After flight MH 17 was shot down in
eastern Ukraine, Magnum-Photographer Jérôme Sessini took pictures
that some commentators felt shouldn't be shown because they would
hurt the dignity of the deceased and their family members. It was
also argued that pictures that are published should take into account
the feelings of the readers and viewers respectively.
I do not name the sources of these
comments because they are in no way original, they can be heard again
and again, and I feel that the question whether we shouldn't be shown
certain photographs needs to be addressed in principal.
It is argued that to show images of
victims of war (or of accidents) are an affront to the dignity of the
deceased and can add to the immediate grief of families. I must admit
that I do not really understand what dignity in the context of war
means. Soldiers are trained to kill. Killing and dignity, in my view,
do not exactly go hand in hand. So how come then that killing in the
context of war is accepted but what results from this killing should
not be shown?
For more, see here
1 comment:
Because the brutal reality could upset large segments of whole populations; further expose that which is superfluous and common in media culture, and really raise anti-war sentiment.
Really liking your book reviews, and yes, I too am baffled at the idea the public should not see. Seeing reality elsewhere is part of being an informed citizen. Some are against that.
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