"How we see is affected by what we know and believe, and by time and place" (Ways of Seeing, Berger). This statement, when coupled with the Kent State sweatshirt image we saw in class during lecture in week 5, had a huge impact on me. What we see through our personal lens can tell us as much or more than the symbols of letters and words. I was a little girl when the Kent State massacre happened, but my parents referred to it for years so this was a subject of reverence in our home, not only for those who were killed, but for those who did the killing. It was utterly tragic because it was our National Guard doing the killing.
Seeing the replication by Urban Outfitters of a sweatshirt, clearly with what looked like blood splatter on it, was grossly inappropriate. Culturally, as American's and perhaps in many other societies, negative images leave a bad taste in our mouths. Does it remind us of our own short comings? Does it show us of struggles others have had, that we've remained exempt from? A few years ago I ran across an add regarding childhood hunger and it had a profound impact on me. The goal was to encourage shoppers to purchase and donate canned goods for the children in the community. The unbelievable life-like image at the bottom of the grocery cart tugged at your heart strings and my guess is that no matter how dire your financial situation may have been, shoppers most likely purchased at lease one can to donate. The persuasiveness of an image in the bottom of simple shopping cart was profound. To view, click this link: https://sites.psu.edu/rclweitz/2014/10/15/rhetoric-of-a-shopping-cart/comment-page-1/
Returning back to the Kent State sweatshirt. I found myself perplexed as to the 'why' behind it. What was the story that was being told through this recreation of something so horrific and sad? What was the rhetorical positioning desired?
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