Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Paul, You ask, "how she [Susan Sontag] could have said that in the face of the work of...Vietnam War photographers" and "the news photos of the civil rights marches." But her quote didn't say that "concerned photography" has not aroused conscience, rather only that it has "done at least AS MUCH to deaden conscience as to arouse it" [emphasis added]. And so I would suggest that you answer your own question in your second paragraph, where you attest that you "do find deadening...the sheer volume of anonymous 'tragedy photography.'" That sort of phenomenon, as opposed to the effects of Natchwey or some photographers of the Vietnam War and civil rights marches, is, I presume, what she refers to. :-) Art Peterson - -----Original Message----- From: Paul Chefurka [mailto:Paul_Chefurka@pmc-sierra.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 4:50 PM To: 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us' Subject: RE: [Leica]More Sontag et al If that quote is even halfway accurate without its context, I wonder how she could have ever said that in the face of the work of all those incomparable Vietnam War photographers who awoke the conscience of so much of the western world. Or even the news photos of the civil rights marches of the early 60's. One thing that I do find deadening is the sheer volume of anonymous "tragedy photography" we are inundated with. Rather being stirred to action or concern by it, I find myself overwhelmed and numbed by the endless mudslide of misery. I find myself saying things like "Yeah, yeah, more starving Ethiopian babies, more displaced Kosovars, more homeless Turkish earthquake victims - the troubles of the world are far too enormous for me to affect." And yet, even with this inoculation of ennui, Natchwey's pictures still get through to me. And even after all your explanations, Arthur, I just don't understand your antipathy towards this one man. Paul >-----Original Message----- >From: ARTHURWG@aol.com [mailto:ARTHURWG@aol.com] >Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 4:14 PM >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >Subject: Re: [Leica]More Sontag et al > > >Sontag (Apropos of Nachtwey): > >"In the last decades, 'concerned photography' has done at >least as much to deaden conscience as to arouse it." > >Arthur >