When Real is Fake is Real

One of the pressing issues for many navigating the tempestuous realm of the Internet in this modern-day and age, is the challenge of determining what is real.  We are warned about the importance of performing good searches and carefully scrutinizing websites for quality (I suspect the majority of us roll our eyes at these warnings and think “thanks Mom”).  We are forced to maintain a constant vigil of skepticism as we browse the web or risk being made into yet another gullible member of the masses.  The problem is, that the risk is often not just a slightly bruised ego, but instead could be more tangible; computer viruses, identity theft, regretable associations, etc.

But there are some more innocent reaches.  Consider the photoshopped photo.  Photoshopping is not really anything new, but its prevalence and relative easy of accomplishment, means that every image we encounter is worthy of a degree of skeptical inquiry, asking “is this real?”

I think that Micheal Sippey answered this matter best in this, slightly dated (by Internet standards anyway), post (I should note, I firstly fell upon this post by first reading this Kottke post).

Perhaps the concept of the questionable reality of a photo is a debate best left to wiser minds than mine (like Errol Morris).

Perhaps the challenge is one of logical discourse wherein we can have a valid argument however the premises do not stand upon their own truths?

~ by Nathaniel on July 20, 2011.