In a world filled with graphic horrors, the Western media have become increasingly squeamish about showing what war, famine or death actually look like. There is an understandable fear of upsetting the audience, and a well-founded reluctance to be seen making a market out of the suffering of others. But some upsetting images demand to be seen, precisely because they are a true representation of reality. They show us the world as it is, its cruelties exposed, and not the world as we would wish it to be. And by the shock to our eyes, our conscience may be stirred.
That said, I cannot re-post the picture of that little boy. My conscience is finely tuned, it is very stirred, and I cannot stop seeing it. I know PWPL readers share this disposition.
by
Melissa says
Thanks for not posting graphic images, Andrea. You are right that some of us (read: me) can’t stop seeing them, even when we look away.
Rebecca Smith says
It’s interesting though, because the media only selectively chooses what to show depending on what message they want to send out. Too bad the media didn’t post the horrible images from the Planned Parenthood scandal so that more people were made aware of what abortion looks like.