The Imagemaker's Responsibility

After seeing Dr. Masur speak on multiple occasions today, naturally I had a lot of thoughts running through my head. As a photographer, I was intrigued by his analysis of images and how deeply he examined them. As a skeptic, I was wary of the feeling of powerlessness a photographer must have being in those situations. Robert Capa, a member of Magnum Photography, a prolific group of the world's most talented photojournalists, was quoted on their website saying,

"It's not always easy to stand aside and be unable to do anything except record the sufferings around one."

This thought kept running through my head, as Dr. Masur spoke and the former Associated Press photographer spoke after him. Is it really enough to capture the moment in history? One of the most important things Dr. Masur said, I thought, was that as powerful as an image is, you have to be able to fluently read the image. That is- you need the whole story. Making sure the story is told, the entire story, is the image-maker's responsibility. Though their work may be used to communicate one message, the facts behind the photograph are often more powerful than the story constructed by what is left out.

I could stop there readers. I could, but I had a bit of a Masur-moment when I came to this conclusion. I geeked out. I started scrambling for the stories and images that came to mind. That lead me to the artist known as Banksy.

Banksy creates images, and more often than not they are without words or context- if there are words, he is brief. And while context is certainly important, he leaves a lot of the investigative work up to the viewer. The image that first came to mind when thinking of an image-maker's responsibility was this piece.



In Masur fashion, lets go right ahead and unpack this image. There's a few things that caught my eye. The lack of color, other than red- drawing your eye towards both the blood and the red cross. The impressionistic background but very detailed facial expressions. I think this image largely speaks for itself, but these are few of a multitude of moves the artist purposely makes to force us into drawing the same conclusion. That being, "how important could that shot possibly be?"

What interests me too, and I have no explanation for- is why Banksy let himself get the Pulitzer Prize winning angle. This could have been from a distance, setting the photographer up for the angle the pictures is presented from. Perhaps this even is self parody- as Banksy largely is in a similar position to the photographer, not doing any other activism than showing the world his images.

The other Banksy piece that I thought of was this.



We spoke a lot about the use of the flag, as well as parodies of powerful images (in Dr. Masur's lecture on Springsteen) and this is certainly an intentional homage to an image that is part of our "cultural DNA". What's interesting as well is that Banksy is British- perhaps these images a product of a more global society or simply something democratic nations share. Another part of this image that spoke to me. The grasp! That reach/pull dynamic that kept Dr. Masur up at night- did it have the same effect on Banksy? Especially given our class's discussion about African Americans feeling left out by white American society in Song of Solomon might this explain why the boy on the left is desperately grasping for his piece of the flag instead of triumphantly raising it?

I think I've about overstayed my blog-welcome, but please please please comment with your thoughts, I could go on for hours about Banksy's work as well as any of the Magnum photographers or anything else I brought up in this post.

Oh- almost forgot. Power of images? I'll have to blog again about what's going on with President Obama and the release of photos of abused prisoners of war.

Death Be Not Proud

Ok readers- I'll let you in on a secret. I may have a comic book or two floating around my room. Among them is The Other Side, a five-issue series that came out in 2006 about the Vietnam War. Our class discussion of soldiers' experiences during war reminded me of these comics, as they really focused on the psychological aspect of both a Vietcong soldier and an American following their deployment and respective death and life afterwards.

It was really an interesting asterisk (that term has become a class-cliché at this point, I gotta think of another way to phrase that) to the regular portrayal of Vietnam that we're used to. It was gritty and realistic, similar to Saving Private Ryan in that respect, yet in showing both sides it also reminded me of Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. As both stories were meaningfully juxtaposed throughout the book, both soldiers' lives, though drastically different, appear similar as they both undergo the horrors of war. It was a powerful read, and I highly reccommend it (and I'm sure you can find it on Amazon.com if a comic book store is too scary).

The picture included was a scene from the comic, and the poem his helmet is referring to is a famous piece by John Donne, which I'll leave you with to ponder for yourself, comment with your own thoughts on it's meaning in reference to the context of the war.

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

New technology could in fact, destroy technology

(via Discovery.com)

The concept of an EMP bomb is not all that new, however last week FOX News brought attention to a new, smaller version of the weapon that is being produced.

EMP stands for Electromagnetic Pulse, the article stating that it creates, "a supermassive blast of electricity, usually from a nuclear blast high above ground, that fries electronic circuits for miles around, crippling computers, cars and most other modern gadgets." What this means in terms of war is that an entire infrastructures can be shut down, in varying lengths of time and scope.

Our discussions in class have touched on the ethics of warfare, as well as what is considered war. This technology begs the questions- is shutting down electricity ethical in war? Is this more or less damaging than other attacks, such as bombing?

The article focuses on the possibility of groups outside of the military being able to construct these, as well,

Israeli counter-terrorism expert Yael Shahar tells New Scientist magazine. "And much of this could be built from off-the-shelf components or dual-use technologies. Shahar says she's especially worried about two devices — one called a Marx generator, which beams an EMP at a target, and the other with the "Back to the Future"-like name of flux-compression generator."

If seemingly anyone willing can have access to this technology, how will it change warfare? Perhaps in the future we will see wars of limiting resources and shutting down civilian life as opposed to killing soldiers- is this for the better or the worse? Moreover, is the fact that we are asking ourselves this question the problem in the first place?

I'm sure you've seen this around

via New York Post

This immediately brought to mind

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a dismal portrait of the white male psyche. Can I really expect white males to recognize that? Yet they must. All of us suffer the consequences as long as they do not."

-Julius Lester

Even if the argument being posed here was not racist, as the artist is arguing- isn't this the cautionary tale of Mark Twain? If you are going to be a satirist you have to be conscious of your audience, and this artist may or may not have purposefully put forth an argument that recalls the hatred seen in Twain's Huck Finn.

Is Michael Moore keeping too critical of an eye on government?

I'll admit that I'm not a fan of Michael Moore. The most recent film of his I watched was called Slacker Uprising, which was released for free on iTunes and while he presents provocative ideas they usually lack substantiative evidence and more commonly offend people (I myself felt attacked as a young person for being targeted in this film in particular.)

More recently, he made headlines in the New York Times about a new film that is supposedly in the works. This time he's tackling the economic recession, and guess what- there's something the government is keeping from us: a shocking new topic for Mr. Moore.

My bias aside, I did find it interesting though predictable that he'd tackle such a topic at this time. The article quotes his website, he having said, "I am in the middle of shooting my next movie and I am looking for a few brave people who work on Wall Street or in the financial industry to come forward and share with me what they know. Based on those who have already contacted me, I believe there are a number of you who know “the real deal” about the abuses that have been happening. You have information that the American people need to hear." and said that "a few good people have already come forward."

Taking from our study of critical essays and Mark Twain's satire of being overly sentimental- I think it's good that there is someone out there that is keeping a critical, even cynical eye about what's going on., I just think Michael Moore isn't very authentic in doing so, though this really isn't a post just bashing on Moore. If the film does end up happening I'd be delighted to hear what Moore "uncovered" and perhaps do some fact checking on the film myself after seeing it. No details of a release were discussed in the interview, so if it's anything like Slacker Uprising, we might not hear about this film again until the economy has recovered (let's hope).

Bail-Out or Stimulus Package?

(via the New York Times)

Well that would vary depending on who you ask. The New York Times published an article today describing the Senate's Approval of the Stimulus Plan. As we have been discussing the importance of word choice through reading critical articles about Huckleberry Finn, I thought it appropriate to take a look at the word choice used by House Speaker Pelosi, President Obama, and others quoted in the article.

While the debate over whether or not to pass the stimulus package is moot at this point, the nature of why we "need" one is still being talked about and examined.

President Obama said of the bill, “Doing nothing is not an option. You didn’t send me to Washington to do nothing.” I found it interesting that he seems to be taking a much more aggressive stance, and this sound-byte seems almost accusatory of those now disagreeing with him.

The New York times reported that Nevada Senator Harry Reid had said, “Throughout our history, the federal government has catalyzed a good idea, invested in the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the American people, and let the private sector flourish,” the majority leader, Senator Reid said before the vote. “Faced with an economic crisis today, we have an opportunity to make similar investments that will help our country prosper in the years to come.”

Mr. Reid added, “With common sense as our compass, we must now answer the urgent call for action.”

His language is also echoing the sense of urgency in the quote from President Obama. Word choice like "common sense", "urgent call for action", "ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the American People"- these all are broadcasting a more forgiving way of saying "let's get things done", contrasting Obama's language which seemed more like, in my opinion, necessary discipline directed at the businesses and consumers involved illegitimate mortgage practices among other things that led up to this crisis.

The few, the proud...

...the romanticized. As a few others in our blogosphere have noticed, the United States military has some very optimistic portrayals of what life is like for our men and women overseas. If you watch the video included in this post you will see some incredibly bold claims. While using hyperbole to strengthen an argument is one thing, what the ad leaves out is equally important.



What makes this advertisement so easy to discredit as giving an accurate view of life as a soldier is that it leaves out all of the negative aspects of being a soldier. Those depicted in the ad weren't in danger- rather basking in glory and growing as individuals. This isn't to say that there are no positive aspects of being in the military, there certainly are- however in leaving out the negative aspects this ad puts an entirely different spin on what that experience would be.

Perhaps the most jarring part of the ad was when it did hint at the negative aspects, though only briefly. The line "the strength to build...and the strength to tear down" came almost as a surprise, and removed the viewer from the fantasy the ad created. It's moments such as that one that should serve as reminders to always keep a skeptical and curious eye whenever being shown anything that is trying to argue a point. And if our textbook is correct, everything is an argument.

Foner on NPR?

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard on NPR that they would be interviewing none other than Eric Foner later that evening. You can listen in here.

How to never pay taxes again:

http://vitw.org/archives/922

A surprise visitor came to talk to our American Studies class today- a nonviolence activist- Kathy Kelly, from Voices for Creative Nonviolence. She came here to tell us her stories of engaging in civil disobedience and her philosophy on life and government, or at least that's what she ended up discussing with us.

She is pictured above at the "Fast For Economic Justice For Iraq", one of the many demonstrations she has been a part of.

Kelly's views were not unlike many others that I had heard, and I'm sure many students in our class agreed with her on many issues. What set her apart, however, is that she took her philosophy to heart and lived it every day.

In his essay "Civil Disobedience", Thoreau states, "...when a sixth of the population of a nation which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves, and a whole country is unjustly overrun and conquered by a foreign army, and subjected to military law, I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize."

Kelly seems to have taken this to heart- she refuses to pay taxes as they directly fund the war, she has been arrested multiple times for displays of civil disobedience, and continues to work as an activist for nonviolent change.

In the way that Thoreau took Emmerson's ideals to heart when he went to live in the woods near Walden pond, Kelly has taken Thoreaus ideals to heart in her pursuit of change and nonviolence.

As I view my blog from my iPhone...

I start to realize that I'm never apart from the internet. I'm never disconnected. Do you know the last time my iPhone was off? When it was in its box. During the day it's on me, and at night it's on my nightstand, charging and serving as my alarm clock. With all the new ways to stay connected, be it the internet, television, cell phone, etc.

Henry David Thoreau expressed the necessity of solitude in Walden, saying, "I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers."

If being alone, at least every once in a while, is as beneficial as Thoreau makes it out to be- can this ever occur in modern life? While possible, it is certainly more difficult. Between the internet, television, cell phones and the like, we are almost always connected, and this is viewed as technological progress.

There are even new rules and standards for this modern communication that occurs, as detailed in an article on The Feature.com. It lists the "Top 10 List of SMS etiquette". Is it not backwards that we have even more impersonal ways to communicate?

More so, Thoreau argues that this type of conversation is meaningless, asserting, "Certainly less frequency would suffice for all important and hearty communications."

What I'm suggesting is that we should all take some time during the week to simply be alone. Get heavily involved in a project or your work, or just take some time to read and turn off all of your devices that keep you connected.

Yes, your iPhone does have an off-switch, perhaps that's its most useful function.

Progressive Rock?

As I sat down here in my blogging-den (I at times refer to this as my bed, as well) to ponder things which are generally considered progress, before I got the computer booted up I put on a record and turned on my speakers. As my mind raced from topic to topic, the fact that I am playing a record is going against the grain of what is considered "progress" currently in the music industry.

The Economist published an article early in 2008 detailing the change of the music industry's power and influence coming into the 21st century. an analyst at JupiterResearch said, "In 2007 it became clear that the recorded-music industry is contracting and that it will be a very different beast from what it was in the 20th century."

The method of playing music has changed, as well. CD's are rarely purchased compared to ten years ago, cassette tapes have become novelties, and vinyl pressings are kept around solely for collectors or very dedicated fans. What is becoming increasingly popular and may soon be the only way to get music, however, is digitally. In Steve Jobs' (Apple C.E.O) Keynote address in June of 2008 it was revealed that their iTunes music store had reached over 5 billion song sales.

Where does the artist come into this equation? Artists are now moving away from album sales, which was traditionally their main source of income, and now depend on live shows to support themselves. Nine Inch Nails, along with Radiohead (and supposedly U2) have dropped their record labels altogether and released records on their own through the internet.

Is this progress? Does the stealing of music from artists cripple them, or does this allow them to be more creative and focus more on their art? In the instance of both Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, their records released with no record label were recieved very well by fans and critics alike.

If you are in the situation of either of these bands, I think the pressure to sell records prohibited creative growth to an extent, and this new found creative freedom has helped them. If you are a band starting out however, you aren't completely left out of this new record industry. Bands like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cold War Kids have gained support through MP3 blogs without having any following beforehand.

President Bush's Campaign for Listeners

Both on NPR and in the news, I have been hearing a lot about President Bush's proposed plans for the economy, and it makes me realize what a strange place he is in as president.

There are three men proposing different policies to deal with the economy, yet only President Bush is in a position where he must actually try and apply his policies. He is being forced to make pragmatic decisions; even though the nation is listening to either McCain or Obama- yet neither of the two must put their plans into action until they have actually been elected. Because of this, one could argue their plans compared to President Bush's are more idealistic, since their proposals do not have to gain the approval of Congress before they promote it in a campaign speech.

It almost seems as though Bush himself is campaigning- not for the election, but for the attention of the nation. The article stresses how frequently he has been touring, discussing the financial crisis. Somewhere between the idealism of the candidates and President Bush's current pragmatic approach, hopefully we will, as a country, overcome this crisis.

Not Captain, but...

Congressman Mark Kirk came to talk to my consumer class out of the blue today. I wish I had some record of this to share with you all out there, but I have only what I remember, so bear with me.

Congressman Kirk made it a point to separate himself from his party, first and foremost. He outlined for us the various groups (Planned Parenthood, various environmental groups, etc.) that backed him, despite being a member of the Republican Party. Answering one student's question, he also outlined what measures he voted on to limit governmental power over individual citizens.

Finally, after about twenty minutes of questions, someone finally asked a question about his thoughts on the recession and the bail-out. He said he voted in favor of the bail out, for fear that, and I quote directly, "I feared we might be facing another depression." These are strong words from a congressman, even if he was speaking to a high school class. It seems in perilous times even the authority can get caught up in the crisis and become atypically scared. It was the only time during his discussion with us that he seemed to be unsure of himself, and it was telling of how much the financial crisis affected him as a congressman.

The Fear Market?

While watching an episode of the Colbert Report, there was an interview with a woman named Naomi Klein, who has written a book called The Shock Doctorine: The Rise of Disaster Capitolism.

The idea behind her book in a nutshell was that our government exploits disasters, or in some cases creates them, to further their power and control. This episode mainly focused on the recession, and it was obvious that both Klein and Colbert felt as though this novel rang true during this time, especially.

Perilous times, she argues, make societies more submissive- she listed Katrina, the invasion of Iraq, and the current recession among others as moments in time when the government used this oppurtunity of a crisis to give themselves more power. The Salem witch trials could have easily made the same list as the aforementioned examples, as the judges and the girl's who gave their testimony soon became the deciders of who lived and who died in their community. What I wish she had mentioned, and it seemed she was cut short, was what she suggested we as American citizens should do to try and stop this from happening in the future. Hopefully, like in Salem, the government's reach will eventually catch enough attention that it has to stop itself.

The American Dream and It's Effect on the Election

While out driving today, something caught my attention on NPR. It was an interview with a young woman, a sophomore in college, who was speaking about voting for the first time and why she decided to vote in the first place.

She began the interview by discussing how before she had went into college and studied the economy more, she was apathetic towards elections, and said she "didn't realize how much the economy and politics in Washington effected [her]." Thus far in the interview, I was seeing connections to my own thoughts on voting and my knowledge of the economy, but had yet to connect it back to class. She continued on, however, to mention how the current economy is effecting the lives of American's every day and is threatening to the "American Dream", as she put it.

That term, specifically, caught my attention.

Not only could the connection be made to our class's discussion of what it means to be an American, she specifically mentions how the current perilous time we are in is making a difference in what it means to be American. Americans are currently reacting in some ways as the class did that fateful day our blogging privileges were nearly stripped from us. Most notably we are looking to our leaders, and in this case choosing the right one has become more important to this young woman because of the times.

Reservation Blues

In searching for more reading on Reservation Blues, I came across a CD that was made of the lyrics that opened every chapter adapted into songs.

Only the previews are available, but it was interesting to hear someone's interpretation of what Coyote Springs would sound like. Sherman Alexie was involved with the production of these pieces, as well.

Test post

Blognificent

(this picture has everything to do with American Studies)