Regarding the pain of others

Why does society blind itself from the death and destruction of pictures?

Why does the military only take journalists on only a select few missions?

Wouldnt these pictures shed new light to the public?


One of the things that I would first like to address after reading this essay, is that i believe  the public does not want to see things that are either true, or not pleasurable to the eye. With that being said, it is understandable to know why the general american public feels as if they have little control in what the government does and the decisions that impact us on a daily basis. Like the essay stated, only a few select reporters were sent in on certain missions during the afghanistan war. My thought on that statement is that the military wants to keep its image of being " the best you can be " or the " Be a hero" face. With the military controlling the press in what pictures can be taken, or what missions where they can tag along, I truly believe that they only want to make sure that the public sees what they want to see. Imagine a reporter filming, taking pictures of a heavy firefight that shows the death of a whole squad, or a bomb that instantly vaporized the enemy in full camera view. Sure the pictures could be biased, but neither truly show that were either losing or winning a war. It shows that war isn't for that eighteen year old fresh out of high school looking for an adventure where they can join this so called "elite club". With that being said, pictures and videos showing deaths would totally backfire on the military's advertising and recruitment campaign.

Not only are pictures of people being killed or are already killed not pleasant to view, but they stir up certain emotions that build by seeing them. Although not many newspapers or magazines show death at an upclose and personal level, the internet does. Remember that statement by the Al-Queda stating that they would behead captured infidels? Well they did. Not only did they behead them, they taped it for the whole world to see. Upon viewing the videos online, it made me feel not only sick, but scared of what the enemy was capable of. Sure they didn't have a massive bomb that would level a city, or any of the latest war technology, but just a chainsaw, the same one you would use to cut down a tree. By them releasing the video, it actually made me feel scared of what they are willing to do in order for us to meet their demands. Now if those pictures were to be published on the LA times rather than just some text claiming that so and so was beheaded, there would definitely be more social unrest that would intrude on what plans the white house has already made. whether good or bad for them, the picture of that one death, could set off, or scare a whole nation.