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
The shock of photographed atrocities wears off with repeated viewings, just as the surprise and bemusement felt the first time one sees a pornographic movie wear off after one sees a few more.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Repeated exposure to shocking images dulls our emotional response to them.
Susan Sontag's quote suggests that when we are repeatedly exposed to distressing or shocking content—such as atrocities captured in photographs or explicit imagery—we become desensitized over time. This desensitization can reduce our emotional reaction and engagement with the important issues represented, making it crucial to be aware of how media can shape our perceptions and reactions to reality.
Themes
AtrocitiesDesensitizationMediaEmotionsPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about media's impact on society, this quote can highlight the dangers of desensitization.
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Volume depends precisely on the writer's having been able to sit in a room every day, year after year, alone.
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In NY sensuality completely turns into sexuality - no objects for the senses to respond to, no beautiful river, houses, people. Awful smells of the street, and dirt... Nothing except eating, if that, and the frenzy of the bed.
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It hurts to love. It's like giving yourself to be flayed and knowing that at any moment the other person may just walk off with your skin.
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