My boyfriend and I have had the discussion a couple of times.  He thinks that you should not put something permanent on your body (i.e. tattoos, piercings) unless it has a deep meaning to you.  I disagree; I think tattoos and piercings can have meaning, but sometimes it can be for aesthetic reasons.

I have had 11 piercings but yet to get a tattoo because I'm worried that I will get a tattoo with tons of heartfelt meaning that I will come to dislike because my life may change so much.  I like the idea of a tattoo that looks good, but I don't want to be branded as a girl who got a tattoo "just because it's pretty" (as my boyfriend would say).  Don't get me wrong, he would support me of any tattoo I would get; he just has that opinion.

I thought I'd bring this up discussion because I'm curious to see what everyone says and what your experiences have been with tattoos that have or don't have meaning.

 All my tattoos have meaning......

Ink in my skin, lul.

 only one of my tattoos has meaning.... and its the one i share with weston.

i say it doesnt matter.  

 if you feel it should be on you, part of you, then do it.

as part of a quote I think I stole from quinnn, "get it because you cant live without it"

 I can't live without humor.  thus my cooties.

get what you want for whatever reason you want it.  It's your body.

I can't help but smile.  I didn't expect anything less from members of this community.

One of my favorite sayings has always been "Sometimes having no reason is a good enough reason."

 Theres something behind all of my tattoos, which was the reason to get them... but its not like they have really deep meaning or anything... 

I don't think that all body mods need to have a very deep meaning, this goes especially for tattoos. I mean, there's nothing wrong with having something for its pleasing aesthetic quality. Of course there are alway stories behind every mod, but I think for someone to expect for there to be some profound reason behind everything someone gets done is somewhat ridiculous.

i've only got one tattoo, and it's an obama tattoo, so it means that i was defined for two years as the crazy obama girl, i'll be defined by that the rest of my life. nothing deep. just enough for me :D

i think a lot of the tattoo shows have made people think you have to have some deep meaning to every tattoo, but really, tattoos are what you make them. nothing "has to" have any meaning. some stuff is just pretty!

 Im not sure if this sparked your question, but I read this after I posted my first reply. Its an article off ModBlog http://news.bmezine.com/2008/12/09/its-not-her-job-to-make-you-cry/ 

bluebananaeater:

 Im not sure if this sparked your question, but I read this after I posted my first reply. Its an article off ModBlog http://news.bmezine.com/2008/12/09/its-not-her-job-to-make-you-cry/ 

Haha, in part it did, I read that the other day.  But I have had this discussion with my bf at least 3 times in the past year and we talked about it a month or so ago.  Also I've been thinking more and more about getting a tattoo as of late, more than I ever have.  I just don't know what I want my tattoo to be.  I have several ideas, some meaningful, some not.  I just don't know right now...

Kara:

i say it doesnt matter.  

I agree.  I have some with meaning, some with none.  I share some with my wife.  

Depends on the meaning I think

I could never get one in remembrance to a tragedy like someone passing away or overcoming a horrible childhood.  It would just remind me of said event everytime I looked at it.

Fun tattoos > *

I think it's a matter of opinion.  Personally, all the tattoos I have planned out for myself have at least some sort of meaning to them.  But you shouldn't stop yourself from getting something you want just because it may not have something ground breaking to say.  If the tattoo would make you happy, that's all the reason in the world. :3

 I don't think they need to have any meaning. And I think that even if initially you had no reason for getting a certain tattoo, you just get it because you like it; you may find that in 10 years time you look back and it has a lot of meaning and memories attached to it without it being intentional.

Admittedly, the only tattoo I have is meaningful to me, it reminds me of the joy and love that all my kittehs have brought to me throughout my life, and makes me smile =)

But there are other images that i really like that don't have any particular relevence to me personally, but i find them to be beautiful and pleasing images that would make my body feel beautiful and pleasing should i ever choose to get more tattoos.

 It actually grinds my gears a bit when someone comes up with a deep and elaborate meaning for a really generic repeated image... i know it shouldn't but it does. I think some people feel obliged to have a reason for getting a tattoo when really it shouldn't matter.