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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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Documentation of suffering
    #5553057 -

I've been thinking about this lately, after an incident occurred in front of me.

A young girl on her scooter is waiting in traffic behind a large truck. The truck backs up to allow a bus to make a turn in front of it, while the driver obviously doesn't see the girl behind him and ends up pinning her under the truck, between the scooter and the back of the truck. She's hurt badly, but completely stuck where she is.

Of course, a crowd forms almost immediately. Many of them are trying to lift the truck (in vain), some people have already called the police/ambulance.

Here's the moral dilemma: A photographer walking nearby sees the event, and although his first instinctual response is of concern, he obviously can't do anything to help. Many other people are standing around, just watching. He considers that if he could take a couple pictures in this rare circumstance, he could create some unique artwork, conveying powerful emotion. Assume that the photographs will be created solely for artistic purposes, nothing relating to making a profit.

Do you think that it would be morally reprehensible for the photographer to take pictures, amidst the chaos, while the fate of the girl is still uncertain? On the one hand, he's exploiting the suffering of a presumably innocent person for what is undeniably personal gain. On the other hand, he is doing no less to help than dozens of other "innocent" spectators, and is causing no harm, while creating something that will have a profound effect on at least one person's life.

What do you think?


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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: NickSoapdish]
    #5553080 -

theres a movie like that where they goto car crashes and take pictures, its called crash, but they actually get off on it. anyways, i dont think its a bad thing, in wars people take pictures of dying men etc. its part of life. the real scum are the paparazzi who look for this sort of thing. so i guess it comes down to the photographers intent, if he wasnt out looking for this type of thing, then its ok if hes just there by chance to document it.

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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: NickSoapdish]
    #5555448 -

In reality the photographer cannot do anything to help. So if it is art he is looking for, then by all means take the picture. And if the girl has a problem with it, I'm sure she could work something out.


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We can't stop here - This is bat country.

-Duke--Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: EmptySpace]
    #5555539 -

Nice screen name. :wink:

:headbang: :sun: :headbang: :satansmoking:
Peace. :mushroom2:


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:redpanda:
If I should die this very moment
I wouldn't fear
For I've never known completeness
Like being here
Wrapped in the warmth of you
Loving every breath of you
:heartpump: :bunnyhug: :yinyang:

:yinyang: :levitate: :earth: :levitate: :yinyang:

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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: EmptySpace]
    #5555579 -

Well, the situation is complicated by the crowd of people. Consider that many people have been conditioned to react with anger when someone is documenting a tragedy. They view the attitude of the documenter to be apathetic (which usually is far from the truth), which of course infuriates them. "How could you take pictures at a time like this!? She's seriously hurt and you're trying to photograph it? etc" The mob mentality would spread the rage among the entire crowd. Throw into that the already emotionally charged situation, and people are even less likely to respond to you logically.

If you're pissing off a large crowd of people (even for seemingly illogical reasons), complicating the already chaotic situation, and possibly causing even more distress to the victim, is there still nothing wrong with proceeding in order to create your photograph(s)?


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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: fireworks_god]
    #5555587 -

If the photographer is morally concerned he should only use the pictures with the permission of the girl, or if she did not survive, the permission of her family. She/they may view the photography as a callous, disrespectful act with roots in personal gain, or they may allow something emotionally touching and thought-provoking to be created from a tragic event through the medium of art... but ultimately, if we're talking morals, the decision should lie with them, not the photographer.


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"Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit." ~Oscar Wilde

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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: NickSoapdish]
    #5556060 -

Emotionally charged situations always end in bad things happening. For instance, back in the day people were executed for believing or doing things that were against the status quo, i.e. religious beliefs etc. If you feel bounded by other peoples emotions, and thusly fear to act in a way that you feel would be appropriate, then I would suggest to do what other people feel is right. Thus comforming, and taking away from what it is to be human.


All measures were taken to try to help this poor girl. There was nothing that could be done. If I were the photographer I probably wouldn't have taken the picture, then again if I was the president I wouldn't have sent thousands of troops over seas to die for a lie. This probably all doesn't make sense, but I tried to answer your question.


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We can't stop here - This is bat country.

-Duke--Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

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Re: Documentation of suffering, i.e. let's make problems out any thing *DELETED* [Re: NickSoapdish]
    #5557795 -

Post deleted by Lakefingers

Reason for deletion: .

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Re: Documentation of suffering, i.e. let's make problems out any thing [Re: Lakefingers]
    #5558989 -

I think it is O.K to take the pictures. Photography is an amazing medium which quite often can "explain" a lot about human nature. Photographs are better than words because they are not limited by how many words are available in the dictionary and how much space is provided for the writing. Photographs have emotion and can express WAY more than words. I think what the photographer is doing is fine but I also think he should check with the family in a respectful way.


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"People living deeply have no fear of death."
"Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."
"Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings."

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Re: Documentation of suffering [Re: NickSoapdish]
    #5561646 -

If there was nothing that I could have done to help the poor girl I would have gone ahead and taken some pictures. Who knows, maybe somebody at a later time will view the photos and learn something from it.

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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

General Interest > Philosophy, Sociology & Psychology
Threaded Mode Threaded  Previous topic Previous  View all topics Index  Next topic Next 

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