Susan Sontag’s “Regarding the Pain of Others” discusses how violent images, especially those of war, have influenced personal beliefs through secondhand illustrations of suffering while simultaneously dividing the gap of consciousness between victims and their perpetrator. The development of efficient cameras and technology has undoubtably driven the increase in public exposure to objectively real scenes of violence, yet Sontag argues that photography’s intent to unite often conflicts with its actual impact.
Given the accessible nature of cameras in phones or other portable devices, exposure to harmful videos and film are increasingly common throughout news networks and outlets. An article by Comunicar utilizes the Boomerang effect – a term used in social psychology to describe circumstances where an individual adapts the opposite attitude or behavior that was otherwise targeted to prevent or correct – to explain the unintended consequences of violent imagery. The Boomerang effect relates to Sontag’s essay as it desensitizes the severity and frequency of violence due to reduction in emotional responses after the initial viewing (Brandle et al. 2011). Ultimately, this encourages the spectator to ignore or avoid further exposures as well as avoidance of the rooted issue.
Alternatively, in a Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law article, the authors’ findings suggest that as frequency of exposure to violent media increases, moral disengagement follows and heightens aggressive thoughts, attitudes and behaviors (Richmond and Wilson 2008). The imitation effect, for example, categorizes the tendency for humans to repeat observed behavior by other respected members within their in-group. While mass violence, like that of war, is more difficult to replicate in daily life, the spectator may nonetheless believe the actions or power demonstrated resulted in personal gain. Likewise, when members of similar social identities are exposed to other members engaging in violent behavior towards an individual with a separate social identity, the in-group member perceives this conduct as correct behavior and loses their sense of moral connection (Keltner and Robinson 1996)(Richmond and Wilson 2008).
These concepts have been used to understand extremism and bias, as studies examining social misperception report those who are in power are less likely to support social (hierarchal) change and are more biased in their own judgements and stereotypes, whereas those with lower power are more likely to support systemic change and prioritize individualism as well as others’ emotional needs (Keltner and Robinson 1996). In conclusion, graphic imagery has been proven to not invoke a singular, universal response in the spectator and is dependent on the viewer’s social identity and status.
Sources:
Brändle-Señán, Gaspar, et al. “The Risk of Emergence of Boomerang Effect in Communication Against Violence.” Comunicar, vol. 19, no. 37, 2011, pp. 161–168., https://doi.org/10.3916/c37-2011-03-08.
http://eprints.rclis.org/17291/1/en161-168.pdf
Keltner, Dacher, and Robert J. Robinson. “Extremism, Power, and the Imagined Basis of Social Conflict.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 5, no. 4, 1996, pp. 101–105., https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.ep11452765.
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/dacherkeltner/docs/keltner.robinson.currentdirections.1996.pdf
Regarding the Pain of Others Susan Sontag – Monoskop.org. https://monoskop.org/images/a/a6/Sontag_Susan_2003_Regarding_the_Pain_of_Others.pdf.
https://monoskop.org/images/a/a6/Sontag_Susan_2003_Regarding_the_Pain_of_Others.pdf
Richmond, Jill, and J. Clare Wilson. “Are Graphic Media Violence, Aggression and Moral Disengagement Related.” Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, vol. 15, no. 2, 2008, pp. 350–357. HeinOnline, EBSCOhost, https://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edshol&AN=edshol.hein.journals.psylaw15.34&site=eds-live&scope=site. Accessed 28 Nov. 2021.
I think your post brought up some really great points. I never realized that exposure to violence through media can desensitize us. This makes me concerned for adolescence who play war video games or games that involve a lot of killing. These kids are exposed to it so much and they encounter it from such a young age. I also thought it was interesting that you mentioned that when someone from the same social identities as you performs a violent act then you tend to think that it is not wrongful and that it is the correct behavior. It seems that the line between morally right and wrong becomes blurred in these cases. I think these are issues that are becoming more and more relevant within society and we need to recognize them so that it does not continue.
This helps explain the motivations behind Sontag’s works. She doesn’t include the imagery which she describes for these very reasons regarding misperception. Posting a graphic image, even in an matter of fact or educational way, can still have a negative effect and purport the behavior rather than inhibit it.
Thank you so much for sharing! I never really thought about how social identity could effect how one may view photographs, especially those of a graphic nature, and how it could that identity as well.
This post was very insightful because it helps explain the reverse effect that violent images can have on society. I think that Regarding the Pain of Others does so with the intent of having viewers empathize with images of war, however that is not always the reaction from people who see these photos.
I really enjoy that you chose to write about this topic specifically because I feel like many people don’t acknowledge it or think about it. Many people, especially young kids, are being exposed to violence on a daily basis to the point it’s normalized and even encouraged. Kids may begin to enjoy the rush behind violent situations because they are so used to be surrounded by it when it comes to graphic video games and even action movies.
I really like the points you gave, I agree with you the more exposure we have to violence imagery the more we become numb to it and won’t affect us as much. Also no other person wants their loved ones horrifying image to be in the internet and having to relive the emotions they are going through.
Yes I think this is even more true nowadays then ever. With the era of the internet there is accesibility to see all kinds of gruesome things at a buttons click. There are many things that we should have never seen in an entire lifetime just due to the media. This violent and gruesome imagery that is displayed makes us less empathetic to others when these situations occur.
I really enjoyed reading your blog about the boomerang effect because I think this is in strong effect today. With social media playing such a big part in everyones day to day life we see images that arise social problems daily. These images are for sure interpreted differently not only by different age groups but by social powers. This Boomerang effect creates a lot of issues between different power dynamics in society today.
I did not know much about the Boomerang Effect and I really liked how you connected it to what we are currently reading in class and to real-world applications. Your post made me revisit the power dynamic and how it can affect relationships!