Tattoos on teachers?

[Bob NC]

I was at my nephews 3rd birthday party a few years back, and at the time had short bleach blonde hair with ice blue tips and yes visible tattoos on my forearms, legs and back.



One of the other women at the party turned to my mother and said "Your son is so handsome it's a shame he didn't do anything with his life" to which my mom replied " he's a highly respected executive at "my company" managing a $500 million account for "my customer".

The ladies response wax " well he could be the CEO if he didn't have blue hair" :lol:

I think people are just jealous that they don't have the opportunity to express themselves.

.

 

[JessicaR]

I don't HAVE to agree that at all! Yes, it IS human nature to form an early opinion based on the way someone looks.

If you see someone with torn, old clothes, smells like alcohol and has a beard that seems to be unshaven in months, your impression isn't going to be that he's a successful CEO of a company, right?

I don't care who you are, your first impression is going to be along the lines of homeless, unfortunate, etc.

what's the saying "you never get a second chance to make a first impression"?

No, the saying is "Don't judge a book by it's cover", but that is apparently lost on you.

 

[turkeymama]

I don't HAVE to agree that at all! Yes, it IS human nature to form an early opinion based on the way someone looks.

If you see someone with torn, old clothes, smells like alcohol and has a beard that seems to be unshaven in months, your impression isn't going to be that he's a successful CEO of a company, right?

I don't care who you are, your first impression is going to be along the lines of homeless, unfortunate, etc.

what's the saying "you never get a second chance to make a first impression"?

Around these parts, one of the wealthiest families looks exactly like your description. They run a multimillion dollar company that the father started. At first glance, they look like they don't have two nickels to rub together (except for the women who look quite nice). This is how they like to dress and the beards....well I have no idea why they grow them out like that. That's what they like. They all attended one of the better private schools here and were college educated.

I guess I am extremely naive. I just don't automatically assign negative qualities to people with tattoos, blue hair (DD had a teal highlight in her hair two summers ago, tee hee), spiked jewelry or unshaven beards. Obviously, judging by the replies on this thread, I'm not alone. Thank goodness.

 

[ChrisFL]

Around these parts, one of the wealthiest families looks exactly like your description. They run a multimillion dollar company that the father started. At first glance, they look like they don't have two nickels to rub together

You just proved the point I was trying to make. I never said that we can judge people PURELY by their looks, I said the first impression.

If you choose to look like that, its fine, but don't expect people to hire you for a professional position if you're not willing to appear professional, like the ad I was referring specifically to. That's all I'm saying.

Everyone has their own opinion of what professional is, I realize that as well. I enjoy watching West Coast Customs on TV....practically everyone at the shop has tattoos and piercings all over, but they're good people...yet, they are in an industry and location where that's widely accepted. I wouldn't expect them to look like that if they're applying to work at a hospital.

 

[DeaverTex]

I realize that it's not really the topic of this zombie thread, but I think that my greatest hesitation in getting a tattoo -- other than Mrs. Tex's promise to take an iron skillet to my skull if I do -- is that I've never seen an old tattoo that didn't look pretty much like a shapeless greenish blob. I know that at 61, I likely don't have enough time left for a tattoo to reach that state, but it seems a little silly to get a first tattoo at this stage in life. Who would I be trying to impress?

Although I DO know what it would be.

 

[ladypage]

I guess I am extremely naive. I just don't automatically assign negative qualities to people with tattoos, blue hair (DD had a teal highlight in her hair two summers ago, tee hee), spiked jewelry or unshaven beards. Obviously, judging by the replies on this thread, I'm not alone. Thank goodness.

According to some of these posters, on first look I would never be taken seriously, especially my senior year of high school! I had purple hair, was deciding which tattoo I wanted first, and having my friends draw them on me so I could get an idea of what they would actually look like, and I'm betting I dressed in a way that most of the same people would consider "different." What you didn't get from the very first glance was that I was captain of the girls cross country team, co-captain of the academic decathlon team (had to re-dye my hair normal for that though), secretary, and the vice-president for the visual arts club, west coast winner of a visual arts award, and my school trusted me enough to have me help set up and run the entire security network.

So yeah, I assure you, you can judge me however you want because of my appearance, but I bet you'll be wrong.

 

[declansdad]

I realize that it's not really the topic of this zombie thread, but I think that my greatest hesitation in getting a tattoo -- other than Mrs. Tex's promise to take an iron skillet to my skull if I do -- is that I've never seen an old tattoo that didn't look pretty much like a shapeless greenish blob. I know that at 61, I likely don't have enough time left for a tattoo to reach that state, but it seems a little silly to get a first tattoo at this stage in life. Who would I be trying to impress?

Although I DO know what it would be.

Why do people keep talking about tattoos become greenish blobs? I have two tattoos and neither contain any green ink.

 

[turkeymama]

You just proved the point I was trying to make. I never said that we can judge people PURELY by their looks, I said the first impression.

If you choose to look like that, its fine, but don't expect people to hire you for a professional position if you're not willing to appear professional, like the ad I was referring specifically to. That's all I'm saying.

Everyone has their own opinion of what professional is, I realize that as well. I enjoy watching West Coast Customs on TV....practically everyone at the shop has tattoos and piercings all over, but they're good people...yet, they are in an industry and location where that's widely accepted. I wouldn't expect them to look like that if they're applying to work at a hospital.

But your point is that these impressions are automatically negative. Who cares whether they are upper or low class? My point is that most people do not view them in a negative way based solely on their appearance. If I didn't know them, I may not think they are loaded, but my impressions of them would not be formed by their long beards and camo pants. If you saw them, based on what I'm reading, you would think poorly of them right away.

 

[NYEmomma]

Totally understand that.

Most of the tattoos I see, though, are on lower backs and the backs of peoples shoulders. I always wonder why some would put a deeply personal piece of art that only means anything to them in the spots where they can't even see it.

I have a tattoo on my back that is very meaningful to me & I'm bummed that I can't see it every day without contorting my body to get a glimpse. But my back was the only place that there was a big enough "canvas" for what I wanted done... I didn't want to compromise the design and detail simply because I wanted to be able to oogle it all the time. I know how awesome it looks, I don't need to constantly refresh my memory.

ETA: I have multiple other tattoos, all in visible places. I also have a master's degree and teaching license, though I'm currently a SAHM.

 

[Bob NC]

But your point is that these impressions are automatically negative.

My point is that most people do not view them in a negative way based solely on their appearance.

If you saw them, based on what I'm reading, you would think poorly of them right away.

Whether or not an individual has a negative impression of someone else by seeing a tattoo on them isn't really the point.

I work for a large, high end, worldwide company, in sales. Our company policy is no visible tattoos.

My wife has worked for a major Drug chain for 30 years, their policy is no visible tattoos.

My sister and her husband worked for a nationwide financial company for 35 years, their policy is no visible tattoos.

If you are in a profession that allows tattoos and piercings, that's great. The people I worry about are the teenagers covering themselves in ink without realizing that they are SEVERELY limiting any future career opportunities.

Here on the DIS people who have tattoos may be talking about a tinkerbell on the shoulder or a mickey head on an ankle. It's a far different conversation when we are talking about an 18 year old with obscene words on his knuckles, or, tear drops under his eyes, or a likeness of Hitler on his neck.

Whether I have a negative impression isn't relative. But have your 22 year old daughter looking for that first grade teaching job with a tattoo of a skull and crossbones on her neck and tell me first impressions don't count.