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World without images

            This week in class we mostly talked about the various advantages and disadvantages associated with images and various opinions trying to answer the question of using images to convey ideas.There were a lot of opinions, but on the spectrum most of them were in favor of using them. The one who disagreed conflicted me, because I could see where they were coming from, but due to my experiences with images being used as a method of persuasion, I just wasn't convinced. Playing, Devil's advocate, how would a world where picture cannot be used as a medium to spread information.
             In a world where pictures aren't easy to spread information will become easily manipulated. In this world with images it is still relatively easy to recognize false images, and correct it. With words, it is more of a hearsay, politicians are very apt in lying, white lies or lies hidden in truth. Photographs are the face of scandals and expositions. 'Pic or it didn't happen' is a very popular phrase which exemplifies the previous claim. If the world did not have images the My Lai massacre wouldn't have been documented. The perpetrators of this heinous crime would have not been caught and all in all this would be one the greatest unsung tragedies of history.
           Images evoke emotions, inspire patriotism. That is why propaganda are mostly images. The Boston Massacre was used as propaganda way back during the American Revolution, and they were also used in WW2 in the picture of the three dead Americans. The latter image inspired more people to draft into the army, it made people all around sad and made people want to help their country. This is where I start agreeing with the other source. Images can be persuasive and that can be really bad, because propaganda. They can be used to persuade masses to be bystanders in genocide, they can push revolutions, which may not be needed.
          Therefore, images can be good and images can be bad. They should be used in moderation taking into account the consequences of them. They shouldn't be completely eradicated but ahouldn't be thrown at every opportunity.

Comments

  1. Jessie Zhou13 October 2019 at 11:45

    I get where you're coming from. Most images are probably manipulated... (ahem, Photoshop). But... I feel like in the end it's up to the viewer to decide how he/she feels about the image. Not everything is good and not everything is bad... everything is pretty much open-ended.

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