[direwolf20]

Resisting the ideology that only people with money can alter the city environment.

When you see an impressive sculpture or skyscraper you know a lot of resources were spent, you know the rich people here are rich. When you see an area with lots of graffiti, there may be many good or bad things about it, but you know the citizens are free.

I would hope graffitiers have respect to only draw on the mundane parts of the city, not on cool sculptures. And in my experience, that is true. Also they should not obscure windows or information signs.

[ZpJuUuNaQ5]

I think the cultural barrier preventing me from understanding this way of thinking is impenetrable to me. What a strange world, huh?

[komali2]

I think that's very exciting for you, because imo it's very rarely we encounter truly challenging problems like this.

I understand that you prefer to make up your mind about street artists, but I can assure you as someone that used to hold the same opinion, that opinion is held from a place of unfamiliarity with the culture and the people in it. It was very enlightening for me to step out of my SF tech circle into the street art scene and talk to very, very different people. You may be different but I personally find it very important to challenge my thinking by talking to very different kinds of people.

[ZpJuUuNaQ5]

>I think that's very exciting for you

Random online interactions rarely change anyone's opinions, and you don't have to accept my worldview, and neither I need to accept yours. I am just somewhat saddened that there are people who would defend defacing the city like that, but at the same time, I understand that we are byproducts of our environment. I think I should consider myself lucky that I happen to live in a place which I appreciate. It's not that I am incapable of admiring art or loathe graffiti as a style, but, at least based on my experience, most of it are just cases of vandalism. My city actually have places dedicated to graffiti artists, so that they can create whatever they want freely, but I guess that removes at least some of the fun.

[direwolf20]

Our environment controls us, and we are also allowed to control our environment.

Graffiti is like protesting. The government likes to contain it and deny it and suppress it. Your city probably has a free speech zone where protesting is allowed, which is far out of the way so those protests won't have an audience, but that is not where protests occur when they occur.

[ZpJuUuNaQ5]

>Your city probably has a free speech zone where protesting is allowed, which is far out of the way so those protests won't have an audience, but that is not where protests occur when they occur.

What a weird thing to say. I don't know whether you live in some totalitarian regime or assume that you do, but I don't. However, I can see it as means of protesting, an we can find examples of it in history and current day, but most graffiti out there is not that at all.

[komali2]

To be honest, most protesting is silly as well, go hang out in front of government buildings or go to a city council meeting to see for yourself, it's just as often legitimate grievances as it is nutballs ranting about aliens.

[direwolf20]

Are you American? Freedom means the ability to do what you want. It doesn't mean owning guns.

[nmeofthestate]

I'm not American, but I doubt being pro-graffiti is a universal American value. I suspect many Americans aren't that into it, given it makes the place look bad. Many Americans might think instead that you should only deface things you own.

[direwolf20]

I think it makes the place look like a place where people are free and not oppressed, which is nice.

[lostdog]

They are oppressed by their neighbors, who can scribble all over their home without consequences.

Have you had to clean off graffiti?

[direwolf20]

Why would I have to clean it off?

[ZpJuUuNaQ5]

>Are you American? Freedom means the ability to do what you want. It doesn't mean owning guns.

No, I am not, and I haven't mentioned guns or even hinted at the topic. Do whatever you want, but trying to purposefully destroy and smear the environment around you and claim it's an expression of freedom is ridiculous. It's just malicious, disgusting behavior that helps no one, serves no cause and has nothing to do with freedom.

[recursive]

I don't think most graffiti writers are trying to destroy their environment.

[socalgal2]

I'm surprised you don't understand it. Put your money where your mouth is. Let me come over and tag all your property.

[komali2]

You would be doing so alongside tens of other artists, and then after a month or so I would whitewash the wall, and everyone would start up all over again. Such is street art. Kinda beautiful, how much effort people put into art they know will be gone or changed possibly within a couple days.