Is this really my tattoo - how important is other people's opinion?
From this article you will find out:
- Who and what determines the tattoo's appearance
- How conformism influences our decisions
I'll ask my mum, my wife, my dad, my dog....
A tattoo expresses us. This should suffice as an answer to the question of whether we should take others' opinions into account when we tattoo ourselves. We can, of course, seek opinions, inspiration, seek and consult ideas with our loved ones, but we should really look within ourselves. However, if we don't know or aren't quite sure what is good for us and what actually expresses us, we need to at least be sure who to ask for help on the subject.
Because it may turn out that our loved ones don't know us that well at all. They may know your middle name, but do they know your third favourite dinosaur? And the more distant the acquaintances, the more clumsy their advice can be. An example? Amateur forums and groups for people with tattoos - it takes a great deal of patience, thick skin and stamina to withstand the wave of criticism (because less often criticism) that can inundate us on them.
Everyone is right, but mostly their own....
The look of the tattoo is decided by the artist, but the idea is decided by me. We can approach this in many different ways - we can say 'I want this' or 'I want one like this'. Counter-intuitively, these are two very different approaches to realising a vision.
The first makes it clear that we are interested in 'this' - a clear direction of execution, style, maybe even placement. The second approach, on the other hand, where we want 'that' tattoo suggests our openness and shows inspiration rather than a finished vision.
Is it you, or is it me?
Conformism can be fatal to the tattooing process. On the one hand, it shows that we are unable to take responsibility for ourselves and our body, we are unsure of what and how we want to express ourselves, we want to pass the responsibility onto someone else.
However, it should not be confused with inspiration and taking into account the opinion of others. After all, there is nothing wrong with getting ideas based on the opinion of others. However, remember that someone else will never fully feel and think like you. He or she may try to do so, but it will not be achieved for a simple reason - he or she is not you.
Summary
Let us ask for opinions! Yourself, others - near, far, total strangers. Because it is quite different to take someone else's opinion into account and to take it as one's own. We have to find a balance between being influenced by other individuals - regardless of their importance to us - and our own means. Because as many people, as many opinions, and after all, not everyone can be decisive, so the multitude of possibilities multiplies exponentially. So why listen to others when you can listen to yourself....
