Trendy Tattoo

The world has slowly, but surely, become more accepting as time passes. It is hard to argue that this is truer for anything other than tattoos. Tats have simply gone from edgy to trendy, something I never thought we would see.

The election of President Obama is an expression of acceptance. In all the hoopla, it is easy to miss the significance of this. Remember, it was only in 1968 that the Civil Rights Act was signed into law in this county. A mere 40 years later, a black man has been elected President and become the most powerful man in the world. Regardless of your political views, that is absolutely amazing.

The election of President Obama is also a clear example of how quickly the United States opens socially as new generations are introduced. While the issue of tattoos pails in comparison to the election of our President, they represent another area where things have changed dramatically. Where tats were once frowned upon, they are now a trendy thing to do.

The trend of getting inked in the United States is amazing. Millions of people now have tats. Not in a million years would I have thought that would be the case. Other countries are also having problems grasping it. I have tats and was in Russia a year ago. Sitting in a banya [a sauna], I noticed Russian men were staring at my tats and not sitting next to me. I later learned this was because tats are an indication of jail time or being in prison. Ah, a country that sticks to the traditional ways!

Back in the United States, the popularity of tattoos is such that one has to wonder if the real rebels are now the people who don't get them. A movement tends to lose its credibility when you see reality shows on the subject. From Miami Ink to LA Ink to whatever, there are just a few tat shows on the boob tube these days. Could it be a sign of the end of the trend? I doubt it!

So, is the fact tats have become so trendy a bad thing? Well, not for tattoo shops! Personally, I love tats so I don't mind, but you have to wonder about all the people who get them on a whim and might come to regret their decisions as time passes.