Critical response essay to You're Thinking of getting a What by John

Critical response to You're Thinking of getting a What by John Gray - Essay Example Student’s response Even if the tattoo may seem weird to most of us, it was an ancient art form in the Meiji period of Japan. Clifford J. Kurkowski refers to â€Å"The Tattooer† by Junichiro Tanizaki and says –â€Å"he vividly describes that Japanese men, who were performing in the Kabuki Theater, received tattoos in order to satisfy their upper class audiences and enhance their beauty.† The ethical standards of permanently painting one’s body during that era in Japan was surely much above what it is today – even though it is still considered to be a form of art. I agree with Gray that the sight of a tattoo can hinder any conversation or stall further relationship building platform. As he says â€Å"people either have tattoos or they do not† there are no in-betweens. However, the same can be said about any other idiosyncrasies of a human being – a certain hair style, a nose ring, a navel ring, certain attitude, and many more. You either have it or you do not, you either fall in the same group or you do not. The only difference is that these fads and foibles do not encounter any sense of complete isolation – these are tolerated within the social network. ... ily on the basis of geographical convenience.† I feel this itself is the answer to the puzzling â€Å"laissez-fair craft† – the mental state of the person and the easily accessible tattoo parlors work in a conducive manner. The psychological condition of the person before going in for the drinks plays a good part in giving him or her ‘Dutch courage’ to act brazen, as in audacious. The close by parlor gives the ‘come hither’ looks and lo and behold the person is marked for life. The unfortunate part is that the fashionable statement becomes permanent – something the person never gave much thought to before having it done. The damage is done and most often done in highly unhygienic manner and conditions. It is true that as Gray points out – â€Å"the tattoo parlor is a breathtakingly unregulated industry. Although the city health inspector may call now and then to update the crumbling certificate on the wall, only the tattooi st’s personal ethic prompts him or her to maintain sanitary premises†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Finally, I must say I do not agree with the â€Å"a tattoo, however, is a threat† statement. This is a result of an impetuous decision, and each one of us has taken such rash steps in our lives. Fortunately, for us from the ‘no tattoos’ segment of human kind our reckless actions did not leave any prominent and ugly scars for life. We feel the threat from the other side, the people with the tattoos do not, but it is our reaction that tends to drive them into a separate corner, away from the rest of us. Moreover, there is little knowledge about this form of expressing one’s revolt. It is necessary to have more literatures and information about tattoos. Information regarding the 'ifs' and 'buts' of getting a tattoo done and stressing on the permanent factor: