Thousands of people flock to the Grand Canyon every year to see one of the most awe-inspiring wonders of the world. It'd be nice if they didn't have to also see someone's name spray-painted on the rocks. Unfortunately, due to the actions of some careless people, that is now part of the landscape.
"Subhuman piles of garbage vandalizing the Grand Canyon," an enraged Redditor captioned a post in the r/NationalPark subreddit. The irate OP included seven photos showing people's names and other things scribbled on a rock wall.
"There are people we call 'drag-a-longs.' They don't care and don't know about the history of the place they are visiting. They are only there because someone dragged them there," one person commented.
"There is no room for degenerates in nature," another added.
Unfortunately, this type of behavior has become very common. Whether it's leaving a mark, ignoring boundaries, or getting dangerously close to wildlife for a selfie, people sometimes don't show nature the respect it deserves.
Visiting national parks like the Grand Canyon is a great chance to unplug and connect with nature. Numerous studies show spending time in nature can improve your mental health. Doctors in Canada are even writing prescriptions for a national parks pass.
Treating parks and wildlife with respect and leaving the environment how you found it ensures that others can enjoy these ecosystems for generations.
However, some commenters pointed out that future generations may see the graffiti differently.
"Just wait 2000 years, future civilizations are gonna love it," one wrote.
Many of the commenters brought up the fact that people have been drawing on rocks and cave walls since humans were able to use tools and suggested the OP and some of the other commenters calm their vitriol.
"It's human nature to want to leave your mark on the world, so calling them vile things like 'subhuman' is not only hateful, but it's objectively wrong," another wrote.
While they have a point, and there is no need for hateful language, ancient humans did not use toxic paint and markers to write their names. Plus, at the time, the area wasn't protected land; the cave was their home. This is defacing shared public spaces meant to be enjoyed by all — and often will just require a park staffer to use a bunch of cleaning products to remove anyway.
Ultimately, humans leave their mark on the world in plenty of places. The idea behind preserving national parks is to keep some areas as unaffected by humans as possible.
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