Response to Susan Sontag

1 September 2011

How do we know that the mountains outside are “real” mountains? How do we know what “real” mountains are? We don’t. Just like the prisoners in Plato’s Cave never realized that the shadows they saw were in fact people, we have no way of being certain that what we see is real. Although we live in the 21st century and are exposed to a great level of technology, there is still a possibility that we live in an illusion. Maybe we believe in that illusion in order to create a sense of comfort for ourselves. On a daily basis I perceive the world to be real. I learn from the things around me, and I apply my knowledge to create change and growth in my life. As I read about Plato’s philosophy and how he questions reality, I began to inquire about the world around me as well.

This similar occurrence happens when one appreciates photography. The author of On Photography, Susan Sontag, states that we live in mere images of the truth. Sontag believes that these mere images are photographs. In other words, if we live in these photographs, then we are not necessarily living in reality. Photographs make things come into existence, but they are only capturing life through a very small lens. Even though you can learn from these photographs, as soon as the view is specified, the meaning changes. Interestingly enough, the only thing that changes is the meaning. The camera is what is separating you from the photo and the real world. It acts as a shield, and unless that camera is removed, you have no way of interacting. When we look at a photograph, we are seeing what is in that photograph. But, what we are seeing is not necessarily reality. Therefore, the only way to confirm what we see is without a camera lens. The camera lens does not question the existence of things; it changes reality and the meaning of it.

Again, due to technology, photography is becoming more and more popular. People take pictures to confirm that their experience was indeed real. They use their photographs as evidence of reality as if no one would believe what they saw really existed. It follows the same pattern as what I discussed earlier in relation to the mountains.  If people use photographs to prove what they see, it is possible that we use what we “see”, to prove that something is real as well. Even though photographs make things seem real, they do not give us a clear understanding of anything. They are left open for interpretation, and if you are the individual that took the picture then your understanding will be affected.

Whether it is a photograph or anything else, those mere images can change the way we perceive the entire world. When we look at photographs and see through that camera lens, we make a conscious decision of whether to believe in it or not. That choice determines the outcome of our actions and reactions. Plato’s philosophy states that this same effect occurs when you are not looking at things through a lens. What happened to the prisoners could be happening to us as well. The way we perceive the world and create illusions, make us feel in control, allows us to move on, and ultimately help us live our lives.  Sontag states, “Today everything exists to end in a photograph.” I agree with her statement and I would add on that we use those photographs to fill in blanks, to learn from, and to see new things. As each photo is added to our collection we create our own interpretations and our outlook on the world is altered.