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This Time Magazine Fred Ritchen Analysis

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In this Time Magazine article, writer Fred Ritchen debates the merit of violent photos in media. He begins with the events that prompted him to write this essay. He lists “A recent slew of situations resulting in catastrophic violence and death” (Ritchen, p1). This grouping of events, ranging from disease to plane crashes, has brought to light again the question of what a journalist’s duty is in reference of how much of a horror to show and how much to keep from the public. Ritchen’s argument culminates to the fact that the space taken up by showing these horrors of war and similar atrocities could be better used to prevent further events. The first argument that Ritchen brings up is the idea that those who refrain from posting a photo “because …show more content…

He argues that this desire to see the stories of war comes from the same place as the desire to watch an apocalyptic movie. The description of these war pictures very much resembles one of a movie: “as if a struggle for good against evil might be being played out before the camera, with elements of heroism, bravery, betrayal, and cowardice, and with winners and losers” (Ritchen, 2). To see war is to see the closest thing to a movie in real life. This is supplemented by the desire to share the photos that resides in the photographer. Ritchen argues that there is a promise made when a photograph of such atrocities is taken: that it will be shared and given its best chance of reaching the eyes of someone who can change this, or someone who can prevent it. This gives evidence to the point that the author is not arguing, on the surface, a surprising choice; but this does, in its own way, give the author a greater credibility. By acknowledging the ‘other’ side, he humanizes them and changes the essay from simply arguing a point to an article that explores the idea of this debate and culminates to a decision. When we are being told to believe something, those that give a healthy dose of skepticism see red flags go up; but when we are led through the author’s ideas and how he comes to that stand, we can come to the same conclusion naturally. This also gives the idea that …show more content…

We consider the readers and their effect on the debate that, essentially, is of them. He makes the point that, “a grieving mother in Gaza deserves the whole world’s attention” (Ritchen, 3), but the consequences of showing everything that deserves to be shown outweigh the benefits. Showing all of the horrors that the world has to offer can cause a desensitivity to them as “the reader tries to disconnect” (Ritchen, 3). He gives a personal example of how hearing about these travesties causes already such a large scar on his psyche, that a picture serves to do nothing but cause more pain. He contrasts the ideas made earlier in the essay of owing the victims of horrors to have their stories told by making an argument that it is just as important to ensure that those stories have their full effect. The reader of the essay considers their own experiences and most likely comes to the same conclusion that when confronted with all of the horrors, they are overwhelmed, but a small taste of each can strike the perfect balance. The sharing of a story in words gives a sense of wrong that exists in the world and refraining from shocking the reader can give them a sense of ability to change. It has a better chance of sparking an idea in a reader to call their representative and

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