What if you regret it in the future is a common question. So, should I not do something at the age of 20 or 30 just because in 40 years time I might regret it? I might actually not regret it and I might enjoy having the tattoo for all those years.
Thing is alicat, it's not going to be '40 years before you regret having tattoos,' it's far more likely to be 10. Maybe less. If they are tattoos you can see, they can close all sorts of doors for you, in relationships, in your career, in your social life, and give people the wrong impression of you. (Yeah people can be judgemental, that's life, that's people; everyone is judgemental.)
Bizarre as it sounds, even though some very well done tattoos look OK sometimes, what bugs me is that they are permanent. If (in a perfect world,) there was a pill you could take that would erase them all overnight, at a future date (if you so wished,) that would be great, but they are there forever, and many people do regret having them.
And whilst there are some people who look 'cool' with the artistic tattoos 'and the sleeves' and so on, more people look awful with tattoos, than great. For every person I see that looks great with tattoos, I see 20 that look awful.
And as for the old lady with that huge tattoo all over her neck (pictured earlier in the thread on page 4,) I am willing to bet a month's wages that she did not have that done 45-50 years ago when she was in her 20's. It's clearly fresh/new.
If you look at someone's tattoos who had them 35+ years ago, they don't look good sorry.......
And I do find it a most bizarre claim that you have to have tattoos to look like you have 'lived.' I have had a great life; I have travelled to many different countries, made many friends, had several different careers, met people from all walks of life, had many exciting hobbies, lived in many different places, and have a wonderful family, and I don't have tattoos. So no, you don't have to have tattoos to prove you have 'lived.'