Anonymous
Contributor
The Navigator
Looking around campus, it’s obvious that graffiti happens, and most commonly in the washrooms. Nevertheless, I won’t try and claim that graffiti is art, because street art is in a category of its own. But I will never say graffiti is just wanton destruction of public property, which is a debatable matter entirely.
There is a difference between graffiti and vandalism. Even though in some people’s eyes all graffiti is vandalism, not all vandalism is graffiti. But let us not look upon the negative side, but instead, consider the following. Graffiti can be used to stimulate intellectual discussions or even bring light to important issues to share interesting quotes or ask philosophical questions.
Unfortunately, most written graffiti is indecipherable, or in the case of bathroom graffiti, either toilet humour or advertisements for sex. When it comes down to it, having art in washrooms is not very desirable— either you will not be appreciative, or forever associate similar art to the experience of expelling waste from your body. Nevertheless, just think about it, while you’re sitting there knowing that it is going to be a long haul and you see something written on the wall.
Essentially, it is the same concept as bringing a book or the newspaper in there. It is something to distract you from your current situation, which would usually be relieving but by no means delightful. So why not bring a little entertainment to that experience. Where better to open yourself up to new things and broaden your mind than a university, even if that happens to be a bathroom.? The vandalism needs to stop, by saying that I mean the inappropriate drawings and poor language.
I don’t mean to say graffiti should be stopped, but just think about what it is you are writing. Now I know that the establishment will say that graffiti shows a lack of respect for the institution and if done in a negative and destructive manner it is disrespectful. If done positively and constructively, graffiti can be a great forum environment that shows we understand the fundamental purpose of universities. I am an advocate for intellectual graffiti, and I know that I am not the only one, even in this university. If they consider this destructive and want to punish us for this, then I aim to misbehave.