Like the collector, the photographer is animated by a passion that, even when it appears to be for the present, is linked to a sense of the past.
Susan SontagRead
Nature in America has always been suspect, on the defensive, cannibalized by progress. In America, every specimen becomes a relic.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects a concern about how nature in America is often neglected and exploited in the name of progress.
Susan Sontag's quote highlights a critical view of the relationship between nature and progress in America. It suggests that natural environments are frequently under threat from industrial development and modernization, leading to a situation where the natural world is viewed as something to be consumed or reclaimed rather than preserved. Every natural specimen is turned into a relic, symbolizing a loss of authenticity and the environmental degradation that accompanies relentless advancement.
Themes
NatureProgressRelicAmericaEnvironmentDevelopment
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about environmental conservation efforts.
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A man who lives with nature is used to violence and is companionable with death. There is more violence in an English hedgerow than in the meanest streets of a great city.
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