Lifts & Vandals
A deep-dive into why humans vandalise without the intention to destroy.
It was a hot day, and I was travelling to my aunt's place in Chennai.
I got out of the cab, paid the driver and walked into the lift.
When I got into the lift, I remember looking at about a thousand scribbles on the elevator door.
It had names of people, lewd comments, a mix of places, events & so many random things.
That got me thinking - "Why do people scribble in public places?"
Before I could go into the rabbit hole of this interesting human behaviour, the doors opened, and it was my time to get out. Between the tiredness of the long commute, the humid weather and meeting family after long, I forgot about this.
But today, I finally got some time to do some research on it. There are four reasons why anyone scribbles on the door of an elevator.
1. A desire for self-expression and identity assertion:
Humans have a fundamental need to leave a mark, to say, "I was here."
This practice dates back to ancient times—think cave paintings or carvings on trees—and persists today as a way to combat anonymity.
This is undeniably true in crowded and impersonal environments like elevators.
Writing one's name is a simple, immediate way to claim a piece of the world, however fleetingly. It allows anyone to assert individuality in a space where people often feel like faceless passersby.
2. Another angle is social signalling:
Scribbling a name can be a bid for attention or recognition, even from strangers.
It’s a low-stakes way to connect with others, sparking curiosity or annoyance in whoever sees it next.
In some cases, it mimics graffiti culture, where tagging is a form of open rebellion against society's norms. The elevator is a confined, shared space, becoming an impromptu canvas for this mini-performance.
3. Impulse for immortality:
Humans are wired to seek permanence in a transient world.
A name scratched into metal feels more enduring than a passing thought—it’s a tiny rebellion against being forgotten. But this is not just a behaviour you see in the masses. Even the top 1% of people share this trait, yet they express it in grandiose ways.
Many seek to etch their names into history by funding charitable causes or institutions that outlive them.
A good example is Andrew Carnegie, who built over 2,500 libraries worldwide, ensuring his name remains synonymous with education.
Building physical landmarks offers a tangible shot at permanence.
Also consider Jeff Bezos, who’s funding a 10,000-year clock in a Texas mountain. This clock is designed to outlast him and probably his next 100 generations.
He called it “an icon for long-term thinking”, but psychologically it’s a stab at philosophical immortality.
It is a monument to seek permanence in a transient world.
4. Sheer boredom or opportunism:
Elevators are liminal spaces—brief pauses where people are trapped with little to do.
With a pen or key, the idle mind might act impulsively.
Psychologists call this "disinhibition"—a loosening of social restraint in a semi-private, temporary setting.
There is always an invisible balance between our impulses and the societal norms we’ve internalized.
When that balance tips—whether from boredom, a sense of detachment, or a lack of immediate consequences, the scale tips in the other direction.
One such scenario is when a human is inside the elevator when someone is bored and lacks immediate consequences. That is when a scribble on an elevator door might happen. The best example of disinhibition is online anonymity, which often leads to people saying things they’d never dare to in person.
The key takeaway is that not just one or all of the factors push someone to scratch their name on an elevator door. Humans are different, and because of that, there are many more reasons why someone does this.
Don't scratch your name on an elevator door. Do not vandalise because the effort to destroy is much less than the effort to maintain something, even if it is an elevator door.
The next time you happen to see some names scratched on an elevator door, understand this 👇🏻
Humans are only slightly intelligent animals acting on impulse when the scale loses balance and tips in the other direction.
Nothing more, nothing less.