In this instance, the individual in question decided to tattoo a reminder of the hardships that they went through in dealing with addiction, and this tattoo is a sign of sobriety. In some people’s minds, addiction is viewed as a weakness of sorts, which has caused a stigmatization of these conditions. This individual in particular has decided that they will not look at their past as a time of weakness, but as a time of learning and healing. While attitudes have changed in more recent years to victims of substance abuse and addiction, there are still many who view it as personal weakness, and that the consequences associated are the fault of the afflicted, which is the attitude that this tattoo wishes to address.
Thinking Rhetorically at GCSU 