Anger?

[IJesusChrist]

God damnit, last night I was having a little paint session near some railroad tracks. Real fun night - sometimes I'd rather not paint though where we did, but anyways:

A met a kid somewhere along the track, and the guy comes up to me and starts running his mouth off and puffing his chest about how I'm shit, he's the shit, and I need to get the fuck out of here.

I said calm down man, why are you doing this, settle down, etc.

He backed down a little bit but then attacked my friend, just trying to one up us, emasculate us. I couldn't help but wonder if I am should retaliate or if I should somehow work with this kid. I couldn't help but get angry - that is just the instinct. I wanted to hurt the guy, but I wasn't going to, no real reason other than impulsive action.

But I can't help but think about the impossibility of turning that encounter around. There was no way I was going to persuade him to chill out, relax, and be "nice". It wasn't happening. As I was walking back I figured - I'm going to cross out his name everywhere, cause "that's what you do in graffiti" when you don't like someone. But then I thought - no. That will only exaccerbate the problem. How the hell do I deal with this guy since I know I'm going to see him again.

The general question is, how can we cope with people of such great anger and blindness in the world? Do we ignore them? Do we take our chances? Where do you all sit on this / experience with this?

 

[Reasonablelogic]

The general question is, how can we cope with people of such great anger and blindness in the world? Do we ignore them? Do we take our chances? Where do you all sit on this / experience with this?

Show them love and compassion. -Thought you were highly empathetic dude.

Personally I would have ignored him, and continued painting, or I would have walked away if I sensed a physical conflict were to occur. If he attacked you, then of course defend yourself, but only enough to immobilize, never to critically hurt.

Don't let anger dictate your actions. It's a powerful emotion if used in a regulated and logical manner. Short static burst invokes chaos, destruction, and usually a waste of energy.

 

[IJesusChrist]

Easier said than done, unfortunately.

And I was being empathetical but there was no backing this kid down.

"What are you doing right now?" "Why are you doing this?" "This is not worth getting angry about."

That is what I kept repeating over and over, but he had no interest in self- examination at the moment. There are people who can pick up on compassion, and there are those who push it away.

 

[Sticki]

Trying to bring him into a state of awareness is probably one of the best things you could of done, Thinking on your feet. However you probably only made him think you are exactly what he thinks you are. On examination of your account the situation seems totally unprovoked and this person probably only reacted out of jealousy or fear, Anger is a by product of passion.

In his eyes he probably saw 2 new people "on his turf" so to speak that were taking good spots for tagging, Felt intimidated by your presence, Genuinely did not like your style of graffiti, Felt he had to make his alpha male position known to you and stop you from challanging him or knows you go to college / university and is possibly threatend by the chance you are more intellegent then him and could take his alpha male role by impressing people with a different attitude to life.

Any of the above and maybe more then one combined could explain your encounter I guess mate. I suggest you find some where new to tag and avoid this person or you stand up to him. Being clever with a not so clever person often results in a bad outcome.

When you say attacked your friend, How bad are we talking?

 

[ararat]

there are people who are terrified by love, and it sounds like this guy was one of them. on top of that is hard (impossible) to love on command.
the best thing would be to get them to leave, somehow. ignoring is hard when they become physical, but picking up on their antagonism isn't a good choice either.

 

[ophiuchus]

depends on if he became physically violent with you guys or not. when you say attacked, you mean verbally, right?

every situation calls for something different, what you did was all that you could do. wouldn't worry about next time until it comes, and then all that matters is offering the present moment everything that you can.

 

[Illegalsmile]

to me sounds like one of those guys who give graff a bad name. yea ive heard you had to hold youre painting spot down like a gang. you hear graffiti writers talk about it but i say that has nothing to do with graffiti, graffiti is to escape the gang stuff not be involved in it. i just personally believe this. so i think this guy is a wannabe, but he could still be trouble (like carrying a weapon), i say call the cops or find a new spot to paint.

theres so many gang writers where i live its no fun to tag anymore either cops or gangs will chase you. maybe there is friendly areas where painters meet over there like an art community

 

[IJesusChrist]

yeah man, I wanted to tell him this is 2011 and you're not in LA or new york or dt chicago.

you're here. This isn't 1993, this isn't gang banging, no "RIP your name here" stuff anymore, and it never should have been. Graffiti is art, its something to look at, and its something to promote. Not something to be chased off and made exclusive.

I will not start beef with him and if I see him again I'll let the winds take it.

PS: Verbally attacked, not physically. That would have been another story.

 

[Crimzen]

haha
if there were 'tens of thousands behind' then i doubt there would have been an issue to begin with :roll: