B.A.L.L.S.: Taggers in different forms
Bitching about Life in London and Society
a weekly column that attempts to delve into
the smaller irritations in our society
The Tagger, expanded
Background:
Last year I wrote on the unique form of life that scrawls on walls. I delved into the motivations of the tagger and drew a few conclusions from my research and observations. This week I will expand upon this phenomenon, and show that there may be a deeper motivation behind marking one's territory.
Tags are those cryptic symbols and words that you see all over town. They are quick, stylized signatures that pop up in prolific numbers as you cruise the city. They're on walls, buildings, fences, signs, doors and bus stops.
The Tagger:
They practice their marks in books, binders and desks at high school. They gather a collection of spray paint, grease markers, shoe polish and bingo dabbers. They are trained, they are equipped and they are motivated. They meet at night, plan their attack and slink around town in direct competition with raccoons, skunks, stray cats and cops. They tag on walls, they tag on signs, they tag over someone else's tag and they tag over erased tags. They deface, ruin, destroy and irritate an entire city. So, I ask you, why? Because they have the power to deface, to ruin and to irritate an entire city. They incur a degree of notoriety amongst their circles, they expand their illusionary territory in competition with other taggers and they solidify a place in their tribe.
In my opinion, most active taggers display a lack of social conscience or understanding that writing their tag on someone else's property is a violation of the victims themselves:
The small business owner who has to clean up his property every week, London Transit that has to replace etched windows, trashed bus shelters and signs, the Thames Valley School board that cannot buy new computer equipment or sports supplies, because they are spending their budget to clean up graffiti.
Who is the real victim? The community is. We must make our active taggers understand that they are part of the community and, therefore, they are victimizing themselves!
The Tagger expanded:
One cannot help but notice a new form of tagging in our downtown core: large canvas signs on the side of many buildings denoting that these premises are owned by FARHI HOLDINGS. There is no motivation that I can see for these signs beyond ego. They maintain all the irritants that one may feel when viewing a tag. It is a tag! It has forced me to rethink my conclusion of last year, and put it into a larger scope of human motivations: Ego driven, legacy pandering. Farhi Holdings owns this, Ivy school of that, this theatre brought to you by the Spriet Von Trapp family singers and The Siskind Boys' and Girls' Club rotary chamber of commerce variety store, et cetera. I didn't realize that true philanthropy includes a monument. Perhaps the Egyptians had it right all along?
Comments? Look for the group B.A.L.L.S. On Facebook.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
The Tagger, expanded
Background:
Last year I wrote on the unique form of life that scrawls on walls. I delved into the motivations of the tagger and drew a few conclusions from my research and observations. This week I will expand upon this phenomenon, and show that there may be a deeper motivation behind marking one's territory.
Tags are those cryptic symbols and words that you see all over town. They are quick, stylized signatures that pop up in prolific numbers as you cruise the city. They're on walls, buildings, fences, signs, doors and bus stops.
The Tagger:
They practice their marks in books, binders and desks at high school. They gather a collection of spray paint, grease markers, shoe polish and bingo dabbers. They are trained, they are equipped and they are motivated. They meet at night, plan their attack and slink around town in direct competition with raccoons, skunks, stray cats and cops. They tag on walls, they tag on signs, they tag over someone else's tag and they tag over erased tags. They deface, ruin, destroy and irritate an entire city. So, I ask you, why? Because they have the power to deface, to ruin and to irritate an entire city. They incur a degree of notoriety amongst their circles, they expand their illusionary territory in competition with other taggers and they solidify a place in their tribe.
In my opinion, most active taggers display a lack of social conscience or understanding that writing their tag on someone else's property is a violation of the victims themselves:
The small business owner who has to clean up his property every week, London Transit that has to replace etched windows, trashed bus shelters and signs, the Thames Valley School board that cannot buy new computer equipment or sports supplies, because they are spending their budget to clean up graffiti.
Who is the real victim? The community is. We must make our active taggers understand that they are part of the community and, therefore, they are victimizing themselves!
The Tagger expanded:
One cannot help but notice a new form of tagging in our downtown core: large canvas signs on the side of many buildings denoting that these premises are owned by FARHI HOLDINGS. There is no motivation that I can see for these signs beyond ego. They maintain all the irritants that one may feel when viewing a tag. It is a tag! It has forced me to rethink my conclusion of last year, and put it into a larger scope of human motivations: Ego driven, legacy pandering. Farhi Holdings owns this, Ivy school of that, this theatre brought to you by the Spriet Von Trapp family singers and The Siskind Boys' and Girls' Club rotary chamber of commerce variety store, et cetera. I didn't realize that true philanthropy includes a monument. Perhaps the Egyptians had it right all along?
Comments? Look for the group B.A.L.L.S. On Facebook.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
