Comment 29776

By arienc (registered) | Posted March 27, 2009 at 09:44:05

An interesting debate.

Do we allow any citizen to individually decide how to go about beautifying the urban environment? Or do we as citizens require that this type of activity first receive our permission?

I've long been concerned about the impact that graffiti has on a community...the broken window syndrome, where the impression is given that society does not care about its assets, and therefore does not care about the community that uses them. Allowing "tagging" is tantamount to telling citizens that the things that they have worked hard to pay for are not worth properly taking care of.

However when it crosses the line and becomes creative and artistic, and actually adds value to the community, such as seen here, it has the opposite impact.

Do we accept the "bad" graffiti that is more prevelant, equivalent to dogs marking their territory, in hopes that some of it will be "good"? Who decides what is "good", and what has artistic merit? The taggers? Civic administrators? Voters? It's a slippery slope.

"First they built the road, then they built the town. That's why we're still driving around and around, and all we see. Are kids in buses. Longing to be free." - Wasted Hours, The Arcade Fire

Permalink | Context

Events Calendar

There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?

Recent Articles

Article Archives

Blog Archives

Site Tools

Feeds