Vandalism....

[Warped9]

I have never bought into this behaviour. When I was younger we often played in construction sites (building new homes and subdivisions) and we never broke or vandalized anything. We never put grafitti on anything either. We left things as we found them.

Note this was in the good old days when kids could easily get onto construction sites after hours or on weekends when there was no work going on. Can't happen today. Those sites were like alien landscapes for us and it was awesome.

I've also never bought into vandalism or looting as an adult even when I've been pissed about something or other over the years. It is simply a line you shouldn't cross. Yes, it does happen that property is damaged by people sending a mention of protest, but too often the property of innocent and uninvolved folks get damaged or destroyed for no reason whatsoever. This happens particularly, but not exclusively, during times of crises. It also happens during times of supposed celebrations.

If you wouldn't want it done to you then you shouldn't do it to others.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I don't like public urination. I've never done it and I've never liked having it done to, or rather in front of, me.

 

[Admiral Shran]

I've never understood vandalism or graffiti either. If you really want to leave your mark on the world, put it on a canvas like any normal artist. Then someone probably won't paint over it or wash it away. And you could probably make a few bucks if you sold it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'd like it if they could invent walls or buildings that could erase their own graffiti in real time, like in Demolition Man.

 

[DimesDan]

I think some graffiti can be very good, I believe Bristol even dedicates an area to it each year for a small period.

 

[Warped9]

Some years ago some kids went on a tire slashing spree along our town's main street one evening. They did get caught.

I gotta wonder if they sat there in the station house waiting for their parents to arrive thinking, "Uh, when did we think this was a good idea?"

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Whenever I go to a Mets game in New York, I ride the 7 train right through the middle of Queens, and I see graffiti like you wouldn't believe. I always think, those neighborhoods would look so much better if they didn't look like somebody had thrown up all over them...

As for vandalism in general: There should be a special hell for copper thieves.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oooo the middle of Queens, destroyed by spray paint

 

[Jedi_Master]

Property damage: bad
Graffiti: not always considered property damage.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Back when I was in college I was a little withdrawn and repressed. I posted what I considered humorous lists and quotes and "rules for my room" on my dorm door as my way of communicating with the outside world.

One guy decided I needed to be "brought out of my shell," and proceeded to do so by defacing everything I posted. I was not encouraged to socialize with people who would damage my property.

I catch him. I punch. I not repressed anymore. Punch, punch, punch. You like marking things up? I mark up your face. Bounce head off floor. Nose hurt? Good. Lucky I don't bounce head until NOTHING hurt anymore.*


*The preceding occurred only in my head.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

In New Jersey we have Goosey Night, it's the night before Halloween. It's when you're supposed to do little mischievous things like, throw eggs or toss toilet paper through someone's bushes. One Goosey Night, I went out with a can of Spray Paint and wrote something on someone's car. It was an old yellow Beetle. While I can't remember what I wrote, to this day, I still feel extremely guilty for what I did. It was my first and last time ever doing something like that. I can't even remember the motivation but the guilt has stuck with me.

 

[thestrangequark]

I love graffiti. The world would be boring as fuck without it. I also live in a neighborhood famous for it, and there is some stunning art around.

The worst I ever did was when I was a kid, age eleven or so. We lived in a small town outside Seattle for a couple years, called Bothell. The town's sign said "Welcome to Bothell, for a day or a lifetime". We used to regularly go and paint over the "Bot".

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I love graffiti.

+100

 

[Kor]

Defacing or damaging things that don't belong to you is idiotic. It takes a lot of wasted time and money to fix things up again. And if the resources aren't there to fix it up right away, people are subjected to an eyesore for quite a while.

I remember when a hoard of joyous sports fans in my city went around breaking light fixtures, knocking down trash cans, etc. in "celebration" after their team won the big game.

That being said, I do enjoy seeing certain spaces that are basically reserved as open canvases for the public, when the graffiti artists respect boundaries and stay within that space. There tends to be a lot of artistic talent on display. And it's like a rotating gallery, as the old work gets covered up by something new pretty often.

Kor

 

[Warped9]

I can't imagine having your car touched so someone can make a point (if any) and you have nothing to do with their issue could be something you can take in stride. I would be furious beyond belief.

 

[thestrangequark]

Defacing or damaging things that don't belong to you is idiotic. It takes a lot of wasted time and money to fix things up again. And if the resources aren't there to fix it up right away, people are subjected to an eyesore for quite a while.

Gotta express that preteen angst somehow.

Also, Not always an eyesore.

Probably the thing I love most about my neighborhood.

+100

THIS STORY

 

[Kor]

I can't imagine having your car touched so someone can make a point (if any) and you have nothing to do with their issue could be something you can take in stride. I would be furious beyond belief.

Or, if you are struggling to make ends meet running a little mom-and-pop shop, and having your storefront smashed to bits and your inventory sacked by hooligans protesting police brutality, globalization, or some other thing that isn't connected to you in any way, shape or form.

Kor

 

[hux]

Back when I was in college I was a little withdrawn and repressed. I posted what I considered humorous lists and quotes and "rules for my room" on my dorm door as my way of communicating with the outside world

If you're communicating with the world, the world has a right to communicate back.

For some reason, there's a whole generation of people now who think that the internet is public when you are posting but private when people negatively respond to what you posted.

Some graffiti is good. Some is shit. Prefer street painters.

 

[Data Holmes]

I think the destructive aspects are an example of our (USA) cultures more repressive and violent issues. We don't know how to express ourselves healthly so it builds and when something big happens the uncontrolled release turns violent and destructive because it's all people know.

I wouldn't necessarily consider graffiti in there, or at least split it into two categories, street art and defacement.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

If you're communicating with the world, the world has a right to communicate back.

Scribbles are not communication. Not if you're over 6, anyway.