Random Stuff By Paul

Tattoos have experienced a resurgence in popularity in many parts of the world, especially in the Western World. This rise in the number of tattoo enthusiasts has also led to a rising number of tattoo artists, many of whom have technical and fine arts training. This development in conjunction with the use of better pigments and the ongoing refinement of the equipment used for tattooing, this has led to an improvement in the quality of tattoos being produced. Modern tattoo options include wrist tattoos. Typically female (”soft”) tatto motives could be for example flower tattoo designs. More elaborate, maybe more masculine, designs include Chinese dragon tattoos.

In June 2006 the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology published the results of a telephone survey which took place in 2004. According to this survey, as many as 36% of 18-29 year old Americans had tattoos (30-40 yrs: 24%, 41-51 yrs: 15%). These numbers were basically confirmed by another study by the Pew Research Center (September 2006) which generated the following results: 18-25 yrs - 36% with tattoos, 26-40 years - 40% and 41-64 years old 10%. In January 2008, a survey conducted online by Harris Interactive estimated that 14% of all adults in the United States have a tattoo, just slightly down from 2003, when 16% had a tattoo.

It is still common among criminal gangs and prisoners to use distinctive tattoos to indicate facts about their criminal behavior, stays in prison, and gang memberships. Tear tattoo, for example, can be symbolic of murder, with each tear representing the death of a friend. At the same time, members of the U.S. military have been using tattoos for a long time as a way to indicate military units, battles, kills, etc., an association which remains widespread among older Americans. Tattooing is also common in the British Armed Forces.

Although tattooing among these type of subcultures (military and criminals) have historical background and is somewhat removed from the current wave of popularity, tattoos are still associated with criminality. Even though the wider popularity in the general population brings with it a more of acceptance, they still carry a heavy stigma among certain social groups.

The fact that more “regular people”, especially more women than before are getting tattoos , is transforming the previously negative connotations of tattoos. Keep in mind though that a study of “at-risk” (as defined by school absenteeism and truancy) adolescent girls showed a positive correlation between body-modification and negative feelings towards the body and self-esteem; however, also illustrating a strong motive for body-modification as the search for “self and attempts to attain mastery and control over the body in an age of increasing alienation.”