Friday, May 8, 2015

Does this ‘Nepal’ image make you want to build these children a home? Think again | Claire Bennett | Comment is free | The Guardian

Does this ‘Nepal’ image make you want to build these children a home? Think again | Claire Bennett | Comment is free | The Guardian: "It turns out, somewhat inconveniently, that this symbol of the disaster was just that. A symbol. A stock photograph churned out whenever there is a disaster that affects … well, er … anywhere that has poor-looking brown children. This is in fact just about anywhere in the world – Burma, Syria, Nepal. In fact, the children are from North Vietnam.

So why exactly do images like this appeal so much, and compel us to share them with everyone we know? Here’s an answer for you: because the images are empowering. Not for the subjects, but for us, the consumers. We feel sympathy and pity, and these emotions create a power dynamic. They are helpless, we can help. They are vulnerable, we can protect them.

These powerful emotions can fuel charity campaigns."



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