by Claire Chock

Created on: August 12, 2009   Last Updated: August 16, 2009

A 2008 Harris Poll states that 14% of Americans have at least one tattoo. That may seem to be a small number but when you consider that there's just over 300 million people in America, it's a fairly large amount. If you do the math, it comes to about 43 million, pretty popular activity eh? That popularity can make it seem like tattooing is merely a fad and that people get tattooed simply to be cool. While there's no statistics on the reasons people get tattooed, I think it's safe to say that most people won't say they got tatted because it's cool or that their friends got one. Instead, I think they'd give answers that are a bit more thought-out. One is that tattooing is a way to express themselves and their interests or personality.

More than pretty (or scary) body decoration, many people use tats as a way to make a statement about who they are. Maybe music is a big part of their life so they have a treble clef tattooed on their left ankle to make a direct statement. A statement might be made indirectly as well. Some people get tattoos that represent an important event in their life. For example, one guy I know has tattoos of sparrows on his neck in memory of his grandmother because a sparrow flew outside her window when she died.

Many people get tattoos to represent values they have and to remind them of life lessons they've learned. Who knows? Maybe that skull tattoo on someone's forearm is there to remind them to live life to the fullest. That wolf tattoo on a guy's pec might symbolize his value of endurance or patience since wolves are known to be able to run for miles at a stretch and go weeks without eating.

Tattoos that express oneself are automatically imbued with meaning because they represent something that has value to them, whether it be a personal interest or life-event. You're more likely to keep a tattoo if it holds meaning for you than getting it just because it looks cool or to be popular.

The wide number of tattoos and variety of tattoo styles out there is very conducive to self-expression as well. Any artist will work with someone who wants a tattoo to create an original design if nothing can be found, so the possibilities are nearly endless with the exception of the artist's skill and descriptive ability of the one wanting a tattoo. It's virtually impossible to not find or create a tattoo that expresses something about you.

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