It’s still warm in New York City, and when I’m out walking my dog, I observe the tattoos that adorn the sweaty arms, calves and torsos of the barely dressed hipsters of Greenwich Village. I’m used to seeing Celtic bands and Native American dreamcatchers, but these days I also spot the mottoes Memento Mori and Carpe Diem, and portraits of Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus.
There’s a local tattoo artist who asserts that “tattoos are the perfect way to embody the Stoic philosophy” because “they are a preferred indifferent.” I’m not the type to permanently alter my body, but if I were, my tramp stamp would be from Epictetus: “If you make beautiful choices, you will make a beautiful life.” But I’m too afraid that if the ghost of Epictetus ever saw it, he’d club me over the head with his own crutch.
Not so long ago tattoos were for sailors, bikers, and sideshow performers. Only outsiders chose to be tattooed, or insiders, if they were locked up in prison. If a respectable person somehow ended up with a tattoo, the shameful stigma would be a source of guilt.
In truth tattoos are incredibly common, all around the world from ancient times until today. The prejudice against tattoos comes down to us from the ancient Greeks and Romans. By the 5th Century BC, Greeks were using tattoos to mark slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war as punishment, and the Romans did the same.
I don’t think anyone should feel shame or guilt about something done to you, nor should you have those feelings about something you chose to do as long as it’s not harmful. I’m glad that people can now proudly show off their body art. I’m inspired by the fellow who noticed his beloved dog had a tattoo on its tummy and decided that he’d have the same emblem inked on his arm. He later discovered his good boy’s symbol meant “neutered.” He’s now got something in common with the guy who got the very Stoic motto “NO REGERTS.”
Emotions are messengers. They are a source of inner wisdom that provides us with information about our experiences and the actions we need to take. Guilt erupts from past actions which are now outside of our control, such as not spell checking the word “regrets” before getting a tattoo. As Stoics we shouldn’t be ruled by our emotions, but we should strive to make use of them.
Guilt is a useful feeling. It prompts us to take action. If you can make amends or repair the damage you caused that led to feelings of guilt, do it. If you can’t, resolve not to do the same again. The future isn’t under our control, but when the present moment gives us an opportunity to repeat our past mistakes, we can decline to do so. Guilt has taught us a lesson.
One of the most famous lessons learned by Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, was imparted by his teacher, Crates the Cynic. The Cynics valued shamelessness as a virtue, and it seems Zeno may have been a little too prissy for Crates’ liking. He assigned his pupil the task of carrying a clay pot full of lentil soup through the part of Athens where prostitutes plied their trade. This was embarrassing for Zeno, who was a wealthy trader in luxury goods. He tried to conceal the soup in his robes, so Crates smashed the pot with his staff, splashing cooked lentils all over Zeno.
As his soup-stained student fled the scene, Crates remarked, “Why run away…? Nothing terrible has befallen you.” It’s as true today as it was 2300 years ago, don’t be ashamed of carrying around some soup. Don’t feel guilty either, even if you spill it all over yourself. If you don’t use guilt to learn from your past mistakes and move on, you’ll end up wallowing “in the soup,” like Zeno.
I’m lucky to have met a fellow at a Stoic conference who’s been through a lot of medical crises. Like me, he’s embraced Stoicism in response. He’s got scars all over his body and he’s chosen to cover many of them with Stoic tattoos. One of his most prominent is the face of Zeno. He’s also got his favorite Zeno quote: “A bad feeling is a commotion of the mind repugnant to reason, and against nature.” My friend has no shame about his conditions, or guilt over his response to it. He remarked “If I’m ever having a rough time, I can look down…and it instantly brings me back around.”
So many threads to pull on in this post. Why a giant tattoo on your back? What kind of reminder is that? Also, speaking of "No Regerts" I was in a meeting last year where someone had a tattoo the length of their forearm with "Memento Mori" misspelled. It felt tragic.
This is great! Obviously there is still a bit of a stigma around tattoos and they aren't for everybody. But as you pointed out, its getting more and more common. The meaningful tattoos people are getting can be very therapeutic and can tell stories about their life. Thank you guys for sharing this! Its something not talked about a lot and this context. As a guy with lots of Stoic tattoos, this article means a lot!