Are Tattoos—once underground, now ubiquitous—sacredly profane or just street cred for yuppies?
Tattoo on the lower back? Might as well be a bullseye. ~ Vince Vaughan, in Wedding Crashers, 2005. One thing is clear: tattoos have become fashion. Once the provenance of sailors and military vets, tattoos are now common, and accepted, on sorority girls and NBA players alike. I’ve heard more than once from friends who say “egad, that girl’s tattoo will be weird to look at when she’s a grandma.” But generally we’re aok with tatto0s. They’re no longer bad boy—they’re downright yuppie. While there are still plenty of amazing tattoo artists, tattoos themselves rarely signify anything deeply meaningful. I can’t tell you how many friends have got one (or ten) because “it looks cool.” And those are the ones being honest. Many of my Buddhist friends get tattoos of their refuge or Bodhisattva names on their biceps or shoulderblades, or heart. “To remind me,” they invariably say, “of my commitment.” I always think, and sometimes say: “If you need reminding—if it ain’t tattooed on the inside of y
