Journal #4

After having read Edbauer’s “(Meta)Physical Graffiti: ‘Getting Up’ As Affective Writing Model,” I can confidently say that place and scene both have an enormous effect on everyday writing. One could say everyday writing is defined as everyday writing because of where and how it is written. Edbauer’s first example of the September 11th wall with the out of place “ZEPPELIN ROCKS” graffiti is a prime example of how place and scene play into everyday writing. If one saw that quote on a random wall or poster, they probably would not think much of it, besides the fact that the creator of the writing just thinks Zeppelin rocks. However, because this quote was placed somewhere it clearly did not belong, people were genuinely upset and offended by it in that moment. These factors of place and scene play much bigger roles in everyday writing than many think, but without the proper place and scene, the perception of the writing can completely change. Also included in the article are Joseph Petraglia’s thoughts of how knowledge can be “altered through an individual’s interaction with and within his or ‘discourse community.’” This explains how a writers community and a writers experiences with the world around them can greatly influence their choices when it comes to the place and scene of their everyday writing.

Place and scene also both play a very important role in the circulation of ideas. For example, when it comes to graffiti, one person can put writing and/or art on a wall one day, and then the next day someone can choose to build off of that persons graffiti with their own. Therefore, the people are somewhat working together by collaborating their ideas in one place. This circulation can also be seen by gangs that put their sign up on wherever they wish. If a gang put their sign up somewhere it did not belong, a rival gang could take that as a challenge, and a type of war could potentially break out because of this role place and scene have with writing.