Comments on: A tattoo is a permanent reminder that you are an idiot

By: Anthony Bosco

Anthony Bosco — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:24:46 +0000

Thank-you for all your comments, Derek. Insightful, as always.
I do agree that there is certainly room for greater nuance to my stance on tattoos. I have, for instance, great respect for military tattoos. Not because I think that they are particularly cool, but because they are clearly an expression of conformity and uniformity; and that is exactly what the people who were them want to express to the word, that they belong to something that renders them indistinguishable amidst the whole. What I have no respect for whatsoever, as you are not doubt aware from having read my blog, is those deluded individuals who believe they can someone escape their lack of individuality and mediocrity through tattooing. To think that one can escape the shacles of the post-modern condition of expressing individualism through consumption, by simply choosing a consumer item that is considered “alternative”, is the nadir of pathetic self-delusion and the epitome of conceited self-aggrandisement.

By: Derek

Derek — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:01:18 +0000

Hmm…I agree that tattoos should be symbolic, and can’t be without a culture to invest meaning in them, like the Maoris had. Rather than complain against tattoos, shouldn’t we complain against the lack of culture in Australia?

Two exceptions to your rules. Firstly, the number of the beast would indisputably make an awesome tattoo. 13:16 of Revelations says, ‘And he (namely, Satan, who is master of the beast) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:’ that is, “666″. Very metal. But only on your right hand or forehead.

Secondly, you say that tattooing the names of your loved ones across your chest is protesting too much. I agree if they’re alive, but what if they’re dead? That needs remembering. In fact, it’s the kind of tattoo that would get better with sagging, since even if grief lasts your whole life, it doesn’t last forever. Eventually, you will die, those who mourned you will die, and those who mourned them will die…yet that isn’t the point of remembering them, is it? I think that’s pretty individualistic.

Tattoos are like funerals. Who are they for, really?

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:09:44 +0000

I’m amazed by the overwhelmingly crappy ways that the tattooed attempt to defend themselves. I have tattoos. I don’t think they are incredibly stupid, or incredibly awesome. They are just there, and they remind me of a time when I was much younger. Mr. Bosco has a point when he says that people shouldn’t need to get a tattoo to commemorate a life-changing event, but hell, maybe they do. I don’t think I would, but maybe someone else really does need to have something tangible. As I get older, the things I carry along with me for sentimental reasons dwindle, but that is just me. Anyhow, I’m drifting from my point; which is that if you want to defend or promote an issue, please make sure that you can communicate effectively, and that your writing is relatively free of glaring grammatical errors. I understand you might feel strongly, but you are making everyone else that has a tattoo look like they are the same kind of jackass that you are, and that isn’t very fair.

By: DS3M

DS3M — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:04:26 +0000

As a person who admires and owns/has tattoos, and as a person who considers himself moderately intelligent (I’ve always tested 99th percentile…), I find the majority of your argument here (and the subsequent comment postings) to be nothing more than an angry rant against something you do not understand.

While I see you have gone to lengths to put forth the examples of idiocy and poor judgment that can be found in many tattoo shops, you do not seem to understand that people live their lives in different ways, and their choices define them, as well as their skin.

Either that, or you oddly choose to assign energy and value to situations that have no bearing on your life.

This situation has value to me, because I like to open people’s minds.
You remind me of a “friend” of mine, who chooses to rankle people’s emotional states for his own satisfaction. He always says he does it to challenge people’s intellectual limits and capacity to engage in hearty (heated) debate.
In the end, he always seems to pick fights with the people he envies or has a separate beef with.

So what is the real beef you have with tattoos?
Again, aside from the idiots with Tupacs body re-replicated, or the morons who need to memorialize all family past and present.

By: Alan Gansberg

Alan Gansberg — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:48:20 +0000

Mr Bosco…My tattoos have meaning , I am a naval veteran with the physical and psychological scars to prove it, with that in mind I suggest I have earned the right to wear them. (I don’t have any tribals)

“You reacted with greater vigour and indignation than I ever could have hoped…” So you were simply hoping to annoy people, down here you would be known simply as a shit-stirrer, that’s fine, However the more personal type insults and name calling would not , some Brisbane Broncos tattooed would likely challenge you to a duel of sorts.

“Maybe one day, I’ll even change my mind about tattoos and the people who wear them” When we get your approval please let me know, I’ll sleep better knowing that. Is it fulfilling being so important?

By the way, although I am down in Australia , I do read and like quite a few things you have to say (mostly in other fields). but please why you r obvious talents on generalised insults ie: “idiot” “mental retardation” ect. Yes there are some dumbass tattoos out there that make me cringe too, and people make some ridiculous choices,

However, they will wear that and hopefully learn, but there’s no need for you to be so angry about it. You should expand your story a tad and take a more humorous, less vicious approach.. but if you want people to dislike you so much, leave it as is.

All in all I respect your opinion, why don’t you respect our choice. Stick to picking on politicians and the media , they deserve it, leave the little guy alone.

Cheers

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:57:11 +0000

Shame on all you fellow tattoo enthusiasts who make a bad example of how our community is really like. Mr. Bosco is entitle to his opinion, and calling him “idiot” or “cunt” is stooping to a level that it seems he wants us to stoop to. I don’t agree with almost anything in his article, but in his own words, he’s
” just a guy who likes to see how people react when their values and beliefs are challenged.” I may find his brand of humor tasteless and pretty juvenile, but he made one good point.If we don’t care about what people like him think, why bother posting on his blog at all?
So stop giving people like him what they want and expect, and try to show them that the modified community is equal in respect and courtesy as the rest of the world.

By: By p gallo,j coorey, m incampo & Simon bosco

By p gallo,j coorey, m incampo & Simon bosco — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:09:05 +0000

hey cunt.we thinks you is rong. & dat you is a right proper cunt. Just coz we have a leopard skin
Grandfather clock that cries like an oppressed
Albino child, doesn’t mean that I won’t do
Weights in the basement of a closet. I mean we can’t all be clockfaces, can we now. Now stop acting like a dinosaur and go get a job.
Michael giuffre is a fat cunt.
I’m famous bitch!

By: melancholy

melancholy — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:28:44 +0000

As I was searching for stuff to help me in studying for the year 11 exams, I came across this blog…

Man… He is a smart guy… I never thought he’s even smarter outside of the room.. Well whatever..

Maneki and Just another idiot..

I was deeply excited by your opinions about his text, thinking of the commotions that you guys will create and what Anthony will point out.. But as I further read the remaining parts of your comments, I just said ‘man, i hate this stuff’.

Technically speaking, you guys fell into committing a FALLACY in your argument. I won’t bother explaining what it is, because I assume that you know what it is.

How would you know that Anthony didn’t have any tattoo, or he doesn’t know anything of what he’s talking about? Based from what he wrote, YOU CAN’T TELL. That is immediately a Fallacy of Generalization, and committing one even before you write your next couple of lines, voids your whole argument..

oh man.. people these days sure takes the boredom outta me..

By: Kimber

Kimber — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:52:30 +0000

Do you use Thesaurus.com to make your unfounded justifications sound more appealing?Yes, you are entitled to having your own opinion, but trying to back it up with ideas that only the youth get tattooed before they discover who they are, or that every tattoo needs to be sheepishly defended, is ignorance. Granted, the twelve-year-old-gringo imitation of Tupac is a bit absurd, but if you were to judge an entire subculture over of a handful of followers, wouldn’t you just be such a little blind judgmental one? hm?

http://news.bmezine.com/2008/09/09/living-canvas-sold-for-wow-thats-a-lot/

By: eyeballfish

eyeballfish — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:44:51 +0000

You went thought all this trouble to take down tattoos without even consisting that fact that a lot of people get tattoos to remember people who they have lost. Do you really think that most people are going to judge someone who wants to mark their body with the image of someone who deeply affected their life or for that matter that someone would regret it?