Access Quote by Susan Sontag
“The freakish is no longer a private zone, difficult of access. People who are bizarre, in sexual disgrace, emotionally violent areseen daily on the newsstands, on TV, in the subways. Hobbesian man roams the streets, quite visible, with glitter in his hair.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “On Photography” (1977) collection, Susan Sontag
She argues that bizarre and violent behaviors are now publicly visible, eroding private spaces and normalizing spectacle.
In simple terms: Public exposure of deviant behavior erodes privacy.
Key Takeaway
Question the impact of media saturation.
Themes
media
privacy
public sphere
spectacle
violence
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
cultural critique
philosophical
When to use this quote
- news media
- urban life
- online platforms
- public policy
Key Concepts
surveillance
cultural desensitization
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the costs of losing private zones?
- How does constant visibility shape societal norms?
A Different Perspective
Over‑exposure can desensitize audiences to suffering.
![“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)
