Recently I was waiting for a friend to pick up some chips at a well-liked fast-food restaurant frequented by my campus mates. Being a Friday, there were lots of people. Their revealing attire was totally acceptable given the oppressive heat (climate change is not a cliché anymore) that seemed to have travelled from the Sahara Desert.
My eyes, which were wandering as I waited for my friend, caught sight of a couple talking animatedly. The light-skinned girl had rings on her ears, nose, upper and lower lip and, of course, her eyebrows. The dark-skinned man had a tattoo that was difficult to read, but he had made every effort to make sure it was noticeable.
The number of rings on the girl made me wince. Then it dawned on me that under 25s are, everywhere I look, sporting tattoos and weirdly positioned rings. Is this the newest fashion trend?
What, then, is this new, insane infatuation among young people with tattoos and body piercings? It is supposedly the new ‘swag’. Tattoos are meant to represent something we cherish or hold dear. We still need more persuasion regarding these ostentations. Mercifully, people seem to have become wiser and no longer tattoo their lovers’ names on themselves.
I'm certain that, on the whole, most people who have tattoos don't necessarily believe in what they have had inked. They act impulsively or just because "Annete or Eddy did it, and it was so cooool".
There is nothing wrong with having as many body piercings or tattoos as you like, but do people consider the message they convey to the world? Do they ever consider the stigma associated with these trends? Making decisions without thinking about their impact on one’s career or potential marriage is naïve.
Some people tattoo and pierce themselves in the farthest reaches of their bodies. But do they consider the consequences? They will undoubtedly regret it in future. However, giving young people advice is a waste of time.
Perhaps the most important message conveyed by tattoos and piercings is that younger people are now independent, fearless and capable of making their own decisions, no matter how bad. They have grown up in a society where anything goes and nothing is taken seriously. Their tattoos shouldn't either.
Having rings on your face and on every body protrusion needs a lot of confidence. Before dipping your hand in the ink pot, young stars, let us think about our futures. In about 30 years, we will undoubtedly have grandmothers walking about with tattoos and body piercings.
Student at Moi University, Eldoret. [email protected]
