Electronic Graffiti

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 2:08 am

The dictionary seems to define *graffiti* in a rather pejorative fashion as: "A crude inscription or drawing on a wall or other public surface." (Assuming that the word "crude" refers to vulgar, instead of the manner in which the drawing or inscription was produced. At any rate *crude* to me is ambiguous, and many people infer that graffiti is writing of a vulgar nature.) For the purpose of this thread, I'm going to use a more general definition that includes anything scrawled on a public surface. Under this more general definition, some graffiti, though admittedly not all, is quite creative.

Recent postings have uncovered some local C&F talent in the realm of limericks, burma shave verse, epigrams and other miscellaneous literary endeavours that in days gone by one would only have expected to find hurriedly scrawled on some public wall for all to view. (In spite of the fact that this rambling probably sounds like it is heading into a harsh rebuke of our authors, it is not, and I feel that much of what we have all read shows a great deal of creativity.) These authors in the old days found an outlet for their expressions by utilizing the low overhead of a leaky magic marker to reach a large audience while cutting out the middle man -- a publisher or printer. The internet today seems to serve that same purpose while maintaining ones anonymity if they so choose. I realize that not everyone has access to the internet or even has an interest in using it, but I was curious if the availability of the internet and its inherent qualities has had any effect on the amount of scribbling one sees on public walls these days (as compared with the way it was before the internet became so commonplace.) In other words, do you think the internet is serving as the new outlet for these creative urges? [And in no way am I implying that any of these people on this board would ever consider doing such a thing to public property.]

In addition to the above point for observation or discussion, I would also like to invite all of our closet graffitists to post some of their best work. Under the rules (seeing as how I'm the one creating them) there are no rules, except to keep it clean, and, yes, you know who you are (don't make me come all the way to Switzerland to have a talk with your mom

) Seriously, folks, my son will be reading these and he gets enough of that stuff in the restroom of the local truck stop -- he doesn't need to be reading it in our home. Thanks.

Already "published" material is permitted, and it need not have been originally created by you. Just give credit to the author, even if he is the infamous "anonymous".

____________________________________
Note: It's late, ok? (almost 3:00 a.m.) I'm bored and I can't sleep. I want to know the answers to strange things when I get punchy.

Besides, I thought this might be kind of entertaining . . .

Will O'Ban

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 6:51 am

To Do is To Be. - Socrates

To Be is To Do. - Aristotle

Do Be Do Be Do Be Do Be. - Sinatra.

Seen on a toilet wall, Dublin. (circa 1975.)

Slan,
D.

izzarina · Post by **izzarina** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 6:56 am

Will O'B wrote:[And in no way am I implying that any of these people on this board would ever consider doing such a thing to public property.]

Hey, Will...I know why your posting this. You saw me scribbling IZZY WAS HERE on the C&F bathroom wall yesterday, didn't you?

I actually have no opinion of grafitti....the very little that we have in our town isn't all that good. It hasn't seemed to increase in the past few years, so maybe that's due to the internet? But still stand by my vote...get some sleep Will

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:04 am

There are those who conside graffiti vandalism, others who consider it 'folk art'. I haven't payed enough attention to it to notice either a decline or an increase of it. Although, I will say that I cannot imagine walking downtown anywhere USA without seeing it...and if it were to be permanently removed from buildings, boxcars, buses and retaining walls, I am sure that I would miss it.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 8:02 am

It is my observation that those who enjoy marking territory with graffiti (much as cats mark car tires) like to travel in bands. They aren't really the geeky loner internet types.

izzarina · Post by **izzarina** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:47 am

emmline wrote:It is my observation that those who enjoy marking territory with graffiti (much as cats mark car tires) like to travel in bands. They aren't really the geeky loner internet types.

Good point, Em. The kids that I have seen that make all the graffiti here are in actual gangs...you never see one of them alone.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:01 am

My favorite of all time, found in a seedy cafe restroom stall:

"I'd smoke pot but I can't get my lips around the bowl."

--Anonymous

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:39 am

I don't know. Not a lot of grafitti here in the 'burbs.

But, I'd guess that the answer is no. One, I agree with Emily. Two, the people who do it as 'tagging' wouldn't find internet posting a suitable alternative. and Three, if you want to deface someone's property, doing it online doesn't give the same satisfaction.

There are however internet vandals (hackers, crackers) who like to break into sites and mark it up to show they were there. We had that happen once at anoter site. It sucked. It's like a competition between hackers to see who can break inot the most number and the most difficult site and leave theri calling cards.

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:40 am

emmline wrote:It is my observation that those who enjoy marking territory with graffiti (much as cats mark car tires) like to travel in bands. They aren't really the geeky loner internet types.

Harsh words Emm.

I travelled all over Ireland for many years playing in various bands but we never indulged in any graffitti (Nor have I have ever seen a cat writing on a car tyre.)

By the way, is all that stuff written on the wall of the C+F gentlemans washroom about you really true? Amar swears it is....,

Slan,
D.

lonewhistler · Post by **lonewhistler** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 12:28 pm

There are lots of reasons for doing graffiti. I think that many consider graffiti to be an art form, and therefore I don't think that the Internet would be a useful device in furthering that particular art form. Personally, I could care less about graffiti. I don't really pay attention to it. "Tagging" is quite popular in the hip-hop lifestyle. Within that context, graffiti is purely an art form. I don't care for hip-hop either. Word.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 1:30 pm

dubhlinn wrote:
emmline wrote:It is my observation that those who enjoy marking territory with graffiti (much as cats mark car tires) like to travel in bands. They aren't really the geeky loner internet types.
Harsh words Emm.

I travelled all over Ireland for many years playing in various bands but we never indulged in any graffitti (Nor have I have ever seen a cat writing on a car tyre.)

By the way, is all that stuff written on the wall of the C+F gentlemans washroom about you really true? Amar swears it is....,

Slan,
D.

I would trust the scribblings in the gentlemen's washroom...but think twice about what's written in the guys' loo.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:34 pm

No-no-no-no. This isn't what I meant at all. I recognize that there is a certain element that feel compelled to mark their territory like some junk yard dog. I'm not asking if you still see a lot of gang symbols and slogans . . . that wouldn't be affected by having the internet as an outlet. I'm thinking more along the lines of the politically disgruntled college student who posts his philosophy on a campus restroom wall. When I was in college 30+ years ago it was common to find someone's opinion scrawled on the wall in the form of an epigram or a limerick or other verse. These weren't street gangs lurking around some hallowed hall of higher learning (although a bathroom stall may not constitute a "hallowed hall".) I was just wondering if the internet provides an outlet for those type of urges to see one's work "in print" so to speak (obviously, the term "in print" is used very loosely here). For the record, I consider scrawling on public or private walls to be defacing the property regardless of how creative the verse may be that is scrawled there. Be that as it may, some of the writings are creative and witty.

Dubhlinn and Nanohedron have the right idea in their posts. I can't recall the limericks or other verse that I've seen but following are some epigrams that I remember either seeing on a wall or reading about:

It has been discovered that research is the leading cause of cancer in rats.
(Harvard University Science Hall Men's Room)

To err is disfunctional. To forgive co-dependent.
(Annonymous)

The difference between genius & stupidity is that genius has its limits.
(A Columbia University Men's Room)

Beauty is only a light switch away.
(Perkins Library, Duke University)

You can fool some of the people all of the time;
And all of the people some of the time;
But most of the time they're busy fooling you.
(Cafe wall in Kirksville, MO)

No matter where you go . . . there you are.

____________________________
Anyhow, all of this is just an example of how twisted your thoughts can become when you suffer from extreme sleep deprivation. . .I don't recommend it for anyone. Sorry if this thread didn't go anywhere . . . it made sense at the time.

Will O'Ban

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:40 pm

Yes, I consider it destructive and silly, too.

But here's a funny little irony...
There's apparently a cave in the north of Scotland which, at one time, provided a bad weather refuge for some adventuring Norsemen who, while waiting out the weather, scribbled on the cave walls.

According to the translation they idled away their time scribbling about female anatomy.

Having access to that bit of history seems somehow worthwhile, and reminds us that people haven't changed too much

Random notes · Post by **Random notes** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:28 pm

My mother made me a homosexual

(written underneath it):

If I gave her the wool, would she make me one too?

_____________________________________________________

Tagging or marking territory aside, I think that graffiti has become less fashionable. Maybe the internet has had something to do with it - the opportunity for nearly anonymous communication, the cri de cour that we release to express ourselves but deny to protect ourselves.

Unlike graffiti, internet postings invite replies and continued exchange which makes them more personal and riskier so there are still things that we need to post on toilet walls and stalls. Like our ex's phone number...

Roger

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:48 pm

dubhlinn wrote:
emmline wrote:It is my observation that those who enjoy marking territory with graffiti (much as cats mark car tires) like to travel in bands. They aren't really the geeky loner internet types.
Harsh words Emm.

I travelled all over Ireland for many years playing in various bands but we never indulged in any graffitti

Good one! Many hours later and it sinks in . . . Usually I'm a little quicker on the pickup.

Will O'Ban

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Electronic Graffiti

Do you think the internet has reduced the amount of graffiti that you've seen on public walls?

Electronic Graffiti

Re: OT: Electronic Graffiti

Graffiti?