple flowered arm sleeve? 

I’m curious to see what the future holds for my tattooed generation. I can picture what a walk through the Boston Common will look like when I’m 50. On a 95 degree August day in 2037, all the middle aged men are walking around with long pants and long sleeve shirts buttoned up to the neck. The youths have rebelled against their parents, wearing shorts, tank tops and clean, unmarked skin. There isn’t a tattoo parlor for 30 square miles as they only exist in retirement homes and suburban neighborhoods. Nationally, those who invested in the tattoo removal industry are millionaires. Retired NBA and NFL players are rarely seen outside of their homes for fear of embarrassing their own children. The now middle aged cast of Jersey Shore has been secluded on the abandoned Alcatraz Island where they can be free to show off their tattoos wearing tank tops and tanning. Tours are still available to observe them in their natural habitat (okay that may be a stretch).

Or maybe I’m way off and everyone will have tattoos everywhere. Ink will become scarce and an underground smuggling system will emerge rivaling the drug trade. Your affluence will be expressed by the quantity and intricacy of your ink. Could go either way I suppose. ;) 

No matter how the future of tattoos plays out, the fact remains that today they are trending (if you can call a permanent body marking a trend). With the young adult demographic they are an accepted form of self-expression. Hopefully, those in the elder demographics are also beginning to look past the artwork on someone’s body before passing judgment. Will this time go down in history books along with the “Gilded Age,” or “The Enlightenment?” Doubtful, but the “Tattoo Age” is upon us. 

Remember kids, think before you ink.