A ‘Meaningless’ Tattoo That Turned Out to Have a Deep Meaning

One of the most talked-about tattoos in recent times belongs to 34-year-old Sean, and it was inked by his wife, tattoo artist Alyssa. At first glance, the design seems like a simple joke, but internet users found an entire philosophy behind it.

When a Meme Becomes a Tattoo

Alyssa, owner of At The Waverly tattoo studio in Seattle, shared her husband’s tattoo on her TikTok account @alissajungink. The video starts with the phrase:

“Tattoos are forever. They should mean something.”

The camera then zooms in on Sean’s fresh tattoo – and it’s… the stick figures from an IKEA instruction manual. Yes, the ones that suggest furniture assembly is easier with two people. One figure looks sad and stands alone in front of an unassembled cabinet, marked with a red cross. Next to it, two cheerful figures are working together to put the furniture together.

At first, it seemed like just a joke… but not quite!

As Alyssa explained in an interview with Newsweek, this image holds a special place in their love story.

When they first started dating, their relationship was long-distance: Sean moved to Los Angeles for his animation job, while Alyssa lived in Chicago. Whenever one of them needed help or emotional support, Sean would send Alyssa the IKEA instruction picture with two stick figures – hinting that he wished she was there. Over time, this image became their personal meme.

Later, when Alyssa opened her own tattoo studio, Sean was the one who assembled all the furniture for her – naturally, from IKEA. As a joke, she promised him that if he put everything together, he’d earn a tattoo.

And now, years later, that promise has been fulfilled: the IKEA stick figures are now a permanent part of Sean’s life – at least, on his skin.

A Tattoo with Layers: Male Loneliness, Love, or Just a Meme?

According to statistics, in 2024, 41% of millennials in the U.S. had at least one tattoo, while the percentage among Gen Z was lower – 23%.

But beyond just having tattoos, the meaning behind them is what truly matters. And this is where things got interesting: while the couple saw the tattoo as a joke, TikTok users found much deeper interpretations.

“It’s a reminder that it’s okay to ask for help,” one user wrote.
“A deep metaphor for the epidemic of male loneliness and the importance of support,” another commented.
“This symbolizes that he wants to build a life together, knowing he can’t do it alone,” a third user romantically suggested.

And, of course, some just laughed at the whole situation:

“Don’t stare at a pile of wooden boards alone. Stare at them with a friend.”

TikTok Is Shocked, Comments Are Exploding!

The video featuring the tattoo went viral, amassing over 9 million views and 1 million likes.

Alyssa admitted she never expected such a reaction:

“We just wanted to have a laugh, but somehow this image really resonated with people. It was fun reading all the comments – so many unexpected interpretations!”

At the end of the day, just like at IKEA: you come in for one thing, but you leave with much more – sometimes even a philosophical life lesson in the form of a tattoo!