jim kirk jr.
Member
Here is my long winded question/proposition;
First let me say that this is not intended in any way to start up a religious or political mess but simply is presented as a "situation",not real for any of us here(at least not yet)only as a "what if."
Most religions and most of the "isms" that sprung out of the 20th century had
or still do have there extremists as well as the mainstream.But what if in any
of the nations in which we live in all of a sudden went the extreme route,either by vote or takeover?What if photography was outlawed in your
country as "beholding images","idoltry",or anyone with a camera had to register it with the authorities(hey in ww2 the Nazi's had everyone register
their bicycles and that sounds ridiculous even for a dictatorship-also radios).
To take a step further if in possession of one illegally you would be executed
or imprisioned as an enemy of the state unless,of course,you were in the service of said "state" making images that reflected the party or theocratic
line of thinking(remember the Nazis and Communists both hijacked art and
every other media for their own purposes).
Now the question:A)would you abandon photography all together
b)leave your country,possibly never to return and never
see friends,familiy or the land you love again
c)work in the service of the "state" therbye prostituting
your ability for a govt. that will restrict your expression
to suit its own ends.
d)make photos by the hundreds,distributing them on doors
in the dark of night letting people know that their is
something else besides the propaganda they're being fed
risking your life in the process
e)Hope that somehow it will all go away and stash your
equipment hoping to not be caught until then
f)greet every storm trooper that comes to your door with
a gun with an even bigger gun.
g)something else that I've completely overlooked-besides
the "it can't happen here" senario-because it can
Just thought I'd see what the responses would be from people who have the
ability to enjoy their photography as they see fit would do if it were suddenly
taken away.I ask because none of the proposals I've posted seem to be an
option...
First let me say that this is not intended in any way to start up a religious or political mess but simply is presented as a "situation",not real for any of us here(at least not yet)only as a "what if."
Most religions and most of the "isms" that sprung out of the 20th century had
or still do have there extremists as well as the mainstream.But what if in any
of the nations in which we live in all of a sudden went the extreme route,either by vote or takeover?What if photography was outlawed in your
country as "beholding images","idoltry",or anyone with a camera had to register it with the authorities(hey in ww2 the Nazi's had everyone register
their bicycles and that sounds ridiculous even for a dictatorship-also radios).
To take a step further if in possession of one illegally you would be executed
or imprisioned as an enemy of the state unless,of course,you were in the service of said "state" making images that reflected the party or theocratic
line of thinking(remember the Nazis and Communists both hijacked art and
every other media for their own purposes).
Now the question:A)would you abandon photography all together
b)leave your country,possibly never to return and never
see friends,familiy or the land you love again
c)work in the service of the "state" therbye prostituting
your ability for a govt. that will restrict your expression
to suit its own ends.
d)make photos by the hundreds,distributing them on doors
in the dark of night letting people know that their is
something else besides the propaganda they're being fed
risking your life in the process
e)Hope that somehow it will all go away and stash your
equipment hoping to not be caught until then
f)greet every storm trooper that comes to your door with
a gun with an even bigger gun.
g)something else that I've completely overlooked-besides
the "it can't happen here" senario-because it can
Just thought I'd see what the responses would be from people who have the
ability to enjoy their photography as they see fit would do if it were suddenly
taken away.I ask because none of the proposals I've posted seem to be an
option...