Abnormality Quote by Susan Sontag
“Photography - the supreme form of travel, of tourism - is the principal modern means for enlarging the world. As a branch of art, photography's enterprise of world enlargement tends to specialize in the subjects felt to be challenging, transgressive. A photograph may be telling us: this too exists. And that. And that. (And it is all 'human.') But what are we to do with this knowledge - if indeed it is knowledge, about, say, the self, about abnormality, about ostracized or clandestine worlds?”
About This Quote
Source Book: On Photography by Susan Sontag, 1977
Photography expands our view of the world, revealing hidden or marginalized realities, prompting ethical reflection on what we do with this knowledge.
In simple terms: Photos show hidden parts of the world, urging us to act.
Key Takeaway
Use images to inform and inspire action.
Themes
art
perception
ethics
visibility
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
critical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- activism
- education
- community dialogue
Key Concepts
visual culture
social responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do we have after seeing hidden truths?
- How can photography inspire concrete change?
A Different Perspective
Images alone cannot change structures without action.
![“... one of art photography's most vigorous enterprises--[is] concentrating on victims, on the unfortunate--but without the compassionate purpose that such a project is expected to serve.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a8a/susan-sontag-332_art_one-of-art-photography-s-most-vigorous-e_1454734.jpg)
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
