Tatoos and Anaesthetic.
I got a strong reaction when I raised the subject of tatoos, asking some tatooed friends if they would take the option of a local anaesthetic to have a tatoo, if available.

I had originally asked if they liked the pain, hated it but tolerated it, as being unavoidable, and so on.
Most shrugged, saying it's unpleasant but worth it, but not very significant.
But when I asked about general anaesthetic, they ALL swore it would be 'cheating', 'not a real tatoo', 'be an insult/desecration/mockery' of the subject depicted in the tatoo, and similar outraged answers.
Not a single person male or female said they would consider an anaesthetic, and even got quite angry that I could even hypothetically contemplate it!
So a tatoo seems to achieve meaning because others can see that it hurt, and a large one proves to viewers that the wearer voluntarily undertook quite severe pain to have a picture on them.
It certainly has close parallels to many other badges of voluntary suffering which prove a certain level of commitment, in a way that can't be faked. They probably occur in all societies. Fire ant rituals, tribal scars, etc etc, long list.
Try asking your tatooed friends, or if you have tats, how do you feel about the question?
Just a bit if fun..but you may be surprised at the ferocity of the responses! Jerry.