[Leica] Desensitization

[imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)]

On Dec 8, 2012, at 1:39 PM, Lew Schwartz wrote:

> I respectfully disagree, Leon. I have been thinking about this for some
> time. The idea of desensitization is central to Susan Sontag's criticism of
> Arbus' work and others, including numerous war photographs and photos of
> atrocities. In my opinion, it's just plain wrong. It is a nice sentiment we
> share among ourselves and our friends that we are altruistic enough to
> intervene in such situations, yet, most often, no one does. What seems to
> happen is that standers by, who cannot tell whether the aggressor is
> justified or just crazy, retire to a safe distance and watch.  The
> photographer in this case did more than anyone else, and, other motives
> aside, in so doing reminded us of how isolated and indifferent we can all
> be to each other.
> 
> On Sat, Dec 8, 2012 at 3:14 AM, Leon Pomeroy <drleonpomeroy at 
> verizon.net>wrote:
> 
>> This desensitization is real. It is dangerous. It is evolving decade after
>> decade and on a massive scale  in the absence of a "counterforce" of
>> ________  Fill in the blank!


I doubt that current "media" desensitizes
any more than the arts and realities of the past.
How long has it been that you could walk into a "church"
and see the tortured and crucified bodies; either painted or sculpted in 3D?
Humankind has been living with the atrocities of wars, inquisitions, slavery,
lynchings, public executions, decapitations,
plagues, famines, persecutions, ad nauseam  
for a very, very long time.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
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