Wednesday, September 26, 2007

responsibility

photo: Kevin Carter

The prize-winning image: A vulture watches a starving child in southern Sudan, March 1, 1993. CORBIS/Sygma © 2006

I'm not sure if i'm breaking copyright laws by posting this picture, I am giving all of the credit due where its needed... it won pulitzer prize and i didn't take it.

I came across this thread today on photo.net and it talked about this picture and the article that goes along with it.

i encourage you to go follow that link and read it and respond here with your thoughts.

jim baker

6 comments:

JStanford said...

I see this photography and it is truly humbling. Who am I to live in America and have anything I need, when elsewhere in the world people struggle so?
And who am I to say I am better off than this man, who took the photograph and walked away, when I myself do little or nothing to help those in such dire circumstances?

There is a bit of a disconnect here - yes it was morally wrong to do nothing to help this child, to walk away from her. But do we not do that too? We go back and eat our dinner, as you said. Are we not just the same as this photographer?


Moving on, it is true that there is somewhat of a gray area. It's hard to draw the line between documenting some horror and doing something about it. Documenting is critical, but doing something is more so.

Those are some of my initial thoughts...

Jim Baker said...

jeff... i think your spot on when you say "who am I to say I am better off than this man... when I myself do little or nothing to help those in such dire circumstances"

i also loved how you closed...

"documenting is critical, but doing something is more so."

thanks for helping me put this into prespective, i appreciate your thoughts.

you should go post exactly what you've written here in the thread on PN since your a member... i think it would be a great addition to the conversation.

hb said...

i wish i could have been there. with that little boy. but then again, there are so many just like him all over the world-literally. don't you wish you could hug all of them?

Jim Baker said...

hannah...

i think that little girl laying on the ground needs more than just a hug... but i'm sure she needs that too.

i distinctly remember watching you in mexico with millions of children all around you, you looked like you were doing what you were created for.

have you ever considered orphanage work overseas?

hb said...

i think i would really enjoy working with orphans. i don't know what the heck God's calling me to yet... i think he's letting me wait till I'm out of high school to let me know. but i think he's really given me a heart for young children, especially because i have three siblings who are quite a bit younger than me.
i love the ninos:)

Jim Baker said...

thats awesome... don't stress, trust in His timing... :) and just be obedient one step at a time.

pz
jim baker