"Dignity" as a Global Concept

Set aside all forms of documentation, social norms, traditions, laws, and all hereditary morals and values…What is dignity? And what does it actually mean?

There are many forms of authority that have shaped the ideal of dignity and what the word itself actually means to us, as functioning faculties of the modern society. The English language in general, more specifically words, have changed dramatically over the past few centuries, what something may have meant and how it was defined, is very different in today’s society than it was then. This perception of denotation has been shaped by the social enviroment in which we live, the cultures and practices have somewhat largely changed. What may have been considered “dignified” 500 years ago would not necessarily be socially accepted today. This again is largely attributed to the way in which the societal machine has been advanced and engineered into something very different over the years.

Apart from time and space, geographical location must be taken into account. Religion and culture in certain parts of the world have altered at very different rates. The preservation of social practices and traditions in some countries have faded, others have not.

The bright lights of Dubai international airport beamed across the twilight sky, the airplanes parked side by side lined up for miles on end. Elaborate gold decorations and western influences, in every direction, this seemed the cosmopolitan metropolis indifferent to any other. The massive conveyor belts spews out masses of luggage to their eagerly awaiting counterparts, I collect my aged, bruised and tattered suit case in amongst the executive designer ones and head off towards the exits marked with bright twisted neon. Jet lagged and uncomfortable from the deprived sleep and shoddy seats on the plane, I make my way to the nearest cellular phone store, and ask for a sim card, the rudely abrupt man directs me to the automated vending machine. As soon as I was “in contact” I called one of my relatives and informed them of my arrival.

Not long after the phone call, somewhat lost in translation, I found myself waiting on the streets of Dubai in scorching heat on a late summer’s day. I watch as the local people hurry along to their desired destinations. At first it seemed as if it were no different to any other metropolis, but soon a familiar pattern began to occur. The women were all acutely conscious of their dress, their demeanor somewhat timid and subdued. In contrast to this was their conflicting male counterparts, their confident strides and arrogant chauvinistic characters’ exuded as they walked by. It was now becoming very clear to me that equality and inherent human dignity meant something very different in this part of the world.

Ambiguity

This picture was taken a few days ago, I've entitled it Ambiguity. With just a little Photoshop magic, the photograph was given an entirely different perspective.

The Definition of Tranquility

Amsterdam

The old, tired legs of the city, some abandoned and left alone, others waiting to be collected and taken home. The cold hard streets contrasted with the subtle classic look of the bicycles give the picture a very contemporary look.

Photography and the Media

A picture can tell a thousand words, a cliche it may be, but never more true. Still images, to me, create a story that no words could ever begin to tell. Photography is something that envelops our every day lives on a conscious and sub-conscious level. The media uses clever photography as a medium to convey messages to a particular audience.

The reality of the present day is that, the media in the form of literature, is no longer the most powerful form of expression. Television, billboards, magazines, flyer's, posters, shop windows, all forms of advertising and means of communication to the public are now done through visually stimulating pictures, photographs or short phrases. The world has become literally incompetent, society has regressed to a point where convenience and easy access is preffered over a will to learn and the hunger for the attainment of knowledge. everything has been made into easily accessible, bite size chunks, from the mass produced, commercially unhealthy food that we eat, to the unethical and immoral ideals of the modern society, what our concept of beauty is, the difference between right and wrong, political propaganda has all influenced us, and shaped the way we think. The media is the most omnipotent tool that anyone can have, with the media lies the collective brain of the world society.

With that being said, it is becomming more and more evident that visual literacy is becomming the order of the day, and the demand for this type of advertising is increasing rapidly. people are becomming less and less sesceptable to reading the newspaper, or willing to learn about the Marxist theory or read up on the great wall of China. Why do that? all we have to do is flick a button the remote control and watch a documentary, or go to the cinema and see a film on Carl Marx, why not just switch to the eight o'clock news and "watch" the newspaper unfold in front of your very eyes? It's all just too easy. Convenience is becomming the biggest downfall of society.

What good is technology for the majority, when only the minority have the power to fully understand it?

Appreciation for Art

Ive always had an appreciation for art, from Graffiti to Van Gogh and even as far as Miro, Art has a very distinctive quality that no other form of expression posesses. It has a life of its own, thriving on the imaginations of it's observer's, feeding off their energy and creating still images frozen in time, never to be altered, encapsulated with the uniqueness of it's creator.