Re: [Leica] Photojournalisim and 9/11

[Teresa299@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/2/02 11:53:49 AM, allanwafkowski@mac.com writes:

<< Kim, I can't disagree with what you have written, but I do disagree with 
your apparent prognosis.

"People (the human animal with a reptilian brain) are far more inclined 
to engage in pleasurable pursuits than painful ones" is a remark that 
leaves little room for our power to reason. We are all inclined to what 
is easy, fun, and pleasurable; but we can override that through the use 
of our reasoning ability. It's become difficult because the notion of 
absolutes is much diminished in our society, and there are a couple of 
generations bouncing around who are looking inward to their egos for 
answers. Still, we all know students who worked harder than their peers 
to get into the school they wanted, or know of parents who used family 
resources for the pleasure of their children in lieu of their own 
pleasure. Discipline and sacrifice are not popular, but our reasoning 
has always had the power to take up beyond animal instincts.

Allan >>

Hi Allan,

Well as you noted what I said is what folks are more "inclined" to do.  Of 
course, there can and always be overrides to inclinations.  Although 
intentional "reason" and tradition are certainly ways to override 
inclinations there are others at work as well.  Serving ones ego is a big 
motivator and so is a sense of altruism, connectedness to the world, empathy, 
and spirituality.

As to the original thought regarding pj and changing the world, I guess that 
despite my cynicism I have a much more amorphous view of how photos change 
the world and how change even occurs.  I think about the analogy to the pond, 
and how a thrown stone or landing insect will bring about ripples throughout 
the pond.  We do the same thing.  We change the world in big ways and little 
ones, intentionally and accidentally.  As a brief aside, the other day got a 
phone call from someone I went to college with.  Well that was ages ago.  But 
towards the end of our current conversation, after we had caught up on old 
times and new, she thanked me for what I said to her when she was 
contemplating her future.  She told me that what I  said inspired her and was 
a big reason why she took the leap to became a doctor that now serves the 
poor.  Well, for the life of me, I had absolutely NO MEMORY of that 
conversation I had had with her. As much as I'd like to pin the Mahatma 
Gandhi award on myself, once she prodded my lame memory, it turned out our 
conversation was a deep, accidental and in some ways, casual one.  We were 
watching a sunset, sipping on beers, and we slipped into talking about life 
and choices.  It was basically one of those small moments we miss when we run 
around and don't take time to pause.  Go figure.   

What does any of this have to do with Leicas?  Well, I take photos, which 
help me, in my own little way, to try and make sense of it all. 


- -kim
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