Effects of graffiti

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Effects of graffiti

Douglas Barmore

What constitutes as graffiti? Grafiti is defined as any type of writing on a surface of any type. If that is the case, then would a cave mans drawings be considered graffiti? If it is considered graffiti, then what is different about then and now that would change the worlds views about graffiti. Why is graffiti against the law? Is graffiti an art form? Can something that is done against the law, and with a total disregard for others property be considered art?

The definition of graffiti is: graf'fi'to n. pl. graf'fi'ti - Usage Problem 1. A drawing or an inscription made on a wall or other surface, usually so as to be seen by the public. Often used in the plural.

[ Italian, diminutive of graffio a scratching, scribble probably from graffiare to scratch, scribble probably from Vulgar Latin *graphi're to write with a stylus from Latin graphium stylus from Greek grapheion, graphion from graphein to write; See gerbh- in Indo-European Roots.] Usage Note: The form graffiti, based on the Italian plural, is far more common than the singular form graffito. Graffiti is often used as a singular noun. When the reference is to a particular inscription (as in There was a bold graffiti on the wall), the form graffito would be etymologically correct but might strike some readers as pedantic outside an archaeological context. There is no substitute for the singular use of graffiti when the word is used as a mass noun to refer to inscriptions in general or to the related social phenomenon. The sentence Graffiti is a major problem for the Transit Authority Police cannot be reworded Graffito is . . . (since graffito can refer only to a particular inscription) or Graffiti are . . . ,which suggests that the police problem involves only the physical marks and not the larger issue of vandalism. In such contexts, the use of graffiti as a singular is justified by both utility and widespread precedent.

Graffiti is very interesting in the fact that it is everywhere, yet people don't seem to either notice it or care about it. Graffiti has been around since history can recall, and yet very few individuals have actually done anything to try to stop it from taking place. I have seen graffiti all over the place. A few examples would be under bridges, on the walls of many different buildings, and just about anywhere else you could possibly imagine. People place graffiti in bathroom stalls, on desks in school, and even on trains and tractor trailers.

Graffiti is even considered a form of art by some individuals. There were a few web pages and books that displayed pictures of graffiti and called it art. I don't understand how they could consider the destruction of someone else's property a form of art, but they sure did.

Another book that I have looked at, talks about graffiti as "little peepholes into the minds of individuals." He speaks of how the majority of all history is recorded in the ruling classes point of view, and how if the graffiti was somehow recorded down, then we could have an insight into how the common man felt.

Socially graffiti has many effects. If a town is covered with graffiti, it is typical to assume that the town is full of lower class people. This will drastically affect what types of people move into this town. The presence of graffiti will attract people to the town who will most likely either contribute to the graffiti, or don't care about the appearance and therefore don't try to correct it. If the town already looks bad, people will use this as an excuse to go out and commit more acts of graffiti. Graffiti definitely is a social problem that is hard to correct because of its ability to get larger and larger until its too hard to tackle in conventional methods.

Graffiti left untouched is proven to tell the vandal that no one cares about the graffiti being there, so others are a lot more likely to commit acts of graffiti. Once a wall is hit, it is 10 times more likely to be hit again. A sociologist named Nathaniel Glazer says, "If a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all of the rest of the windows will soon be broken. One unrepaired window is a sign that noone cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing" (www.dodgecity.org).

Economically, graffiti can be devastating. Graffiti can cause property values to drastically decline, causing people to not rent or buy houses in that neighborhood. Most people are not going to want to move into a town that is full of graffiti because it gives the town a "run down" appearance. This would force the people to ...

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Keywords: effects of graffiti on the community, effects of graffiti on the environment, negative effects of graffiti, positive effects of graffiti, negative effects of graffiti on the community, positive effects of graffiti on the community, negative effects of graffiti on the environment, psychological effects of graffiti

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