Tattoo Decisions
On making bold, opinionated commitments
My grandparents both rocked forearm tattoos they got at a young age. These tattoos weren’t rebellious; they held cultural and spiritual significance. In their world, tattoos were a rite of passage at best and a normal teenage thing to do at worst, not a mark of rebellion like they’re often seen in the modern West.
Tattoos are one of few things still tied to the idea of permanence. They serve as a canvas for our deepest convictions and the beliefs we hold sacred. They capture the essence of who we are in moments we choose never to forget. Even in an age where technology is making “forever” negotiable, tattoos symbolize commitment.
So the process of deciding on a tattoo is just as fascinating as the artwork itself.
Pop culture loves to paint these decisions as spontaneous, reckless attempts to get back at your parents or cope with some other unresolved trauma. As impulsive decisions you’ll surely regret once you’re sober or no longer under the spell of coming-of-age angst. But for a lot of people, getting a tattoo is an intentional choice, made in sound mind and body, to embrace something beautiful and meaningful — something they don’t fear being attached to forever.
Getting a tattoo demands that you take a risk, a leap of faith, that you make an opinionated commitment to something hyperspecific that seizes your identity and becomes, at least spiritually, irreversible. Every tattoo decision is a gamble on your future self’s judgment of the choices you make today.
I’ve noticed quite a few other decisions that share these characteristics.
I call these Tattoo Decisions.
And there are tattoo decisions in your past, present, future, and all around you.
A few examples:
Getting a new hairstyle. Famously, girls get new haircuts to signify an impending big change in their life or to cope with one after the fact — think a classic “breakup haircut.” It’s a tangible way to mark an intangible shift, regain control, express yourself, maybe get a kind of emotional release too.
Painting an accent wall in your home. What color should you choose? What if it clashes with the rest of the decor? What if you grow tired of it? The safe route is to avoid all bold design choices and stick to things you can easily swap out.