Ummm, from the simple declarative tone, followed by a straightforward question. He said, in short, I like tribal, here's why I like tribal, I notice a lot of people stay away from tribal, I wonder why that is.

This is not really an instance where conversational nuance can be missed.

Many of the responses here boil down to "tribal sucks", and they're largely from people who, were they the age they are now when tribal broke big, wouldn't have any tattoos at all.

Try reading the post in order. You have misinterpreted. It's okay. I forgive you.

reprobate

New Orleans, LA

December 2002

JAN 09, 2009 01:14 PM

theDrunkMonk said:

reprobate said:

Thistle said:

How can you tell?

Try reading the post in order. You have misinterpreted. It's okay. I forgive you.

You were piggybacking, responding to one post while answering another. Despite your inability to quote or form complete sentences, that much is clear.

PS: Your beard is the tribal tattoo of the year 2018.

Shellface

Columbia, SC

January 2009

JAN 13, 2009 01:42 AM

personally I think tribal can be very beautiful.. however it doesn't usually stand for anything.. I love tattoos that have meaning behind them.. a whole story that only few would know. It seems personal to me. Tribal is hard to personalize because the symbols are just that.. symbols that are made to look a certain way.

Thistle

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JAN 14, 2009 11:07 AM

reprobate said:

theDrunkMonk said:

reprobate said:

Thistle said:

How can you tell?

Try reading the post in order. You have misinterpreted. It's okay. I forgive you.

Honest opinions were asked for regarding tribal. So people gave them.

Also the point I was making about snideness was not in regards to the original post, but the quoted post.

sIDofID

Tucson, AZ

July 2007

JAN 14, 2009 08:39 PM

Tribals make you seem tough without actually being tough. But I know understand that chick+tribals=sweet

But all the same if your a guy and you spend your off time drinking beer and going to the gym and you have a tribal that you didn't atleast design your self. Then you are probably a fag.

J24U

Danvers, MA

February 2006

JAN 15, 2009 07:34 AM

sIDofID said:
Tribals make you seem tough without actually being tough. But I know understand that chick+tribals=sweet

But all the same if your a guy and you spend your off time drinking beer and going to the gym and you have a tribal that you didn't atleast design your self. Then you are probably a fag.

Well it's good to see some enlightened opinions on the boards.

Folkfighter

I'm lost

October 2008

JAN 15, 2009 09:01 AM

I have to agree with Thistle on this one, there is some good tribal, however it does really bore me. Now the old skool, traditional shit. that is where it's at

Thistle

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JAN 15, 2009 07:22 PM

Folkfighter said:
I have to agree with Thistle on this one, there is some good tribal, however it does really bore me. Now the old skool, traditional shit. that is where it's at

Aesthetically I definitely prefer old school/ Man's Ruin type tattoos, yet they can be just as uninspired and pointless as tribal. Their main advantage is that not nearly as many people have them.

Tribal I think seems safe to people precisely because it does not actually represent anything.

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

JAN 15, 2009 09:22 PM

Thistle said:

Folkfighter said:
I have to agree with Thistle on this one, there is some good tribal, however it does really bore me. Now the old skool, traditional shit. that is where it's at

Though I am by no stretch of the imagination an authority on tattoos and their meanings, I think by the very nature of the term "tribal," that somewhere in the world, to a particular culture, that these tattoos do have meaning. I might be wrong, though, due to the fact that American tribal tattoo art is a very watered-down version of some other tribal tattoo art, and therefore without meaning.