Comments on: War p0rn http://www.chickyog.net/2008/03/19/war-p-rn/ The weblog of Brighton-based writer Justin McKeating Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:14:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jherad http://www.chickyog.net/2008/03/19/war-p-rn/comment-page-1/#comment-38594 Jherad Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:44:37 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2008/03/19/war-p-rn/#comment-38594 I understand why some people don't want photos - pictures carry an emotional weight which can brush away cold reason. Like you though, I think people need to be hit with the raw emotional power of what is happening, at least occasionally. That video with the puppy got squeals around the office, and people were talking about it here all day in anger. Mention a story about iraqi children, and people put up an invisible barrier; their faces blank, and the subject will get changed pretty quickly - if they don't have to hear about it or see it, it didn't happen. Pictures provoke empathy. We need more empathy. I understand why some people don’t want photos – pictures carry an emotional weight which can brush away cold reason. Like you though, I think people need to be hit with the raw emotional power of what is happening, at least occasionally.

That video with the puppy got squeals around the office, and people were talking about it here all day in anger. Mention a story about iraqi children, and people put up an invisible barrier; their faces blank, and the subject will get changed pretty quickly – if they don’t have to hear about it or see it, it didn’t happen.

Pictures provoke empathy. We need more empathy.

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