A question for you. If a building lay abandoned near you, would it likely be looted, vandalised and covered in graffiti? It would be interested to know vaguely where you come from.
I'd say in a lot of urban areas in the UK, properties left abandoned often get ransacked, smashed up, defaced (although, I actually like gaffiti when effort is made) and even set on fire.
I really enjoy watching urbex (urban exploration) videos. I've also been watching clips about Japan. While it's probably not an all together accurate description, people seem so respectful and law abiding there. There was a clip about the very high rate of returning lost property there. It mentioned the 'hitono-me' (the societal eye) in which people are conscious to keep their reputations as good citizens. I wonder- for any residents of Japan- do abandoned buildings go unscathed there? I imagine they would more.
That got me to thinking- is that a good thing do you suppose? For people to be raised with more discipline? Surely, it makes society as a whole safer- perhaps. Does it make people happier? Maybe it can't eradicate crime though. Plus, if all that is repressed the whole time, does it make a release more explosive? Is it good for youths to be able to get out their anger on some old abandoned building? Does it really release it for them though? Or, does it just make them want to do more damage? I don't think people in Japan can be entirely happy with so much discipline and expectation. The suicide rates would be lower otherwise.
I guess it's a balance. I suppose I find it a shame when I see urbex videos and everything is smashed to shit. But then, I went through an aggressive stage when I was young. I remember smashing up a big pumpkin in the garden after halloween. Not public or other people's property though. I wonder what it is inside us that makes us want to destroy things.
I'd say in a lot of urban areas in the UK, properties left abandoned often get ransacked, smashed up, defaced (although, I actually like gaffiti when effort is made) and even set on fire.
I really enjoy watching urbex (urban exploration) videos. I've also been watching clips about Japan. While it's probably not an all together accurate description, people seem so respectful and law abiding there. There was a clip about the very high rate of returning lost property there. It mentioned the 'hitono-me' (the societal eye) in which people are conscious to keep their reputations as good citizens. I wonder- for any residents of Japan- do abandoned buildings go unscathed there? I imagine they would more.
That got me to thinking- is that a good thing do you suppose? For people to be raised with more discipline? Surely, it makes society as a whole safer- perhaps. Does it make people happier? Maybe it can't eradicate crime though. Plus, if all that is repressed the whole time, does it make a release more explosive? Is it good for youths to be able to get out their anger on some old abandoned building? Does it really release it for them though? Or, does it just make them want to do more damage? I don't think people in Japan can be entirely happy with so much discipline and expectation. The suicide rates would be lower otherwise.
I guess it's a balance. I suppose I find it a shame when I see urbex videos and everything is smashed to shit. But then, I went through an aggressive stage when I was young. I remember smashing up a big pumpkin in the garden after halloween. Not public or other people's property though. I wonder what it is inside us that makes us want to destroy things.
