Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/28

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Subject: Re: [Leica] leave it to them
From: Krechtz@aol.com
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 11:39:07 EDT

In a message dated 9/28/00 3:13:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
robert.appleby@tin.it writes:

<< Plus, what is this LUG consensus? I don't see it and even it was there, I
 wouldn't be influenced by it. >>

As noted, a number of posts critical of La Sontag have suggested, as I 
understand them, that her evident lack of interest and experience in 
photography tends to skew her perspective and vitiate her authoritativeness 
and authenticity as a commentator on the social and psychological dynamics of 
photography.  She may legitimately be viewed not as a photographic or 
artistic critic, in the usual sense of the word, so much as a self-styled 
philosopher or moralist.  
In other words, she may be understood as more a "Dr. Laura" than a "Martha 
Stewart".  She is not concerned so much with evaluating qualitative 
differences among photographers and their work as with raising and commenting 
on issues relating to questions such as invasion of privacy, for example.  To 
question whether she made a credible effort to experience photography from 
the standpoint of the photographer before passing judgment is justifiable.  
You are, as are all members, encouraged to be the rugged individualist every 
Leica RF photographer needs to be.
If you think it appropriate to deny the possibility of concensus among 
members, I will not quibble.

Joe Sobel