There will always be exceptions, in the same way some non-tattooed people might say tattooed people are drop outs, I'm fairly sure we're not haha.
Recently I discovered a rant on quite a respected figure in the tattoo community's Myspace. I say rant, it was more like pure venomous hatred.
It would seem that some find young people with visible ink, impatient and disrespectful, and they must all just think it's cool to have visible work.
I'm 23, My first tattoo was on my shoulder, then my wrists, then I got a full sleeve. Then I moved to my hands, then neck and I also have a large part of my leg tattooed.
It took me about two years to get the opportunity to get my hand tattooed by my idol, and then my neck by an artist I greatly admire, a lot of time, effort and thought was put into both of these.
Even though I'm somewhat older and do have a fair bit of coverage, I might still be classed as young and "under-tattooed" to have such visible work, and I can't help but think that's kinda crazy!
Sure I've seen some 18 year olds with kanji on their necks or poorly executed skulls on their hands, and you can almost tell they rushed into it, wanting everyone to see their new work as clearly as possible, and fine that to me is impatient and maybe even attention seeking.
Basically what I'm trying to say is that not everyone who has visible work is disrespectful to the art, some people invest a great deal of time, money and effort into getting that particular location inked with the highest standard work possible.
It's kinda funny to find prejudice within a community that tries so hard to divert it away from itself.

Thoughts?

To the general public a tattoo is more acceptable if minor and concealed if need be like a rose on the lower leg or what not. Tattoos are more accepted now than 30 years ago, girls get them now when such used to be just for the goth, the biker types, or soldiers. More sanitary conditions and recognizing tattoos as an art more so than a mutilation or marking is a cultural change from how things were long ago. This goes along with the rise of cosmetic surgery I imagine and fitness in general I believe. A tattoo on the face is generally considered extreme by most people conjuring images of Charles Manson.
Interesting idea that easily viewable tattoos that can't be covered up show more a respect for the art than ones easily concealed. In some ways that may be true, but then again such artwork is largely for the one who gets it and not necessarily for those that see it so having it so it can be covered up does not mean its less artistic in my opinion.