We have a phrase in graffiti that goes “Don’t burn the spot”. It’s one of the unwritten rules of the game. In general it’s meant to keep people from fucking up things for other people.
A lot of yards are out of the public eye allowing writers to spend time on more artistic versions of graffiti; these aren’t usually legal, but they’re out of sight, so more time can be spent. Some of the best graffiti is created in these places.
When you’re leaving a spot like this, if you catch a bunch of tags near the entrance and all over the surrounding area, it will draw unwanted attention and essentially ruin it for everyone else. The same can be applied to other things like shops that sell graffiti supplies, galleries that showcase graffiti art, etc.
I was thinking about this concept outside of graffiti and realized it can be applied to all aspects of life. It’s about raising your standards. What if you started looking at your actions like they ALL mattered. Little things that we may not think about.
One that I learned and never thought about was when I went to my first Arete Syndicate summit. We visited the 1st Phorm headquarters. If you’re looking for an example of incredibly high standards, it would be hard to find a better one than this place.
They told us we were expected to live by these standards when visiting. This included wiping the water droplets off the sink and counter when we were done washing out hands. I’ve honestly never thought of doing that, but now I do it every time.
I have a long way to go, but I’m chipping away at things that I used to look at like they don’t matter. If we start looking at everything like it matters, maybe the combination of all these little things getting taken care of can make the world better than it is.
6 comments
Lynn H.
Well said!
FATSLO
The thing about the water drops around the sink is something I’ve been told to do since I was too hound to remember. Also putting something I use back where I found it. And a super major important one, treating everything that isn’t mine as if it belonged to my folks. Please and thank you were always big. To chew with your mouth closed ( if you think that’s dumb then obviously you’re one of those annoying people to sit around while you eat and don’t know it ) because of the many reasons why you should. The list goes on. It’s beyond obvious the under 25 year olds in todays world have just about no clue as to what consideration for others is all about. It’s fucked up to think that there are people/kids/young adults that truly think of nobody else but themselves. So empathy. No sympathy. And burning any spot, be it a yard or a graff shop, or just the dope spot in that cut, perfect for laying low to have some drinks and smoke a blunt with the homies all have their irreplaceable spots in this world that cannot be replaced once they are gone. Threat them all like family or whatever the fuck you cherish before they are all gone and everything turns to unruly chaos. See someone slippin, don’t be afraid to call them out. And if need be, teach them a lesson that no one else has yet. It will absolutely matter, and make sure that we all have values in what we respect over others.
Alex
Keep up the good work
Melissa Sosa
Love it! ❤️✨
Kayel
Just wanted to say this article was really good, I hope more come out dropping knowledge and comparing it to how we act in the real world.
At home we use trash cans, so why should it be any different in the streets?
I hate walking to a spot and seeing empties, and caps, and crushed beer cans and broken glass everywhere. Those are the things that really ruin beautiful places and draw heat.
Dan
Good article. I feel the same way about a lot of things in life. I get tempted to take photos of other artists’ work, but I put down the phone and just enjoy it with my eyes. I don’t want to be an Instagram rat.