Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag

At first I was not sure if I liked this book. About a quarter into the reading I actually got into it and found some interesting points that Sontag makes. I also like how she weighs both sides of the spectrum. For instance she argues that looking at painful images can touch people, but also desensitize them if looked at these images often enough. I think doing this is important because there is no exact science to how looking at these images may effect one person to another.

At the beginning Sontag makes an interesting point about it being difficult to read the morning newspaper; being bombarded with horrific images. We all have experienced this. But the interesting point she makes is asking the question, “Who’s deaths are not being shown.” Although we may feel at times that we see so much death and destruction, there are many things that we don’t see.

The cliché phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” I think does have some validity to it…When Sontag discusses the difference between a verbal account of war, rape and massacre and showing an actual photograph of what has occurred; it is not even comparable. Words such as war, rape and massacre of the innocent are things that we hear everyday and almost have become accustomed to, isn’t that scary?? Also, images of such things are portrayed in the media, movies and video games. But I do think that even though we see violent things on a day to day basis, a single photograph of a pile of corpses is something that words cannot express. On the other hand the disturbing image may spark an emotion, but seems as though people tend to forget with time. The effect diminishes. This goes along with the example of cancerous lungs and other images on cigarette packages. People were 60% less likely to smoke, but then what about in a few months or years? Would they forget about the images and go back to their old ways?

I love horror movies and Halloween and anything spooky (nothing too gruesome though!). But there is something about seeing real people in agony that does not interest me, but isn’t it like a train wreck or car accident? You do not want to look, but human nature is to take a peek and then you cannot look away from the horrible accident. Sontag does discuss why people like to look at gruesome sites and the curiosity involved; I agree because I think we are all filled with curiosity especially for the unknown. The example of Georges Bataille intrigued with the photograph “the death of a hundred cuts” was interesting. When Sontag discusses the photograph of a military leader kicking an innocent older woman in the head I cringed. As difficult as it may be to view these images, Sontag raises a good point about being obligated to view these pictures and know what is happening in the world. What can be done to stop these things? Looking away may seem like a natural reaction, but I think being educated about what is happening is important in the long run. Maybe I’m being too idealistic. It may be hard to identify with something that does not hit close to home for us. But I think it’s important to think about it in a different way…What if that was my sister? Or my mother? In today’s world this compassion is lacking and as a society we have become immune to violence. As Sontag points out we need to acknowledge what destruction that the U.S. has also done, not always highlighting the wrongs of other countries far around the world.

I like how Sontag ends with the idea that “we” do not know anything. Most of us cannot identify with knowing what it is like to be in war and experience things that are seen in these images. Who are we to say anything?