NOTE FROM AUTHORI was tempted to jump in last night and point out the screaming hypocrisy, but then plenty of other people did this for me and so I felt no need. Besides, I’m here to primarily comment on my actions, the ones I’m responsible for; not other peoples, for which I’m not.
But all the chat did actually make me wonder ‘what was I thinking? - a very pertinent question.
In the end reflected that the world is a terrible place, and one way to get through it all is with a smile on your face. So, in a way, trivialising a terrible scene is just a way for me to cope with it. A bit like alcoholism, drug-abuse, self-harm; black-humour is a milder way of coping with the horrors of life - and no less pretty to watch. If I spent all my time focusing on the obvious human misery out there, and trying to put myself in the shoes of, say someone strapped to a seat burning on a runway, I’d spend the whole day crying. So instead I poke fun.
The way I figured it, the more graphic the image, the more extant the process, and clearly this was a graphic image.
Something that did puzzle me though, a reoccurring theme of complaint was that ‘it is a naked girl in terror’; particularly those three things in combination. If she’d have been clothed would that have made it more acceptable? Maybe if it would have been a frightened middle aged man that would have been okay too? Or maybe it’s because the image was real – if I’d have used a still from a gritty film like ‘Come and see’, that would be alright too – because it is all make-believe like your amusing magenta willys?
No, it still wouldn’t ‘be okay’. I think the problem is that it displays a graphic, in-your-face image which makes you uncomfortable. You may make direct reference to other outrages, but, because they’re done at distance – like the twin towers, you don’t see the inherent detail and so you can sleep sound. The next time someone posts an image like that I suggest they look in the mirror and they ask themselves what is so funny about the depiction of human misery. Don’t look too close though – that way madness lies.
Oops, - I wasn’t going to mention the hypocrisy.
Anyway, I’ve said all I want to, right or wrong, like-it or lump-it, I won't be replying to any more messages. And I won’t be changing my id to Kevin Carter either…
(,
Fri 22 Aug 2008, 10:17,
archived)
But all the chat did actually make me wonder ‘what was I thinking? - a very pertinent question.
In the end reflected that the world is a terrible place, and one way to get through it all is with a smile on your face. So, in a way, trivialising a terrible scene is just a way for me to cope with it. A bit like alcoholism, drug-abuse, self-harm; black-humour is a milder way of coping with the horrors of life - and no less pretty to watch. If I spent all my time focusing on the obvious human misery out there, and trying to put myself in the shoes of, say someone strapped to a seat burning on a runway, I’d spend the whole day crying. So instead I poke fun.
The way I figured it, the more graphic the image, the more extant the process, and clearly this was a graphic image.
Something that did puzzle me though, a reoccurring theme of complaint was that ‘it is a naked girl in terror’; particularly those three things in combination. If she’d have been clothed would that have made it more acceptable? Maybe if it would have been a frightened middle aged man that would have been okay too? Or maybe it’s because the image was real – if I’d have used a still from a gritty film like ‘Come and see’, that would be alright too – because it is all make-believe like your amusing magenta willys?
No, it still wouldn’t ‘be okay’. I think the problem is that it displays a graphic, in-your-face image which makes you uncomfortable. You may make direct reference to other outrages, but, because they’re done at distance – like the twin towers, you don’t see the inherent detail and so you can sleep sound. The next time someone posts an image like that I suggest they look in the mirror and they ask themselves what is so funny about the depiction of human misery. Don’t look too close though – that way madness lies.
Oops, - I wasn’t going to mention the hypocrisy.
Anyway, I’ve said all I want to, right or wrong, like-it or lump-it, I won't be replying to any more messages. And I won’t be changing my id to Kevin Carter either…