Get Off My Lawn
Staying ever relevant, The Washington Post published a ridiculous Op-Ed yesterday by Richard Cohen railing against...tattoos. Yes, tattoos. Did you know many young people have them? He even manages to tie it into Social Security. It's called "Ink-Stained Wretchedness" and has the tone of a crotchety old man ranting about tattooed hooligans circa 1991 (at least).
Here's the juicy parts:
Here's the juicy parts:
The tattoo is the battle flag of today in its war with tomorrow. It is carried by sure losers.
How can anyone who knows how fickle fashion is, how times change, how their own tastes have "improved," decorate their body in a way that's nearly permanent? I don't get it.
I asked a college professor what she thought of tattoos, and she said that for young people, they represent permanence in an ever-changing world. But how is that possible? Anyone old enough and smart enough to get into college knows that only impermanence is permanent.
The permanence of the moment -- the conviction that now is forever -- explains what has happened to the American economy. We are, as a people, deeply in debt.
Today's [tattoos] are gargantuan, inevitably tacky, gauche and ugly. They bear little relationship to the skin that they're on. They don't represent an indelible experience or membership in some sort of group but an assertion that today's whim will be tomorrow's joy.
posted by Matt Bors at
12:25 PM
10 Comments:
Actually, I agree with the Op-Ed.
You don't, well I respect that.
Maybe you have tattoos yourself, our your beloved has some?
Ok, "sure losers" is maybe a bit harsh. But the rest is pretty much spot on to me.
I have some small ones and know plenty of people with tattoos.
It's not about not liking tattoos.
He says people with tattoos are "losers" who have no concept of anything other than the immediate moment and somehow manages to tie the economic downturn on their mindset.
Next women will wear trousers.
It wasn't deregulation of the financial industry! It's the goddam tattoos!
And terrorism is caused by genital piercing.
They hate our wiener rings.
The "sure losers" part is really stupid. However, I agree with the part calling them tacky, gauche, etc.
I'm not even anywhere close to a cranky old man. I just turned 23, and
I've always thought that tattoos were stupid 90% of the time. Especially the ones on hipsters.
The late George Carlin said it best about certain people wearing certain tattoos, "Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you Spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass. And it translates to 'beef with broccoli.' The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You're just high."
I"m against tacky tats. How do I know which are and aren't? I'm not sure. All I know is my friend liz got three, but she designed them herself (she's an artist), they're absolutely beautiful, and I think she stopped at three.
@mackaycartoons: I hate to be a pedantic jerk, but that quote is actually from Bill Maher (or his writing staff), not George Carlin.
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