In Vienna an enterprising firm supplied atrocity photographs with blanks for the headings so that they might be used for propaganda purposes by either side.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Photographs of atrocities were sold with blank captions so each side could reuse them for propaganda, showing how images can be repurposed to serve opposing narratives.
- In plain terms
- Images of horror can be re‑labeled for any side’s agenda.
- What can you take from it?
- Visual media can be easily manipulated for propaganda.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does captioning alter the meaning of a photo?
- What responsibilities do publishers have with graphic images?
Another view
Some images may be authentic and unaltered, even if captions change.
More from Arthur Ponsonby
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