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ferciboy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
A must read, really - about the pervasive images of horror and suffering that we are constantly seeing now around us, and what it means to each one of us: as individuals, as peoples, as humanity as a whole.
outcolder's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up because I was thinking, "Do I need to keep seeing the destruction of Gazan lives in my social media feed? I mean, I get it." I guess I was hoping Sontag would be like, "stop looking, it's voyeurism, it's not leading to action," or something like that, to let me off the hook. She doesn't do that. She doesn't exactly do the opposite, and she wonders if the pictures on the cigarette packs will continue to deter smokers after the first few encounters, but she ultimately acknowledges the power of images to communicate horror, although obviously, pictures aren't enough to end war or genocide. Or smoking. There's also a lot in here about the differences between posed photos, professional photos, artistic photos (and paintings), and the 'accidental' photos of amateurs and how we then interpret the horror in those images.
Somewhere in the middle, I thought, "Where is this going?" but the last two sections were so great, every sentence worth underlining.
Somewhere in the middle, I thought, "Where is this going?" but the last two sections were so great, every sentence worth underlining.
jackmillmills's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
savaging's review against another edition
4.0
In this short work, Sontag takes on the earlier critiques she had of photography. We are surrounded by images of violence. We often use those images badly (to nurse the rage that spurs other waves of violence). Or we get a perverse thrill out of the shock. Or we don't feel shocked at all, growing numb and losing our compassion. (For instance: the cover of this book is a horrific drawing of someone sitting back and admiring a hung person. When Easton saw it lying around and reacted with shock, I realized I had forgotten that's what the cover showed.) Above all: Sontag reminds us that an image doesn't convey a simple message. It's not in anyone's control.
Reading this, I thought of the increasing visibility of police brutality and racist attacks against Black people. The push to "release the video," make it go viral, insist that mass society witness or confront these violent events. The push back to stop flooding every forum with retraumatizing footage of Black people suffering.
My parsing of Sontag is that she acknowledges all these problems and shortcomings, but still believes images of human trauma should have a place in our culture, if only to remind us that this is also who we are as a species.
Reading this, I thought of the increasing visibility of police brutality and racist attacks against Black people. The push to "release the video," make it go viral, insist that mass society witness or confront these violent events. The push back to stop flooding every forum with retraumatizing footage of Black people suffering.
My parsing of Sontag is that she acknowledges all these problems and shortcomings, but still believes images of human trauma should have a place in our culture, if only to remind us that this is also who we are as a species.
Someone who is perennially surprised that depravity exists, who continues to feel disillusioned (even incredulous) when confronted with evidence of what humans are capable of inflicting in the way of gruesome, hands-on cruelties upon other humans, has reached moral or psychological adulthood.
No one after a certain age has the right to this kind of innocence, of superficiality, to this degree of ignorance, of amnesia.
jan11th's review against another edition
Thought provoking commentary. Love when uni readings are interesting!