Guys, it looks like we may have a widespread problem here. Tattoos may be a sign of emotional distress, which means some of us may be susceptible to going berserk in search of some kind of mental relief. At least, that seems to ring true for Straits Times Forum contributor Lee Kay Yan, who believes that those of us sporting tattoos are apparently poor souls crying out for help.
Okay, we know the ST Forum provides a whole load of comic relief for some of us in Singapore’s stressful environment, but this particular one is almost as unbelievable as Dr Tan Cheng Bock becoming president.
“When viewed from a certain angle, tattooing is a form of self-injury”, she argued, using an archaic argument to support her theory. Adding to that, she said that the high from the pain inflicted by a tattoo needle may just be as addictive as taking drugs (gasp!). But how do you know that if you haven’t got one?
It seems that the rising popularity of young people getting inked had just hit her — and no, tattooing is not the same as self-cutting. Yes, there are studies out there that argue that tattoos and body piercings can be psychologically addictive, but the concept definitely doesn’t apply to all who’ve inked themselves. There are hundreds of reasons why people choose to go under the needle — self-expression, creativity, spontaneity, or memorializing — so it ain’t fair to generalize.
In her write-up, she also stressed the consequences of having a tattoo, where “employers think twice about employing a person with visible tattoos, regardless of his actual capabilities or qualifications”. While she undoubtedly meant well – that inherently makes sense if one is applying for a job in the civil service – if we go by her rhetoric, our unemployment rate would be soaring off the charts (psst, Joseph Schooling got a tattoo after his Olympic win).
Lastly, she provided one more tip: tattoo shops should “refuse customers who are too young to make an informed decision”. Well, that should be obvious for basically any other business.
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