I want to photograph the considerable ceremonies of our present. I want to gather them, like somebody's grandmother putting up preserves, because they will have been so beautiful.
Diane ArbusRead
Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that those who have faced trauma have a unique strength and understanding of life that others may fear to confront.
Diane Arbus's quote reflects on the experience of trauma and its impact on individuals. It implies that while most people live in fear of experiencing traumatic events, those who have already endured such challenges possess a certain nobility and resilience. They have 'passed their test' and, therefore, have a deeper appreciation of life and a unique perspective that distinguishes them from those who seek to avoid discomfort. This perspective paints trauma not merely as a burden but as a transformative experience that can lead to strength and understanding.
Themes
TraumaStrengthResilienceLifePerspective
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational talk, mentioning how overcoming trauma can lead to personal growth.
More from Diane Arbus
All quotes βI tend to think of the act of photographing, generally speaking, as an adventure. My favorite thing is to go where Iβve never been.
Diane ArbusRead
... I must begin at whatever pace is possible, to work on the book of my own that i vaguely keep assuming lies at the end of the rainbow. It is after all my rainbow and if I don't do it no one else will...Survival is the secret so you really can't afford to doubt yourself for long because you are all you've got. The only thing to do is to go the limit with it. Exceed.
Diane ArbusRead
Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. It was one of the first things I photographed, and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me. I just used to adore them. I still do adore some of them.
Diane ArbusRead
I work from awkwardness. By that I mean I don't like to arrange things. If I stand in front of something, instead of arranging it, I arrange myself.
Diane ArbusRead
If I were just curious, it would be very hard to say to someone, I want to come to your house and have you talk to me and tell me the story of your life. I mean people are going to say, You're crazy. Plus they're going to keep mighty guarded. But the camera is a kind of license. A lot of people, they want to be paid that much attention and that's a reasonable kind of attention to be paid.
Diane ArbusRead
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