You're way over-thinking this. These punks don't give a rat's ass about the "drab, oppressive, awful junk" that's being built nowadays. All they care about is finding a place to tag that'll get them the most notice. In Europe, many beautiful buildings that've stood for hundreds of years are now blighted with spray paint.
For every one talented urban 'artist' out there, there's a thousand other losers who simply scrawl their tag anywhere they can. Graffiti is a prominent feature of hip-hop 'culture', and it's done for a brief shot at individual fame, or in other cases, to claim turf for a street gang. It's really quite sad that these kids lead such pathetic lives that it makes them seek some sort of recognition thru vandalism like graffiti.

I am gonna agree with rcooled on this. I don't think taggers are looking to "beautify" the neighborhood. That said, there are lots of drab buildings.

Don't disagree necessarily but I strongly suspect when humans feel trapped in a soulless and institutionalized looking environment it makes them go a little crazy - the need to "personalize" things runs deep. Why do prisoners draw on the walls or kill for posters or anything to instill a sense of humanity? Same neural patterns at work I suspect.

If the landscape were more pleasing to start with it'd bring the real thug goons out since they'd be be only ones tagging then (and would / should get no sympathy at that point). Heck, probably 75% of tagging is dumb goons anyway and maybe 25% (if that) people needing an outlet for creative expression but you've got to start someplace...

Move to Singapore. Citizenship is not a lengthy process if you find a job and keep it for a few years ...

Personally, having traveled to autocratic societies, I'd take graffiti every day please.

G

Should move there to get away from the litter inthe street as well?
 

No interest in changing my citizenship.
My problem is with this lack of respect of our environment and in many cases private property. I read recently of some stupid vandal tagging in our national parks. Making it her goal to tag in every park at some of the most scenic locations. WTF
When these people get caught the penalty is rarely enough to get them to stop.

I recall some years back driving in LA seeing bob wire wrap around freeway sign post to keep these morons from tagging.

Graffiti in some hard to reach spots in this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1f41Z5ALDk

That's funny
 

Cameras in ancient Rome, who knew? :D
Crucifixion or the lions den for the perp. ;)

Power roller on an extension pole. Done.

The prime motivation is alienation in a soulless technologically driven modern society. Otherwise you just become lost in the crowd of numbered drones that we have become. It is called individuation.

How would these "individuals" like it if I expressed my alienation on their house or car?

I've often wondered how much $$$$ railroad companies spend annually on cleaning up their fleets..... We all pay for that as consumers.
That being said (and this is no excuse) I really dig some of the artistry that passes by while at a railroad crossing.

As a former practitioner of university professorism, I had a student come to my office to ask for my help, because he had been arrested for painting graffiti, and he was an artist.

I asked him what building he had painted his 'art' onto. "I dunno," he answered, "some building." Was it an ugly building? "I dunno." What did the owner of the building answer when you asked him for permission to paint graffiti? "Huh?"

Actually he seemed like a nice kid, but I couldn't convince myself to help him with this problem. For me the scarey part was the fact that a person so clueless, and with such a sense of entitlement, was on his way to obtaining a university degree. Our legacy.

The penalty for this should be giant hello kitty graffiti on their homes, cars, and tattoo's on their foreheads .

Or a big dick and balls for those types of offenders!

As to the photo vash posted. I live in the east bay and I saw that graffiti the other day.
What he did not post and was not the point he was making is the gauntlet of tags, graffiti and patch work approaching this location. It's an ugly mess.

I hope those cave defacers were seriously punished all those years ago


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Cut the ropes on those vandals. Then leave the Red splatter as a reminder.