Do Images Move You Too Much?
When you look at this picture, what do you see?
Depending on your perception, your mood, your frame of mind and a thousand other factors, you might see a duck or a rabbit. It’s all up to you and how you perceive the world.
Art is like that.
Writing is extremely subjective, and what might seem like creative apocalypse to me could be absolute trash to someone else. Faced with anything that evokes emotion, compels feelings or that represents something deep inside us, we each make personal decisions.
Photography is like that, too. Professional photographers and people steeped in the hobby of capturing emotion on film work many hours and take many shots with all sorts of variables to grab the very concept they want in one photo.
But people have lived through events that shape what they see. The writer or the photographer puts everything into capturing his or her version of perfect, and someone else captures a completely different mental image.
Maybe we’re all working towards perfection for nothing, hm?
I digress. The point is that I could write the words “warm and inviting,” and it will take on many different meanings for a wide range of readers.
Warm and inviting could be a fire crackling in a fireplace. It could be a small, cozy chair with a blanket and a book nearby.
It could bring on a flash of Aunt Jesse, whose smile makes you feel perfectly great inside. She always welcomes you in and feeds you cookies, too.
Or maybe warm and inviting is a bed in a room. A bed for two, perhaps. Maybe it’s the warm and inviting look that beautiful stranger gave you as you passed by. It could be the embrace you share.
Warm and inviting could represent colors. Reds, oranges… the color of sunsets, perhaps.
What you perceive from these words, what emotions you feel or what mental image comes to mind, has everything to do with your history, experiences, upbringing, views, values and so much more.
It has nothing to do with the creator’s intentions.
Every now and then, Harry and I feature photography that we feel evokes a strong emotion. We select images that we feel stir the senses. We want to make an impact in a thoughtful way using strong photography. What’s wrong with that?
It’s a little bit silly, really, because none of the pictures involve gratuitous sex or violence. One of us finds a portrait of a fully clothed woman that perfectly captures the concept of the related post – and then we have to ask, “Is this too much?” We find a photo of two people in love, and we have to wonder if the image is too sensitive – but what’s wrong with love?
A photo of a beautiful woman or a handsome man becomes something controversial and distasteful – the human body is a shameful thing. Or is it? I don’t think so. Do you?
Being who we are, we have open, tolerant minds and we accept many things that many other people don’t. Harry and I both accept religious preference, racial diversity, gender equality, homosexuality, lifestyle choices, nudity…
We pride ourselves on understanding that the world is a melting pot of acceptability and that no one’s opinion is the only opinion we should all have. We don’t shove our views down anyone’s throat or tell others that what we believe is what they should believe like so many people seem to do, either.
Some images we feature result in criticism. We’re told we post photos that demonstrate we encourage violence against women, gender domination and gratuitous sex.
Well, we don’t see that.
We don’t select any photo that we feel degrades people – male or female – in any way. We have open minds and understand that life is not always rosy and pure, so perhaps our perception of what is acceptable is not another person’s perception.
Some people are very quick to judge our character based on the images we select and post as well. The photo of a wide-eyed woman with a hand over her mouth found us sporting labels of women haters.
And yet, the woman’s eyes hold no fear. They are simply wide. Her facial expression is completely flat. The man’s hand exerts no pressure – it is completely gentle. He wears a wedding ring.
The photo could represent many stories – is he silencing her because their lives are in danger? Is it an intimate moment between partners in life? Some people saw domination. Others saw an opportunity to fight back.
What you see depends on who you are. And what you see is no reflection on who you are.
For each critical comment or email we receive, we receive ten more saluting us for our choice of evocative images that make people think or that touch them in some way. We’re commended for our confidence levels to display images considered slightly racy and at the same time very tasteful.
Certainly, some images may make some people uncomfortable, yes. Perhaps instead of criticizing our selection or judging us for our choices, the people who feel uncomfortable with the photos they view should ask themselves why they feel that way.
38 Responses to “Do Images Move You Too Much?”
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You know, with that picture of the woman with the man’s hand over her mouth, I saw him shutting her up because she was about to say something that she shouldn’t.
All for nudity here… and sushi… especially when combined. Ahem. Where’s Janice…
I’ve never been insulted by the photographs you use, although sometimes I scroll by rather quickly if I’m a bit uncomfortable (the first paragraph wasn’t *that* important, was it?
) I like to think of myself as open-minded, and things like that have never really bothered me much.
Besides, I think the pictures bring out a certain mood to the post, and add to it in ways that you might not be able to using just writing. I’ve always found them to be a positive addition to the posts, never something that detracted from them.
Allison’s last blog post..Orange-Flavored Mochi
That’s the neat thing about pictures – they reveal so much about what we think about “behind the scenes.”
When I saw that hand-over mouth picture my first reaction was that the man was whispering something akin to “Don’t make a sound or that THING in the corner will find us and devour us whole!”
But maybe because I just watched Jurassic Park again … or that I read too much Stephen King/Clive Barker.
(Oh, and I’m sure that thing devoured them after all. No Hollywood ending for them!”)
Dave Navarro’s last blog post..Embrace The Suck:How To Hate What You Do And Love It
I think pictures speak their own message and personally I always try to use them. A post gets so much more meaning when we use images that compliment it and many a times my readers have told me that the image I used in a post did indeed strengthen the message I was trying to tell.
As for your pictures. They are provocative, they are sexy, they are sensual and they rock. Plus you always manage to hit the nail on the head using them appropriately.
So what is the fuss?
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Inspiration Strikes In Many Places
I think this is an interesting response, and totally agree that every creative endeavor is completely up to interpretation to the viewer.
I was more or less going along with this post until I got to this line “The photo of a wide-eyed woman with a hand over her mouth found us sporting labels of women haters.” Ugh. You made it pretty clear that you’re referring to this post – http://menwithpens.ca/capture-the-fantasy-and-escape-your-reality and it certainly isn’t in the comments in there. You have to see the irony that you took our words and put your own meaning in them, just as you were discussing in this post! Maybe you are not talking about the comments but about an email you received? I sure hope so.
Many others shared their viewpoint of what the photo means, Dianne and I did the same thing in an extremely respectful manner.
@ Laura – The comment was left elsewhere and said something to the effect that it’s clear what we stand for. We have also received an email or two.
However, the comments left in the thread you mentioned were also part of the inspiration for this post.
Both comments and emails were respectful – I never said they weren’t – but we were chastised for our choice of images. People shared their view of the photos, yes, but they seemed to be not just saying, “This is what the image means to me,” but rather implying, “You are bad people to put up this image. You encourage violence against women.”
But my question for the post was how you feel about the images and my thoughts, not about how I feel
James and Harry,
Okay. Perspective from a designer and (recovering) artist here, with years of formal schooling to bore her into understanding such things.
“Most” people will only get one main thing from a piece of art. If the artist (photographer, whatever) is any good, and they meant you to get “sad,” you’ll get that, whatever side-stuff from your life you may bring in (like why sad, or how long sad, or will she ever get better).
There’s a wide spectrum of people who are not “most,” and once your readership reaches a certain level, you are bound to have readers who are not most and who are also vocal. To each his own. Check with the choir, if you will, then let it roll.
There are plenty of works of art in museums (and books in libraries) that appall these same people, and folks like them are always trying to censor someone.
Your images are always appropriate. As an Experience Designer, I will frankly tell you that they have become part of my banner blindness and I often have to come back to the article to find out what on Earth anyone’s offended by when I see a comment in my email inbox. To be really, really frank… there’s a lot of “provocative” that’s not too provocative in the world, and some of it finds its way here. The two people about to kiss? Well, you can go back and read my comments. *yawn*
I don’t think you want your articles to be about the images, so I think it is good that they aren’t terribly edgy. Only once did an image bug me (I no longer remember what it was), but I’m here because you’re writers, not photo-museum curators.
[Lucky you, I deleted the really really frank part.
]
The woman with the hand over her mouth looked surprised. That was about it. Believe me, if there is a person who comments today who should be able to put past life experiences into any of your images and get her knickers in a twist, this is that chick. You’re fine.
Most people get that the main thing here is the art of writing really well for your business. Those who don’t… well, they’re not your target market.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..3 Essential Points for the Business Bilingue
I see dead people.
(Sorry, couldn’t resist)
I’ve never had a problem with the images you guys put up here (then again, being a closet Viking, not much would offend me…)
I know some folks have different tastes, and that’s okay. Hey, I don’t like relish.
But if you wrote a post about relish, and put up a picture of a jar of relish, I’d hardly come by and give you hell for it.
I know it isn’t quite the same, but my feeling is that the images in question were tasteful. I mean, I had pictures of mostly nude folks covered in orange paint on my blog… and I still think it was okay. People having good, clean (?) fun, that’s all it was.
Keep on keepin’ on, we keep coming back.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..viking fridays – words of praise.
Like I said in that original discussion, the image didn’t bother me. I found it rather sexy, which probably just shows that I’m kinda weird
I’m not that easily offended. I’ve also taken enough psychology classes to know that if something offends ME, I am generally the issue, not the “offender.” Get what I’m saying? I can see the pic of the man covering the woman’s mouth, and I can say “hey, what’s with the women-hating?” (projecting) or I can look at it and say “Interesting. Wonder why they chose that?”
That’s how I look at art, literature, music, whatever. As a result, I’m rarely offended.
My impression when I saw the picture was probably not one you’d expect from me. My wife has been watching “America’s Next Top Model” hosted by Tyra Banks a lot lately, thus I see a lot of it, too.
When I saw the photo I thought about the models; the photo shoot; how the photographer might have been telling them to stand and saying, “Oh, that’s it! Yes!” In other words, I thought about the shoot.
I’ve never had any issues with the pictures you guys have or use. My favorite all time still is the flaming samurai sword Harry used in his Way of Writing series.
After reading this comment section so far, I think our comments support your line of reasoning that people perceive things in different ways depending on MANY factors.
John Hoff – eVentureBiz’s last blog post..3 Sentences on Entrepreneurial Learning Curve
I came in here, having read the feed as an email, to say I agree with you absolutely, and thought your comments mainly referred to the picture of the nude woman, which I thought was beautifully shot and fitted the post great.
But to be honest, this is a writing blog and I come here to read. The pictures are usually great, but I often scan past them completely.
However, I clicked on the link in Laura’s comment and found a post I must have missed, and I must admit the image did disturb me.
And yes, that’s because it moved me too much. But that’s my problem, and my history, not yours. I would never request you not to show it.
zania’s last blog post..This is not the place to make money online
I don’t have any problem with attractive men and women being used as advertising objects…it’s a fine tradition, if somewhat lacking in depth. But it is you who criticize other people’s blogs for a lack of imagination and technique, it is you who pretend to be oh so creative and original, and it is who you fell into the same old cliche of woman as victim (woman threatened by male hand) and woman as object (vacuous staring woman barely draped in shredded materials). Maybe you have a male victim/sex object somewhere in your role playing world, but your advertisement on your blog focused on women so don’t blame me for the conclusions I drew (I wouldn’t waste a second of time visiting a website so advertised so you can pat yourself on the back for creating no curiosity about its content). You selected the photos, not me. You picked your stereotype, not me. And you will attract many people, male and female, who enjoy that kind of advertisement. More power to you. You deserve the success of the audience you will attract. For the record, I have equally little regard for the woman as mannequin and fashion obsessed bobble head (“Sex in the City”) as I do for woman as victim. I wasn’t your target market anyway. I’m looking for something original. It doesn’t matter what I think….I’m nobody. Just a member of the audience. And this will the last of your blogs I will bother to read. So you are a success indeed. You got rid of one dissenting voice and now you will only have obedient and subservient women at your beck and call, those who worship at your every word without question. It’s a good life. You are welcome to it.
Good comments everyone. I hope to see more throughout the day, as it’s a good topic for discussion. I was saying this morning I thought I’d like the blog on fire but it appears that I have to really pull out the stops to do that!
@ Zania – Exactly. The main purpose is to read a great post, and the picture is just to highlight the point or enhance the emotion of the content. I’m glad to have you as a reader, and thanks for stopping by.
@ John – My upstairs neighbor is a photographer. In his early years, he shot a lot of naked women before moving on, but what’s interesting is how he never saw the woman as anything beyond a person modeling for a job. There was no attraction, emotion or anything. All he was concerned about was how to set the lighting, the time of day, the lines of the props… it was just a photo, and his job was to create the best photo possible. Still is, even if he’s photographing a leaf, and he treats the job the same way.
@ Colleen – That may be why I always find reactions surprising. I’ve taken psychology as well and I tend to think in lines of, “If this upsets me, why? Why am I feeling this way? How can I change that to feel better? What are my thoughts and why do I have them?” I introspect far more than I look outwards to blame something else as being the cause. Shrink stuff is interesting.
@ Brett – Yeah, your picture was weird as hell
And what’s wrong with relish? Ketchup. Now *there’s* something gross.
@ Kelly – That was a fantastic comment, so thank you. I agree; we can’t please everyone all the time (but I’m a blogger; I look for post fodder where I can find it). And I also agree that we’re dealing with many different people and what is provocative and shocking to one is a bore to another. There’s no real solution to that, but as I mentioned above, when I find something disturbing, I want to think about why I feel that way.
@ Monika – You might be surprised at how carefully we choose our pictures. Harry and I sometimes spend a few hours finding just the right one that is appropriate for the point we want to make.
@ Dave – Pictures are amazing for revealing the thoughts we have and bringing them to light. I had a psychological test once based on writing a story for each image (and they were disturbing), and the results revealed were very interesting. (Don’t worry, I’m more than normal.)
@ Allison – we had a few people who emailed and said, “This isn’t appropriate for work!” Our response? “What are you doing reading our blog when you should be working for your employer?”
Heh, I want to hear what Janice says, too. I bet she’ll have a lot to say!
@ Diane – If you believe that I want people to always agree with me and worship my views, then I believe you haven’t been reading many of our posts. Harry and I are huge proponents of people *not* following the herd.
As for choosing photos that are creative, original and non-traditional, we could certainly select couples that are homosexual, beautiful men over women and women in positions of power over men. Then we’d have a whole other type of crowd reading our blog and a whole other group of people bitching that we support same-sex relationships (we do) and S&M bondage scenes (not our thing, but hey.)
In short, damned if we do, and damned if we don’t. But I’ll be damned if we’ll choose the same-old stock photos that show happy people smiling for the camera. Now *that* would be completely unoriginal of us, wouldn’t it?
Thanks for being a reader and your thoughts, even though it seems that you won’t be reading any more. I think that if you choose not to read because of our photo selection, then you’re right; our blog didn’t matter to you, because the content should be the first thing readers look to. Not our choice of images.
@James,
I wish my kids *would* eat relish. Easier to clean up than ketchup…
(Disclaimer – I like homemade relish. Just not the stuff out of the store.)
It’s just too bad that some people would throw away a wealth of potentially useful information past, present, and future (i.e. stuff here at your blog) because they disagreed with one or two things.
I read lots of blogs. I don’t always agree with what is there. I seldom say anything, because I choose my battles. Hey, I may be easy going but if I disagreed with everything and everyone who didn’t see things “my way”…
Brett Legree’s last blog post..viking fridays – words of praise.
Life would be ridiculously boring if we only exposed ourselves to people and things that we were 100% in agreement with. I don’t get it. And I don’t really think that’s possible, anyway. Better to recognize the differences, appreciate them for what they are, and move on.
For the record, I do NOT worship James. If you’re looking for subservient, look somewhere else. You can appreciate someone’s POV without being a mindless minion or a hopeless fangirl. I don’t always agree with either of the Pen Men, but I’m not going to stop reading the blog over it!
Am I missing something? I’ve never had any reason to complain about any of the images I see here…..
Finally recovered from being up at 1am,
Barbara
Barbara Ling’s last blog post..21 Days to a more profitable blog – Day 11! Craft a post about niche lust
Interesting, yet again! When I saw that photo of the woman with the hand over her mouth, I couldn’t get past her incredible eyes. When I finally did, I noticed the wedding ring. Then I went back to those magnetic eyes. I made no conclusions: I couldn’t . I had no idea what the photo was meant for yet. So I went to the post, which was why I was there in the first place. In the end, I concluded that, quite simply, the woman was being prevented from saying something, but I attached no emotion to it. From saying what? That would be too much speculation on my part and useless info. It’s just a picture to accompany the more important content of the post.
Because photos with posts need to have some association or what’s the point, the photos have to be taken in context. Since there was nothing in the post to suggest what has been otherwise suggested about the photo, I’d say the negative assumptions were made prior to reading the post. Pictures may say a thousand words, but when text accompanies them, those thousand words are not so subjective anymore. You may interpret the photo how you want, but as with a book, there are intentions already there; thus, there can be incorrect interpretations.
Just my two cents, and certainly not meant to be offensive.
steph’s last blog post..Fiction: A New Hope at the Lusty Weevil
PS. I saw a duck.
steph’s last blog post..Fiction: A New Hope at the Lusty Weevil
@ James – My father-in-law is a professional photographer and he’s the same way.
John Hoff – eVentureBiz’s last blog post..3 Sentences on Entrepreneurial Learning Curve
Just like Kelly, images have become part of my banner blindness. I mostly don’t really notice them.
I haven’t lurked here long enough to notice a trend, but generally speaking, there ARE many images out there that portray women as being controlled, weak or passive, while men are often portrayed as strong, dynamic and active.
This place is yours. As long as you are comfortable with the images you post, and are willing to stand by your choices, then it’s up to your readers to decide if they can handle it, or if some of the images are a big enough turn-off that they are not going to bother with the text.
Vered’s last blog post..The Sleazy Ads of Google Adsense
Very well said, James.
As a reader, writer, and a woman, I’ve always enjoyed your images. In fact, I think they greatly enhance your copy. But most importantly, they stir emotion and make me think.
Please keep ‘em coming!
Rebecca Smith’s last blog post..Writing lessons I learned from my dog
Good lord in a high-swinging basket.
James, you’re defending yourself just fine here, but -
Dianne, if you honestly believe that James calmly asserting his reasons for choosing his photography is an attempt to ‘shut women up’, then you must have very little faith in the strength of your own arguments. I can’t speak for all the women who enjoyed the pictures, but there’s not a man in my life who doesn’t think I could take him on equal terms in a physical fight, and I liked them both. I don’t need all the pictures of women that I ever see to show them in empowering or affirming situations to feel secure in my own power as a human being. Maybe the woman in question is, in fact, being threatened or dominated. What on earth would be wrong with that scenario? It’s a role-playing game. Traumatic things will, in fact, happen. Getting a hand clamped over your mouth is a distinct possibility. What happens next is up to you.
I still fail to see how you think that picture is somehow all-encompassing. All women are in this position, all men who post such pictures must be encouraging their submissiveness. It’s art. Art is interpretive.
It’d take a lot more than one picture of ONE woman being silenced to keep me from holding up my own end of a fight.
And frankly, I don’t think your decision to respond to the woman being silenced by silencing yourself is really the best call there. Come around, dissent with us. One of the reason the MwP are good guys is because they will respectfully argue with you. No one’s going to call names and no one’s going to say that your opinion isn’t worth something. It is. But so is mine, and all of the other women whose opinions you cast off as pandering to James’ will.
I don’t pander to James’ will. You know this because he’s been begging me to move my blog over to my new template for months, so he can have comment notifications. I stand firm in my resolve. Just to take his male ego down a peg, you know.
Tei – Rogue Ink’s last blog post..Roleplaying for Writers, Or Why It’s Cool to Geek Out.
Sometimes I worry that I have no detractors, especially with the crap I write. Not controversial enough, perhaps? I DID have one fellow who was giving me a hard time in comments for a while, and after a few rounds back and forth I just banned him. That was fun.
How can I get people mad at me? I post edgy, R rated stuff all of the time, yet I get great comments.. HELP ME UNCLE JAMES!
RhodesTer’s last blog post..Today, I am going to plug THE ONION
C’mon James…some of your stuff may be a little edgy, but you could certainly spice it up another notch. Bring it on!
For some reason, I always see the duck – yeah, I can manage to see the rabbit if I really try – but the duck just seems more natural. Does anybody really see the rabbit first before realizing there’s a duck as well?
Chad’s last blog post..Top 60 Blogs for Freelance Writers
James- Oh crisse James, what have you done now?!!!! Did you show some skin again? Damn. Am I going to have to post another nude drawing session? Cher, when you get out the whips and leather, it does raise an eyebrow or two among some. It reminds ME to buy more lingerie. Are we seriously talking the offense of the nude????or nearly nude? For crying out fricking loud!!! I can see this summer’s posts lining up on my editorial calendar. NAKED. More NAKED , and TRULY NAKED.
Truly and seriously. I will not bore your readers here with beauty and sublime phot links. Look for those this summer, but here’s the deal. Your visuals are as important as your headlines. You know me. I am going there. Push them. Just like you do your writing. Use them even more sublimely. What’s with this little bunny /duck ? Bless it’s heart it looks lost on the way to Pooh Corner. Stay creatively considerate, but extend your range even more. We’re intelligent people here who can handle a variety of topics and visuals. I am not advocating anything gratuitous in any way. I am not suggesting content in any way. I am not saying show skin, malevalent domination, or violence, or anything evil. I am saying this, you’re getting objections over these? Pullease!!!!!!
Allison- don’t forget your next sitting, “Nude With Sushi ll”. I ‘ll get Friar to bring the salmon next time. We’ll have to shake it a bit to wrest the trophy from that naked dancing Viking with the nut grafs on parade.
Diane- I actually get what you are saying to James. Kudos to you for being a thorn in his side. Not because he was being risque, or malevalent, but for making a not so great editorial decision. I don’t care for that image either. Not because he over stepped any bounds though, because it just didn’t do it for me. So in part I agree. He’s actually a good guy.
Stubborn, hot headed, but soft hearted.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Uh Oh, It’s Getting A Little Whacky
@Janice,
I’m fast, too – my special shoes give me wings
and my other choice of garb (or lack thereof) doesn’t slow me down!
Brett Legree’s last blog post..viking fridays – words of praise.
Chad,
I wonder if it is because we read left-to-right, and looking at the beak/ears first they appear too sharp to interpret any other way? We’d need to survey folks whose native language is written right-to-left to check that. Just my theory. The only way I see the bunny is to begin at the other side and force myself to think about it as a potential rabbit.
Janice,
Like others, I have been waiting for you to chime in.
All this upset, and these nudes aren’t even nude.
Of course, this also isn’t an artist’s blog…
I get my lingerie reminders at your blog.
Tei,
Yes.
Especially yes about being silenced by an image of silencing. That is NOT feminism. That is ostrichism. There are lots of opinions in the world, make yours one of them without fear.
Dianne,
I was appreciating your ability to tell it like you think it is, until “obedient and subservient women.” Harry and James are very talented people who write brilliant content that attracts intelligent professionals to linger, over topics serious and silly.
If you think that sounds worshipful, you haven’t hung out long enough. What the intelligent professionals who linger here appreciate most is the ability to shout disagreements and the twelve sides of every story at least a couple of times weekly to the Men. They shape our thoughts a bit, and we mould theirs, too.
James,
You rock. It is a good life, eh?
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..3 Essential Points for the Business Bilingue
Hi Guys- I was painting. Minding my own business. But we can and will catch you Brett. We have wiles…and ways. And if that doesn’t work, a little berserker action is not beyond us.
Kelly- Yes, subservient women? James you feeling the submissive servitude here? How’s that lavender and sand working for you Kelly? It doesn’t matter if this is an artist’s blog or not. Everything is a visual medium too.
And I was referring to the hand over mouth image in response to Diane. I have to second Tei’s invitation. Intelligent discussion is welcome. Dispute, disagreement, “you are so wrong for that’…we go there , ask anyone.
Janice C Cartier’s last blog post..Uh Oh, It’s Getting A Little Whacky
Janice,
Lavender and sand are awesome.
Now, if I could only get a second opinion…
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..3 Essential Points for the Business Bilingue
Yeah, I hear you on that!
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Uh Oh, It’s Getting A Little Whacky
When I read that my first thought was: “bullshit!” But then I thought about it some more and came to this: what we see is a reflection on what we’ve been through, what has made us and formed us up to this point in time.
And boy, if there’s one thing people get messed up about, it’s sex. And when they complain about something like that in comments, it’s because of what they see in themselves, not because of what they see in you. Blog comments are so weird that way. It’s like the blog is a screen onto which people project whatever they want to see and then react as if it were undisputed reality.
You’re right about being damned if you do and damned if you don’t. But I’ll take damned over boring any day.
Michael Martine | Remarkablogger’s last blog post..The 5 Elements Every Business Blog Must Have
@ Michael- “there’s one thing people get messed up about, it’s sex. ”
I am not privy to any emails complaining, but I did go back and look at the hand over mouth image again and looked for Laura and Dianne’s comments. They are not objecting about sex, but about power or control in their view. A woman is being subdued for whatever reason.
It wasn’t an issue of sex for them.
Janice C Cartier’s last blog post..Uh Oh, It’s Getting A Little Whacky
@Janice – I was speaking about blog commenting in general, not about that specific image. No biggie.
Michael Martine | Remarkablogger’s last blog post..The 5 Elements Every Business Blog Must Have
Oh well, you are on target there. Like mirrors, those.
Janice C Cartier’s last blog post..Uh Oh, It’s Getting A Little Whacky
Time for some comments:
@ Brett – You bring up something valuable. It truly *is* a shame that someone would choose not to pursue what he or she found important simply over a disagreement.
I wonder if this isn’t our Canadian way coming into play. I’ve communicated with many Canadians and we all tend to say the same thing: Canucks rock at debate and it’s all good at the end of the day. Plus, we tend to be very diplomatic about it.
I believe that other cultures don’t debate and discuss in the way we tend to do (and are raise to do). I may be wrong, though. Just a thought.
@ Colleen – I appreciate that you don’t always agree with us. I don’t want you to, either. Now, about that fanservience, though…
@ Barbara – The more we age, the more a sleepless night kicks our ass. Rest well.
@ Steph – Honestly, what strikes me about the picture is the eyes as well. I’ve had it for a while and wanted a place that I could use it. The picture does carry emotion, but you brought out something I never thought of – we never specified what emotion, because we realized that we see the woman in many different ways. It’s a picture wide open to subjective opinion, which is part of what makes it cool, I guess.
And I saw a duck, too.
@ Vered – Thank you. I appreciate that. You are right, too. There are many, many pictures out there that are just disgusting or that completely disturb me, and I would never post them here.
@ Rebecca – And getting people to think a little more is exactly what we want. I’m glad we accomplish that.
@ Tei – I want to frame that comment, because I think you said something so very strong that it should be said over and again. Thank you for your support. Now move your fucking blog, would you? Sheesh.
@ Rhodester – Apparently, the best way to stir up controversy is to write something you believe is completely harmless. And when you want a meh response, try to set your own blog on fire. This technique seems to work for me every time. I have yet to figure out if I’m arse backwards or my readers are.
@ Chad – I think Rhodester could use your help…
@ Janice – Ha, I knew you’d have a ton to say. And this: “We’re intelligent people here who can handle a variety of topics and visuals.” This is good. Yes. That’s what I’d hope of people in general, and I’m glad to hear you shout it.
Don’t shout the bit about thorn in side, hot tempers, and stubbornness, though. I prefer the PC-terms charming, adorable and sweet.
@ Kelly – You made me grin. Yeah, it’s a good life. And this:
…is fantastic. YES! What I love the most about all the community here is that people aren’t afraid to speak out and discuss and debate – and NO ONE gets all pissy or twisted out of shape. THAT is the Canadian way.
So is the way you spelled mould. I’m so very proud of you.
@ Janice again – No lavender and sand here, thanks. Though they’re two perfectly lovely colors… but… uh… chrome and black, yes?
@ Michael –
That’s so true. That’s so, so true. There’s a lot of projection in blog commenting and a great deal of straw men being tossed about too. It is weird.
I find the sex thing another Canadian/American thing. It’s really not a big deal to us, generally. We’re not quite nudist Europeans but skin is skin. Big deal. I mean, when we have many provinces where the women petitioned to have the right to go topless legally on the streets – and they won – sex isn’t much of a fuss.
And I’ll continue to damn us all, don’t worry. My road to hell is already paved with good intentions. Too far to turn around now
@ Everyone – If the issue was a woman being subdued, how come no one got upset about the man that was subdued in the other picture? I mean, damn. He looked like he was about to get the crap beaten out of him… and that was okay, but a “hush” picture wasn’t?
*confused*
James:
No.
HAH! See? I am WOMAN, damn it! I can DEFY you! And clearly I must assert this regularly else you FORGET!
No, seriously, I’m writing copy now, Naomi’s going to look at it in two days, and I will be back home then, and everything will be made of awesome. I have a schedule, I swear. CommentLuv will ensue.
It’s just that damned ‘making money for rent’ factor. Sops up all the time I have, like a big fluffy biscuit of time-soppage.
Tei – Rogue Ink’s last blog post..Roleplaying for Writers, Or Why It’s Cool to Geek Out.
@James,
It’s sort of like judging a book by it’s cover. Well, it’s exactly like doing that.
I’ve done that many times (probably everyone has). My most memorable one had to be the movie “The Silence of the Lambs”. I remember when it was in theatre, I thought, “that sounds like a dumb movie, I’d never want to see it”.
I hadn’t seen a trailer, of course, or read any reviews. So I really had no idea. Then a friend of mine said, “seriously dude, you have to see that movie”.
Similarly many folks I know have said they don’t want to watch “Fight Club” because they think it’s just about guys fighting. And so I say, “you have no idea – do yourself a favour and just watch the movie”.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..best laid plans.