Press – Propoganda and Photography
In 1969, America underwent transformative shifts that reshaped global perspectives. Ralph Morse, a LIFE Magazine photojournalist, captured the life and times of US astronauts and the buzz around the launch pad. His colleagues were embedded amongst revelers at Woodstock and surrounded in the thick of America’s fight against Communism in Vietnam. Turbulence changed generations focused on global justice, equality, and economic prosperity.
Fifty-five years later, turbulence is daily because of intentional carelessness by the media, academics, businesses, politicians, and even artists. Photography is no longer a definitive reference to a point in time. Unfortunately, terrorists like HAMAS and others have found a way to paint a different picture through “creative” lens work. The misuse of the mediums has stoked intentional confusion on what is proven as fact vs what is acceptable fiction. The failures of the League of Nations forced a reworked model after war. Once again we are faced with broken institutions like the United Nations.
History unlearned is what causes humanity to repeat past tragedies. Eisenhower at Dachau ensured neighboring towns were involved in the horrific clean-up required due to their blindness to Hitler’s final solution. Today many can witness the flagrant abuse by institutions intended to preserve hope and prosperity domestically and internationally.
Besides VOTING, Americans cause change by learning from the arts. Google and Facebook, amongst others, built their dominance with copyright rules being left unchallenged. Had there been an immediate challenge, our technological progress based on accessible information would have stagnated.
From American college campuses to political campaigns this misuse has been on prominent display. Students, ignorant of their claims; professors and administrators unwilling to enforce right from wrong. Photographers have shown us the outcomes before. History has proven the results of misguided populations left unchecked because of propaganda.
