Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]ARTHURWG@aol.com8/31/008:43 PM > OK, John, the Nachtwey photos make you ask questions. But what are the > answers? What moral, ethical or spiritual "progress" have we made as a > result? What have those photos done to make things better? Are we better for > seeing them? If so, how so? What change has come about as a result of > Nachtwey's actions? > In 1945 we had pictures of the death camps in Germany. In 1995 we had > pictures from Rwanda. When the "unthinkable" happpens next week, next month > or next year, Nachtwey will probably be there to take pictures. > > As much as I'd like to think otherwise, all this now comes under the heading > of "entertainment." Arthur Concerned photography has altered my consciousness and behavior since I first encountered it at age 14, back in 1960. I believe myself a better informed person having seen this visual evidence as well as having read about man's inhumanity to man. I also believe that it has had similar effects on my daughter and others I've known who have taken an interest in the material. I'm sure that some have moved to action and others have not. But the material has value both as history and propoganda. For my own sanity I must believe that sooner or later a future generation will get the point, whether the photographers, film makers and writers can reach saint hood or not. George