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As remote as these images might feel, it's important to remember that some of our parents and grandparents went through this time. We always feel that the worl

by brc 16y ago

As remote as these images might feel, it's important to remember that some of our parents and grandparents went through this time. We always feel that the world is a peaceful place, but things got this bad in a very short space of time. Certainly in a shorter space of time than the war in Iraq has been going on. Things can fall apart very quickly, and the ones who fight for peace the most are those who can remember once proud buildings with artillery damage, and soldiers on the streets with weapons ready. Peace is a fractious and rare state in human history, it's easy to forget that in a modern life. That's where the power of these images lie.

grigory 16y ago
While I agree with you, I wanted to provide a different perspective on how "remote" these images might seem. (I might be misunderstanding meaning you're putting behind that word. If so, please forgive me!) I'm Russian, and I grew up in different parts of USSR and later ex-USSR. All of my older relatives were, in some sense, involved in WW2. A big part of my family died during that time - some killed in fighting, some from hunger, some from random bullets, some because of repressions of that time... That war greatly affected every family I know, usually in most tragic ways. So to many people over there, such photographs are not "remote" at all - they are an integral part of their own history. At the same time, it is saddening to see a new generation grow up oblivious to what their grandparents went through... People forget so easily!
- brc 16y ago
  clarification : remote as in 'a long time ago'. As you say, the new generation sees black and white images and thinks it happened a long time ago. I was specifically speaking about families like yours, who have lived through this, my point being it might feel remote to a young person raised on a life of peace and prosperity, but for many people it is very real.

by brc 16y ago

grigory 16y ago

While I agree with you, I wanted to provide a different perspective on how "remote" these images might seem. (I might be misunderstanding meaning you're putting behind that word. If so, please forgive me!) I'm Russian, and I grew up in different parts of USSR and later ex-USSR. All of my older relatives were, in some sense, involved in WW2. A big part of my family died during that time - some killed in fighting, some from hunger, some from random bullets, some because of repressions of that time... That war greatly affected every family I know, usually in most tragic ways. So to many people over there, such photographs are not "remote" at all - they are an integral part of their own history. At the same time, it is saddening to see a new generation grow up oblivious to what their grandparents went through... People forget so easily!

brc 16y ago
clarification : remote as in 'a long time ago'. As you say, the new generation sees black and white images and thinks it happened a long time ago. I was specifically speaking about families like yours, who have lived through this, my point being it might feel remote to a young person raised on a life of peace and prosperity, but for many people it is very real.