When Thinking Is Not So Easy

Tattoos, a permanent form of art, can have a wide range of effects on an audience. They can be humorous or serious or serve to preserve a special memory. Sometimes they can combine many elements into an image that expresses both humor and meaning. When you first look at this tattoo, it is very humorous seeing “think” spelled out using elements from the periodic table. If you stop and really think though, you find that there was a lot of creative thought put into this tattoo.

            This tattoo uses humor to catch the viewers’ attention. Instead of just getting a tattoo of the word “think,” the creator decided to compose the word using elements from the periodic table. The symbols for Thorium, Indium, and Potassium are strung together to form the word think. Included is the atomic number and atomic mass of each element, which makes the blocks appear the same as if you were looking on the periodic table. The presence of this tattoo shows that the bearer is scientific yet creative. He or she must enjoy science in order to get a tattoo of elements on his or her body. In order to string together those those words he or she must also be creative. The irony and humor arises because someone would really have to think in order to recognize that the symbols of those elements form the word “think.” Essentially the creator had to think in order have the word think tattooed onto him or herself.  

            This tattoo suggests that the bearer is trying to get the audience to think as well as representing the scientific community. He or she already had to think in order to create this tattoo and now he or she wants the viewer to think as well. This relates to the scientific side of the viewer because in science, you have to think in order to progress. Answers are never obvious and in order to learn you have to concentrate and think. The discovery of those elements and the idea behind this tattoo are the results of someone thinking. Essentially, the scientific community is reflected in this tattoo. This community uses knowledge and thinks in order to progress and come up with new ideas, in the same way that the bearer had the idea to create this tattoo.