Under my skin by Chris Adrian – Term Paper

Impulsive decisions in life

Under My Skin by Chris Adrian, an article in the New York Times press is a perfect illustration of how people end up making impulsive decisions at some point in life that in a real sense do not impact their lives. The article is about how the author decided to get a tattoo on his back after a breakup with his girlfriend. In as much as Chris got the biggest tattoo he could think of, and rather than get a satisfaction of the main move of his life, he ends up with remorse about getting a permanent dragon on a less effective part of his body; an impulsive decision. Experience is the best teacher

Adrian experiences a heartbreak which teaches him that he is quite self-centered. As is evident in the article, Adrian is in New York since he cannot stand being in Boston after a breakup with his girlfriend. The breakup gets him wanting to do something that will remind him to be more selfless which boils down to getting a tattoo.

Getting a tattoo gives him yet another experience, pain. During the four-hour experience of deep suffering, Adrian learns that he cannot stand the pain. He even says that he learns that he cannot last for more than 20 seconds in the hands of a real torturer. In this case, the experience of having experienced such pain creates in him a greater sense of self-awareness as it teaches him his thresholds of pain.

Positive lesson of Chris Adrian 

In line with pain, though, Adrian gets a positive lesson; he learns that he any effort of improvement must be cemented in pain. Truly, he wanted to improve from his insular nature which is the main reason he persevered the pain. In other words, he learned that one has to tolerate even pain so as to get a true change of character.

Adrian learns a more ironical yet important lesson; he made a not-so-sensible decision. He, in the process of being less decisive, chose to imprint a huge dragon, on his back! He could not see it whenever decisions pertaining others faced him. Furthermore, it was so big and permanent which he now thought of as unnecessary.

Ultimately, Adrian concludes about his tattoo experience with mixed thoughts; he thinks of himself as spiritually insecure. He even resolves to a decision of living creatively with the fact that he is almost never sure of the right things to do. The whole getting-a-tattoo event finally did not feel like the right thing to do.

In conclusion, Adrian’s whole experience is an ordeal worth learning from. It teaches perseverance of pain so as to get one’s aspiration. It teaches the importance of being spiritually secure. It teaches the need of thinking things true before making permanent decisions in one’s life. The next time I think of taking that tequila shot, that rebellious decision, that selfish but permanent move, or that big tattoo I will think of this experience and visualize the consequences that I expect. This way, I will always resolve to less damaging or regretful decisions in my life.