Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/08

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day
From: Peterson Arthur G NSSC <PetersonAG@NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL>
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 13:19:05 -0400

I did read the book, and while I do not necessarily wish to champion Ms.
Sontag, I would nevertheless suggest, as a general rule, that we all do
better not to conclude too readily why something is just nonsensical or
preposterous, but rather to consider possible ways in which it might make
sense.  The case against Ms. Sontag seems a bit vociferous.  Surely the poor
woman might have an idea or two worth thinking about, and surely the quote
put forth is not devoid of all sense if we consider it (which does not mean
that we must agree with it).

Just a thought!  I could be wrong.

Art Peterson


- -----Original Message-----
From:	Jem Kime [mailto:jem.kime@cwcom.net]
Sent:	Friday, September 08, 2000 9:58 AM
To:	'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
Subject:	RE: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day

Chandos,
I'll rise to answering this.

It sucks of 'psuedo speak', something which sounds profound but is in fact 
merely a cleverly phrased set of superficial words.
If the statement is analysed the b/s becomes apparent. Photographers do not 
'invent' the past, nothing 'invents' the past, the statement is empty and 
futile in its nonsense. Facile in its preposterousness. The past is past, 
it can be recorded, not invented. Events can be staged or manipulated but 
this happens in the present, these events can be recorded withphotography 
but that doesn't mean they're invented.

If you look to Stalinist Russia you'll recall that it was Pravda that 
recorded, one might be tempted to say 'rearranged', and came closest to 
'inventing' the past. But mere photographers? By themselves? No.
America more than perhaps any other country values its freedom of speech so 
highly that (I contend) it would be impossibile to 'invent' the past 
contrary to real events.

She's trying to say something which isn't communicated well. If she were a 
better writer we would understand what it was. Alas, all I see is 
psycho-babble.

Jem (who tried to read the book once but couldn't manage it to the end - 
this may speak more of me...) Kime


- -----Original Message-----
From:	Chandos Michael Brown [SMTP:cmbrow@wm.edu]
Sent:	08 September 2000 14:29
To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject:	Re: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day

What, precisely, is objectionable about this passage?
Chandos

At 08:17 AM 9/8/2000 -0500, you wrote:
> > In America the photographer is not simply the person who records the 
past, but the one who invents it.
> > > Susan Sontag

Chandos Michael Brown
Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies
College of William and Mary

http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown