I've had some readers ask me to post my research paper on tattoos and consumer identity, so here it is! It's a bit of a read, I apologize. I found conducting the research to be very interesting, and it has inspired me to continue researching this topic. I hope to incorporate or expand on this preliminary research in the future, hopefully again during my undergrad. Please note that all ideas, data and writings are my own unless otherwise credited. This was an academic paper I submitted this past semester, as well as presented at a department conference this past April.
*Update: this paper has also been nominated for a research competition for the same department. Results should be out in June 2013. (fingers crossed!)
Tattoos as Markers of
Identity
and Their Value as Consumer Products
The construction of personal identity has
been linked to the expression of the self through materialistic consumption
(Wang Chengbing 294), and while this materialism has become socially acceptable
in Western culture, there remains a lack of tolerance for the consumption of
tattoos as markers of identity. This issue of identity construction through
tattoo purchasing is discussed by some scholars as categorizing tattooed people
as self-expressive, while simultaneously marking them as socially deviant and
narcissistic (Lauren Langman 239). This contradiction is the starting point for
my research into the construction of consumer identity through tattoos. While
many scholars discuss the correlation between identity construction and
tattoos, the consumer aspect as markers of social status has not been fully
investigated. Whereas many consumer goods allow the buyer a certain status
based on their investment (Chengbing 295), tattoos do not appear to receive the
same acknowledgement for their monetary value. Additionally, considering the
commodification of the body, as discussed by Maurice Patterson and Jonathan
Schroeder, skin can be argued as another medium through which individuals
embody consumerism (259).
This study will focus predominantly on the
insufficient consideration of the consumerist investments required of tattoos.
I will explore previously conducted research on the relationship between
consumerism and tattoos in Western society, and examine individual testimonies
on various blogs and online sites about acquiring tattoos. While my research
focuses primarily on two blogs, (“The Tattooed Engineer”, “Rainy-Day Saver”) I
collected data from a number of related blogs and articles, concentrating on
reader comments and debates within this forum context. I will also look at the
negative stereotypes attributed to people with tattoos, and the juxtaposition
this creates between individual expression, and social identity. Through this,
I will explore the contrast in personal motivations for purchasing tattoos, to
the negative judgements imposed upon tattooed individuals. This dissimilarity
in identity presentation and public reception will be further analyzed by
theorizing tattoos consumption on its comparative value to other material markers
of status.
Consumer
culture has been defined by previous research as, “allow[ing] people to
construct a way of life that promotes self-display to gain satisfaction from
their consumer behaviour” (Chengbing 294). When applied to the purchasing of
tattoos, this definition supports what scholar Victoria Pitts claims as tattoos
being a reflection of personal and spiritual growth connected to consumerist
activities. She further constructs tattoos as symbols of social status (366). Using
this theory, it is evident that the connection between tattoos and identity is
constructed drastically different for the consumer, and those who view the
tattoos as markers of social deviancy (Patterson and Schroeder 263). Liz Frost
explains that social acceptance and identification “may be dependant on what
kind of image…[people] can construct” (75). Applying this to the presentation
of tattoos within social groups, personal identity is dependant on the
perceived image one portrays to others. Through consumerist behaviour, personal
identity has become what Jennifer Hill describes as a “reflection of ‘lifestyles’”
(354), and the purchasing of tattoos therefore reflects the genre of lifestyle
choices the wearer has made. What these definitions fail to consider, however,
is the difference between the tattooed persons intended identity, and the perceived
identity based on the observations of others. Here there is a possible
connection to what Soraya Mehdizadeh describes as two categories of personal
conception. She utilizes these categories in her study on narcissistic
personalities, based on work by Markus and Nurius, which are known as the “now
self”, and the “possible self” (358). These constructions of selfhood are
relatable to the consumption of tattoos based on the contradictory identities of
tattooed individuals. Whereas the
“now self” is constructed by others, the “possible self”, or the unknown
identity, in selectively presented. This concept applies to tattoo consumption,
in that this possible identity is portrayed visibly on the wearers skin, and
can emphasize personality traits or aspects of the individual they wish to mark
as part of their identity. Similarly, the wearer may choose to hide their
tattoos with clothing or makeup, and may therefore construct their identity
through the choice to display or hide their tattoos in order to convey a
particular “possible self”.
Following
Patterson and Schroeder’s definition of skin as, “an important component of
embodied capital in the West” (259), I will examine the commodification of the
body as a means for expressing consumer behaviour. In this way, tattoos act as
visible markers of consumerism, while also constructing the ambiguity of the
skin as personal and yet transgressive in nature (254). Although my research
demonstrates the relationship between identity construction and tattoos as
visible markers of the self, my primary focus is to examine the deficit of
acknowledgement to the consumerist investment included in the purchasing of
tattoos. What are negated in previous research are the tattoo’s monetary
obligation, and its consequential consumerist fulfilment. This follows
Chengbing’s definition of consumer culture and the satisfaction gained from
this behaviour. My research looks at the argumentative commentary found on
pro-tattoo blogs, such as the “The Tattooed Engineer”, as well as comments by
readers on “Rainy Day Saver”, a personal blog on finances that examined the
consumerist aspect of tattoos. This comparison revealed a paradox of
identities, presented by the supporters and detractors of tattoos, as well as a
discussion on the practicality of tattoos as a good financial investment. I
also considered articles and their reader comments on the following sites: “Cranking
Widgets”, “Washington Square News” (NYU), “Needles and Sins”, and “Matador
Network”. These blogs provided sufficient data to determine the conflicting
perceptions of identity, as well as support my claim on the possibility of
acknowledging tattoos as consumerist investments.
Rebecca Rashid’s article for
the “Washington Square News” (NYU) presented the results from a 2010 Pew
Research Centre study, which found that almost 40 percent of people aged 18 to
29 in the survey, had at least one tattoo. She questions the validity of the
stereotypes against tattoos, asking, “is almost one-third of our upcoming generation a mob of
anti-professional, rebellious, unmotivated individuals?”. Her question
parallels my own research into the connection between tattoos and personal
identity, and that the ownership of a tattoo cannot stigmatize the wearer. Here
also, it is important to consider the difference in regards to the wearer’s
interpretation of the tattoo, and the societal construct of the entirety of the
individual, based on the singular aspect of a tattoo.
When considering the impact of material
markers of social status, such as designer clothes, purses, and cell phones,
for example, it is evident that consumer culture has a significant influence on
constructing social identities (Chengbing 294). As tattoos have become
mainstream, those with tattoos have become the foundation on which future
tattoo purchases are based, which Chengbing has explained as being
characteristic of fashions in consumer culture (294). Based on this concept, tattoos,
as fashion is comparable to other consumer products, with trends and styles
that change over time. Like other products, certain tattoos are popularized
during certain eras, such as tribal tattoos during the 1990s. This concept is
appropriated for the consideration of tattoos as another product of consumer
behaviour. Using this framework, alongside the increased commonality of tattoos
across social demographics, my findings are supported by aligning tattoos with
other forms of material consumerism. Just as other consumer products shape
identities and align individuals within certain social groups, tattoos also
have the ability to construct selfhood and categorize societal cliques. Victoria
Pitts reiterates this concept in saying, “the tattoo seems to reflect some version
of community and belonging”(366). Insofar as my own research, the concept of
social belonging is relevant to distinguish not only the tattoos themselves as
markers, but the differentiation between the qualities of the art. Comparable
to the quality of clothing, for example, tattoos are seen in a wide range of
artistic ability and style. This can be suggested as another category of the consumerist
value of tattoos, and the necessity for high-quality work to be recognized as
high-quality merchandise.
The comments on
the article, Tattoos: Waste of Money or
Artistic Investment? on “Rainy
Day Saver” provided a consistent source of data to reflect on the “artistic
investment” quality of tattoos. 41 percent of those who commented acknowledged
the financial commitment required by a tattoo. Commenters who did not mention
this aspect, either provided a personal anecdote on tattoos, or their inability
to withstand the pain to get one, but did not argue the investment factor of
tattooing. These comments support what I claim is sufficient cause to recognize
tattoos in consumer culture, as markers of “embodied capital” (Patterson and
Schroeder 259).
Comments in
reply to the article What do your tattoos
mean to you? by Kate Sedgwick on “The Matador”, contribute to the dualistic
perception and interpretation behind tattoos. Those who had tattoos firmly
stated that their meanings were deeply personal and “sacred”. The comments were
replying to the article itself, which focused on cultural appropriation of
indigenous tattoo practices. However, this aspect of the cultural appropriation
of tattooing supports my own study into tattoos and identity construction. How
one person constructs their individuality through tattoos is not necessarily
contingent on the cultural values or practices from which the tattoo
originates. Comparable to other consumer products acquired overseas or from
non-western cultures, tattoos may be perceived as other markers of personal
investment, as well as being possible parallels to other forms of “exotic”
material consumerism.
Marisa Kakoulas
makes an interesting argument on tattoos and workplace acceptance, which I argue
reflects the consumerist value of tattoos. Her article, NY Times on Tattoos in the Workplace, posted on “Needles and Sins”
tattoo blog, talks about the continued discrimination of tattooed people in
corporate and non-corporate companies. Her ending argument comments on the
aspect of tattooed attorneys representing tattoo studios. She states that, “You don't need a tattoo to provide effective legal services to
a tattoo studio, but creating brand trust -- just like all luxury brands do --
has a greater reach to your target market”. In this case, tattoos may actually
be a positive item for an attorney to possess, should they be representing
people in the industry. Kakoulas compares tattoos to other high-commodity
products, which in turn, supports their status as high-value consumer products.
Her comments thus support my research on the consumerist value of tattoos, and
the recognition of high-quality tattoo work as high-quality products.
My research on these blogs and their
reader comments, support my hypothesis of a contrast between the motivations
for acquiring tattoos (spiritual, personal growth, memorial, art) and the
negative stereotypes (gang related, criminal, social deviancy, narcissism). I
have been able to determine that there exists a conflicting area of identity
construction. I therefore aim to look at in further research, the reasons why
despite the mainstream popularity of tattoos, there remains the cultural stigma
of deviancy (Patterson and Schroeder 260). As a commenter on “Rainy Day Saver”
stated, “tattoos are an artistic investment”, going on to explain that in
comparison to other materialistic purchases, tattoos have the longest
investment, as well as the best value over the length of time the tattoo is
owned. By taking this approach to analysing the commodification of tattoos as
purely another aspect of consumer culture, I aim to further explore the
possibility for capitalist recognition for the amount tattoo consumers invest
on their skin.
Although my research has revealed the spectrum
of differences between tattoo motivations and identity constructions, I have
not been able to find a plausible means for bridging the gap created by the
negative stereotypes cast on tattooed individuals. In further research and
advocacy, it may be possible to promote the assimilation of tattoos with social
acceptance, if their consumerist value is emphasized on a more recognized
scale. From my research, those who advocate for tattoo acceptance base it
purely on individuality and self-expression as the dominating argument for the
tolerance of tattooed bodies. However, I propose that their value, based on
their commodification as part of Western consumer culture, be accepted as a corporeal
medium for not only personal expression, but also recognition of their value as
“artistic investments”. Using Patterson and Schroeder’s concept of skin as
cultural capital, I aim to gain recognition for tattoos as a high-cost consumer
investment. I feel it is significant to add however, that in focusing on the
capitalistic aspects of tattooing, I do not wish to devalue it as an art form,
nor am I denying the complexity of the tattoo industry. My research has brought
me to the conclusion that, if tattoos are not receiving adequate social
consideration based on the testimonies of its consumers, and its proliferation
in modern Western society, I ask that they receive societal recognition based
on their monetary value. Further research could examine possible avenues of
advertising, or methods to raise social awareness on the consumerist value of
tattoos. Also, as a way of gaining cultural value as a respected art form, further
research could examine the possibility of promoting the artistic ability of
tattoo artists, and their designation within the art world.
Chengbing, Wang.
“Consumer Culture and the Crisis of Identity”. Science and Business Media.
45 (2011): 293-298. Print.
Frost, Liz. “Theorizing the
Young Woman in the Body”. Body & Society. 11.63 (2005): 63-84. Print.
Hill, Jennifer Ann.
“Endangering Childhoods: How Consumerism is Impacting Child and Youth
Identity”. Media Culture Society. 33.347 (2011): 347-360. Print.
Kakoulas, Marisa. “NY Times
on Tattoos in the Workplace”. Needles and Sins. April 2013. April 3 2013.
<http://needlesandsins.com>
Langman, Lauren.
“Culture, Identity and Hegemony: The Body in a Global Age”. Current
Sociology. 51.223 (2003): 223-247. Print.
Mehdizadeh, Soraya.
“Self-Presentation 2.0: Narcissism and Self-Esteem on Facebook”. Cyberpsychology,
Behaviour, and Social Networking. 13.4 (2010): 357-363. Print.
Patterson, Maurice,
Schroeder, Jonathan. “Borderlines: Skin, Tattoos and consumer cultural theory”.
Marketing Theory. 10. 253 (2010): 253-267. Print.
Pitts, Victoria. “Review
Essay: Reading the Body Through a Cultural Lens”. Journal of Contemporary
Ethnography. 31.361 (2002): 361-372.
Print.
Sedgwick, Kate.
“What do Your Tattoos Mean to You?”. The Matador. September 26 2011.
March 2013.
<matadornetwork.com>
“Why Do
People Get Tattoos?”. The Tattooed Engineer. May 2011. March 13
2013.
<http://www.thetattooedengineer.com>.
Nicole.
“Tattoos: Waste of Money or Artistic Investment?”. Rainy-Day Saver. N.d.
March 13 2013.
<http://rainydaysaver.net>.
