Drowning Quote by Paul Harvey
“If you found yourself in a situation where you could either save a drowning man, or you could take a Pulitzer prize winning photograph of him drowning, what shutter speed and setting would you use?”
About This Quote
Source Radio Commentary, 1970s
The rhetorical question contrasts moral duty with personal ambition, urging ethical choice over fame.
In simple terms: Choose duty over fame.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize saving lives over personal gain.
Themes
ethics
media
humanity
choice
Mood
thoughtful
provocative
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- emergency response
- photojournalism
- media ethics
- education
Key Concepts
moral dilemma
journalistic integrity
personal ambition
Questions to Reflect On
- Would you photograph or help?
- How do media incentives shape actions?
A Different Perspective
Fame can distract from moral responsibility.
![“My mom had bought this camera to take classes herself and I remember working with her on it, understanding how the stop-motion [worked], having a high shutter speed and things like that. Long before I picked it up myself, I remember being on a slide at a country club going into the water and…” quote by Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca0/jeff-vespa-25539_artistic_my-mom-had-bought-this-camera-to-take-cl_266973.jpg)
