What are the common elements of humanity?

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I have in mind a project I want to do, but I'm scratching my head about how to do it. Very simply, I want to photograph America and Americans for a foreign audience. I'm of the steadfast belief that one cannot hate a people or a culture that one has seen or experienced. I'm also of the belief that people are basically the same all over the world, with the same sorts of daily challenges, life struggles, interests, loves, fears, etc. My goal is to assemble a collection of photographs to show people from the rest of the world that we are (probably) a lot like they are.</p>

<p>With this in mind, I've started shooting pictures of Americans being Americans, but it's quickly becoming apparent that shooting casual environmental portraits and/or indiscriminate street photography is not enough. There has to be some content to the photos that will resonate with the person viewing them -- something with which someone can identify. An example might be parents playing with their children or middle aged adults caring for their parents. Another example might be daily grind of the the blue collar worker that gets things done in any society.</p>

<p>We all have stereotypes buzzing around in our heads about what the people are like and what they do in other societies. Americans are stereotyped on the basis of Hollywood action movies and governmental propaganda. My goal is to break those stereotypes with glimpses into the real lives of real Americans. In the grander scheme, I hope to collaborate with other like-minded photographers in the future who may do the same thing in their countries. Maybe we could form a small network.</p>

<p>BUT FOR NOW...</p>

<p>I'm trying to figure out what these common elements are that I should portray. I want to determine what about Americans that people in other societies would like to see that would show/reassure them that we're pretty ordinary people, just like them. I'm interested in ideas from anyone, anywhere, with regard to any society anywhere else (because I think our fears are very similar too).</p>

<p>What do you think others should see about your culture that would help them to understand who you and your people are?</p>

<p>What would you like/need to see from other cultures that would help you to view those cultures more positively and with more goodwill?</p>

<p>Thanks to anyone who can contribute!</p>

<p>Peace,<br />Sarah</p>

<p>Put somewhat differently, most photography focuses on ways that people and societies are unique or different. I want to do something rather mundane instead. I want to show how we're all really the same. How can I do that?</p>

<p>You've probably thought of these already, but just in case, two books/exhibits that immediately come to mind are the Steichen <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_of_Man"><em>Family of Man</em></a> for the kinds of themes that could be given an "American" stance, and the monumental <em>A Day in the Life of America</em> (used for very little at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Day-Life-America-Photographed-Photojournalists/dp/000649207X">Amazon</a>).</p>

 

<p>I would think that all humans share the same emotions? Things like happiness, sadness, laughter,crying etc. Picturing people "on the job" or "raising kids" would both have a certain universality to them.</p>

<p>Sarah, imagine for a moment that you're an Iraqi, Jordanian, black South African, East Indian or Chinese from similar class as yourself. How would you communicate the message that we're all the same to an American? Or are we?</p>

<p>In California at several places I worked we had "Iraqi, Jordanian, black South African, East Indian or Chinese " and gobs of others from all over the world. Then one day one of you or them has a dead car battery and you jump them off' or you talk about concerns with family matters ; worry about jobs; and one finds the differences are less. </p>

<p>Many of my favorite people responding! Thanks! :)</p>

<p>Yes, Michael, I think we are all the same in the respects that matter the most. That's not to say that we are <strong>completely</strong> the same. Take religions, for example. Religious practices are so engrained into our cultures as to become HUGE to us. Those who practice unfamiliar religions can appear strange, foreign, or sometimes even scary on their surface. Religious differences have resulted in countless wars and immeasurable human suffering. However, when you tease apart the various religions of the world, they're not really so different from each other. The fine details are different, but the major themes of a belief in a diety (or multiple deities) and a system of beliefs or practices regarding the treatment of one's fellow man, are generally strikingly similar.</p>

<p>So I don't wish to deny or diminish those differences that define our cultures and societies. Indeed, they are very important. They are worth celebrating and preserving. However, I wish to focus my efforts on what I feel are our larger similarities. Our similarities are more difficult to show and explain, and drawing similarities flies in the face of human nature, which is to delineate differences, but I feel a study in our similarities is far more important in this current environment of widespread geopolitical tensions.</p>

<p>JDM, you give me too much credit. I had heard of the "Family of Man" collection but hadn't thought about it with regard to this project. I've got the book (and A day in the Life) on order. Thanks for the referral.</p>

<p>Steve, thanks. That's pretty much the direction I'm thinking of going. There is another universal emotion that I wonder whether I should explore. That is the emotion of anger. Example: When out on the road yesterday, we had a group of a half dozen bikers come roaring down that middle lane with a dashed line in its center -- the one invisible to those who drive cars. Apparently one car was hugging the line a bit too closely [shrug], so a motorcyclist flipped him the bird in a very grand way. It actually would have made a good picture, and it would certainly be a genuine element of our culture -- an unfortunate one. Moreover, this would be something rather universal to the human experience. Should I include such themes in my study?</p>

<p>Kelly, I know what you mean. In fact I am in LA at this very moment and am swimming in ethnic and cultural diversity! I've met people from every corner of the globe here, and indeed they're not so different, once you peel away the superficial things like appearances and accents. I've traveled three continents so far, and I've met countless people along the way. I have yet to find any region of the world where I could not relate personally to the people.</p>

<p>I'd be happy to participate.....what I live is the "typical" West Coast life, and much of the imagery I can imagine would be illustrative of that culture......Let me know how to be involved and I will.....Thanks, and kudos Sarah.....Robert</p>

This is a great idea. You might want to show that not all Americans are living the good life. There is allot of unemployment and anxiety going on here especially in the last few years. This is a pretty wide subject so you might want to narrow it down a little bit. You might want to show the mundane task that we go through just to get to work every morning. The bills we have to pay each month, the housing crisis, the crime, the war etc.

 

Often American photographers visit foreign countries and in a spirit of competition, cherry-pick the negative things about those countries without considering the positives. To show a more human side to America you have to show the struggles that the average American faces. The girl at the supper market, the cashier at a shoe store, the guy in the Army, the clerk working at a conveniance store, the truck driver, the plumber, the gal/guy working in an office, the photographer trying to earn a living, all in a humanistic way. It doen't have to be all negative. or positive...

 

CHEERS

<p>This project reminds me of someone saying once that the cure for wars would be to have all people learn one language. I said, what about Northern Ireland? She said, "Those people are stupid." I didn't bother to bring up the American Civil War, where often brothers fought on different sides and a family next county up from ours ran a refuge for Confederate deserters.</p>

<p>Is there a problem with how others see us and if so, do they have any reasons for doing this? I think only fools think their enemies are something other than fellow human beings, but knowing that doesn't stop them from fighting for what they believe is right.</p>

 

<p>Rebecca's contribution sounds at first reading cynical, but her point is that a number of people in other lands dislike America for quite sound reasons, such as a perfectly real conflict of national interests which no meeting of hearts would or should overturn. Counterexamples to Sarah's steadfast belief include a number of terrorists who are very well educated--in America.<br>

This doesn't necessarily compromise her project, as there are plenty of people led into hatred by constructs such as the Great American Satan, which photographs of American congregations kneeling in prayer might do something to invalidate. This is just one example, but it does show that Sarah has a specific target, fuzzy thinking. In order to counteract it more generally she needs to ask, "What false ideas about America do people in other countries really hold?" This should be her focus. She needs to start her project with the appropriate research, and the rest will follow.</p>

<p>We are all made of blood, exhilaration, grief, pain and struggle for survival among other things but I think most non Americans are smart enough to realize that even if their level of education are usually much lower. That might be a flaw. And why not show and help Americans understand better instead? Usually, it is the Americans soldiers or "private contractors" in the Middle East or HBO tuned to foreign TV sets or, say, English teachers receiving 5-10X the local salary. American Imperialism is vast. And I read some where only 11% of American travel abroad if Mexico and Canada are excluded. American culture is everywhere but what do Americans at home get for their multicultural ed? Multicultural week? A PBS special series? A multicultural elective at the local college?</p>

<ol> </ol>

<p>You have the right idea because you ventured out to three continents but do most? Economic disparity is probably the better explanation of fighting. An example, per electricity KWH capita circa 2007:</p>

<ol>

<li>Iran: 2200 (1/6X)</li>

<li>Brazil: 2100 (1/6X)</li>

<li>Nigeria: 110 (1/120X)</li>

<li>India: 450 (1/29X)</li>

<li>China: 2200 (1/6X)</li>

<li>Japan: 7700 (1/2X)</li>

<li>Cambodia: 80 (1/160X)</li>

<li>Indonesia: 500 (1/26X)</li>

<li>Germany: 6700 (1/2X)</li>

<li>USA: 13000 (X)</li>

</ol>

<p>Not to say you don't have good intentions nor heart. I just think many dislike Americans for other (probably valid) reasons.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>In my travels, I have found that most people like Americans. It is the policies of the US government that they object to. This is hard for some in the US to grasp. After all, when France didn't want to join the latest foray into Iraq, we changed French fries to freedom fries. Americans boycotted French wines. Frenches mustard suffered in sales even though it has nothing to do with the French. The State Department learned this distinction when it ran a number of adds on Arab TV after the Iraq invasion. They did a great job of selling the American life style, but did not do anything to change attitudes toward US government policy.</p>

 

<p>> An example, per electricity KWH capita...</p>

<p>I see this cited a lot, and I question its appropriateness. Yes, the US consumes a lot of electricity. But the US generates an enormous GDP, and you can't produce goods and services without consumption. Perhaps a better measure would be kWH per person, per unit GDP.</p>

<p>And yes, I find in my travels most people like Americans but dislike American policies. I often agree with them.</p>

<p>Cool Project, Sarah.</p>

<p>• I was contemplating a similar one: photo essays of the matriarchs of marginalized cultures. Mostly to demonstrate to Americans that those people are far from demonic.</p>

<p>• Interesting an American would take the opposite end of the stick. </p>

<p>• Having spent much of my adult life travelling in third world countries, I'd say that even the teenagers from remote villages are very aware that the regular citizens of all our cultures are similar and would be friends if we just met. I think their distrust of America comes from the foreign policy of the politicians.</p>

<p>• I believe most members of most third world countries understand that the average American is a good guy, but sadly, their perception that they are economic pawns to a neo-colonialist empire is pretty accurate. I don't want to get into a list of all the Mbutus and Noriegas and Shahs and Diems who have slaughtered their countrymen at the behest of the USA and to gain huge personal wealth — but the citizens of those countries know the tragedy and sorrow very very well.</p>

<p>• I feel your urge to nurture harmony among people. It is a noble endeavour. You are to be commended. </p>

<p>• What we have in common: <br>

Need for food every day<br>

Need for potable water<br>

Need for shelter from the elements<br>

Need for health care when we are ill,<br>

A need to belong, to fit in somewhere, to make something of our lives<br>

The love of our children, <br>

Hope for the future.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>All very good and valid point. Thanks to everyone, so far, for these contributions.</p>

<p>Charles, I did initially read Rebecca's post with the same tone of cynicism, reflected on it, and came to some of the same conclusions you and others expressed. I, too, am prone to fits of cynicism, but I do have an undying faith in SOME aspects of human nature.</p>

<p>The part about the Northern Irish being considered "stupid" by Rebecca's friend sounded so much like all the xenophobic stereotyping I've heard all my life -- most notably that "those" people don't place the same value on human life that "we" do -- or that "those" people are just plain crazy.</p>

<p>I frankly don't know whether we Americans are generally liked or generally detested -- or whether it's a mix of both (which I suspect). However, I can say with some degree of certainty that we are liked and/or detested for mostly the wrong reasons. I remember when I was traveling throughout Europe in the early 1980's, before the Bush family ever came to power. The subject would invariably come up that I was an American, and most people elsewhere didn't really care for Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (a.k.a. Star Wars). (Neither did I.) I quickly learned to retort, "I'm from Texas, y'all" and then everyone thought I was OK. That was at the time that "Dallas" was watched the world over, and everyone wanted to know who shot J.R. (and asked me). That was also before the Bush family came to power.</p>

<p>My point is that I was initially detested because of military policies I opposed and demonstrated against, under an administration I didn't vote for. However, I was forgiven my nationality when it became apparent I had some vague relation to a popular soap opera. None of this made any sense, but it certainly made my vacation to a lot more smoothly!</p>

<p>We are so quick to make judgments about people from other lands based on what their governments do. I'm sure many people hate Americans because of our involvement in Iraq. I would hope their opinions might be altered or at least tempered by the fact that most people in the US opposed our involvement in Iraq from the outset and that the majority of our people continue to oppose our presence there. At some level our government simply doesn't work.</p>

<p>I could go on, but I won't. I feel that in politics, as in ponds, scum rises to the top. Powerful people with dubious motives make decisions about what we (people from around the world) do in the international arena. They spin their propaganda, order us into war, and reap the spoils of the conflicts they create.</p>

<p>The pawns in all of this are the everyday people who ordinarily would live very peaceful existences, were it not for the inflammatory tactics of the 0.0001% of our ranks who profit somehow by embroiling us all in conflict. People are easily persuaded to hate the invisible, evil people from another land and to take up arms (or support war) against them.</p>

<p>But what if all the pawns were reluctant to hate? Reluctant to pick up arms? Reluctant to vote for politicians trying to wave everyone into battle? Wouldn't things be different?</p>

<p>Consider two possible conflicts -- one against Canada, and one against Tajikistan, both with imperialistic motives. Taking over Canada would probably benefit us more than taking over Tajikistan, but it would be virtually impossible to move the American people to attack Canada. Why? Heck, we know them very well and like them. They're really nice folks! But Tajikistan? Our leaders could probably tell us anything they like about the folks from that country, and 2/3 of our population would probably believe it.</p>

<p>Rebecca, I don't pretend for a moment that there is any recipe for world peace. There will always be scummy people who will want to fight other countries for personal gain, and there will always be people whose reason for being is to hate and to blow things/people up. Those are not the people I want to reach. Rather, I want to reach all of the people out there who ordinarily become the human and financial machinery of war efforts, in response to the propaganda woven by scummy leaders. I also don't pretend that I can reach all of these people. However, if I can reach and persuade even one person, then I've done something. I think I can do that.</p>

<p>In the end, as I'm nearing a half decade of existence, I'm starting to worry about what sort of world we're leaving future generations. I have two sons, a stepson, and a stepdaughter, all of whom are young adults now, and I'm worried for them. This is one seriously screwed up world we live in, and it's not getting any better. I very much want to make some sort of difference for them with the powerful tools I have at my disposal -- a camera, a computer, and the Internet.</p>

<p>So here's what I'd add to the list, based on some of the earlier posts. (I'm trying to catch up with this thread, but posts come in faster than I can think about them and type! Thanks! Keep it coming!)</p>

<p>Governments vs. people: I think it's very important that others understand about Americans and that Americans understand about people from many other countries that our respective cultures ARE NOT MONOLITHIC! There is dissent within any society, and no government acts in conformity with the will of ALL of its people. I think it is important for people everywhere to see the political dissent in other societies. Photographing demonstrations is certainly easy and obvious.</p>

<p>"Those people don't place the same value on human life that we do" and other myths: Charles, you're absolutely correct that the project needs to debunk myths head-on. Discovering the myths that need debunking would require research, but it could also be done collaboratively (more later).</p>

 

<p>Leslie, part of what you are saying is that Americans are disliked because of economic disparity -- that we are wealthy, privileged, well educated, etc. As much as we like to believe that about ourselves, and as much as our politicians like to crow about these things, there is quite a lot of socioeconomic disparity within the US. For instance, as I type this, I'm sitting at an old card table in the bedroom of a very expensive middle-class California home where I'm a guest. Before I traveled here, I did a small bit of coverage of a mobile home park that was to be bulldozed and the residents scattered to the wind. In my estimation, the several dozen homes that were to be demolished were COLLECTIVELY worth less than than this one home where I'm sitting, which is owned by someone half my age.</p>

<p>In this same very expensive working class neighborhood, we'll have people picking through the garbage cans for cans and bottles they can recycle. These people have homes but obviously very meager incomes.</p>

<p>Only blocks away are homeless people with nothing but shopping carts, bags, and some clothing.</p>

<p>Nearby there are also immigrant workers who hang out in parking lots, playing soccer, waiting to be picked up for low-paying day jobs.</p>

<p>Back home, in our middle class neighborhood, we have very wealthy families living next to bankrupt families in houses that don't look all that different. Our neighbors just lost their home to foreclosure.</p>

<p>So when people decide Americans should be disliked because of economic disparities, I want them to think about which Americans they dislike. For instance, are they to dislike our homeless, who consume no electricity, have almost no food, and live in cardboard boxes?</p>

<p>I'm not trying to be argumentative. Rather, I'm saying I feel it is very important to show others both the "haves" and the "have-nots" of our country, as well as every aspect of our considerable diversity. I'm already overwhelmed with the breadth of this project, but this is clearly another dimension I should consider.</p>

<p>I don't want to lose your other point, which is that Americans also need to be educated about people elsewhere. I would include "conditions elsewhere," but that is straying well beyond what I'm trying to address. I have ideas about how to do that... coming soon...<br>

<br>

Thanks, Leslie!<br>

</p>

<p>To go a bit further (and my last post for the evening, because I'm getting rather tired and hungry):</p>

<p>Bob, you've already signed on as a collaborator. I didn't expect that, but I'm excited that you've stepped forward! Yes, let's definitely work on this together! Thanks, my friend!</p>

<p>Warren, you seem to be of like mind. Are you interested in collaborating? I'm not asking you to chew off a huge chunk of work. Rather, would you like to be involved at any level, for instance by coordinating some of your photographic work on third-world matriarchs with ours?</p>

<p>Can I entice anyone else with this project?</p>

<p>What I'm thinking is this:</p>

<p>Perhaps a small group of like-minded photographers could form a working group. (Photographers Promoting Peace? PPP?) That working group could organize in the background through an email list or private discussion forum. Myths, misperceptions, apprehensions, etc. could be discussed, and photographic themes could be planned to address these issues. The photographers of the working group could then contribute and/or solicit from local colleagues photographs that would hit on these themes. For instance, themes might be parenthood, poverty, children at play, teenagers having fun, pets, home maintenance, and/or whatever the group feels might be good to compare societies. Photographs would be uploaded to an online exhibit, organized by theme. Photographs would be watermarked with the photographer's name and country.</p>

<p>If I'm not mistaken, this could be the same sort of organization as Steichen's "Family of Man," which JDM recommended to me.</p>

<p>This is only a loose plan, but I think it's a start. I'd love to hear from anyone who would like to be included in on this project. Participation can be at whatever level each person has time and energy.</p>

<p>Well, I'm excited, I'm tired, and I'm hungry. I feel very positive about these ideas and about what has been discussed. I thank each and every one of you for your contributions, and I hope to read more tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm going to eat and go to bed! :-)</p>

<p>People misunderstand when they don't understand, and this works both ways.</p>

<p>America is in many ways a land of contradictions that makes it very difficult even for many Americans to understand.</p>

<p>Although I commend your thoughts, Sarah, I think a global villiage is better constructed though an effort to understand those we don't rather than attempts to be understood by others.</p>

<p>Sarah, you say your tools are a camera, computer and the internet. How will your project be presented to others? Book, internet blog, slide show... and I also want to wish you the best on this project. Looks like you've got some very talented people interested in helping.</p>

<p>Sarah it's a good thing you spending some time here in LA! Tune to CH 28 at 7:30 PM weeknights to spend a while checking out Huell Howser's various series they show then. He does a lot of glad handing which isn't the point. Notice how outgoing and utterly ordinary his themes are. There's nothing gritty here at all. I can't say how much of his programming would interest foreigners, but I think you'll agree that it is very easy to identify with the subjects he shows and the people he meets. He'll talk with just about anybody who is nearby when he visits.</p>

<p>The common thread through his programs is that he goes to visit a place in California to talk with the people there about their interest in the subject at hand. His shows aren't travelogues. They're visits to specific destinations and events he makes for the purpose of telling his audience what is there, it's significance for Californian's everyday lives, and to invite them to visit too if they ever get the urge.</p>

<p>I mention all this as a resource you might use to mine for ideas you think would interest foreigners and illustrate common threads in our daily lives.</p>

<p>Sarah---</p>

<p>You want Non Americans to understand the diversity of America, the "haves" and "have nots" and the social stratification of all Americana? Quite ambitious considering most undeveloped (and developing nations) have much lower education level than US yet the average American college grad haven't got a clue how the other third of the world live. </p>

<p>One personal relevant instance I had was speaking to many Chinese about the Katrina episode. They were really surprised and totally awed by the pictures that was coming out of New Orleans, they had no idea it was actually in the US. They didn't expect such slum and how poor the rescue operations were. Men and children on top of submerged houses and cars. Dead bodies drifting afloat. It was outrageously unamerican yet American if you get my drift:)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sarah, we have been there before in earlier threads.<br>

I sincerely believe that you are misinterpreting the sentiments expressed towards the "Americans" by many foreigners. What so many in the world "hates" is the policies of your federal government when it comes to military presence and political and economic influence abroad since years (it goes back long before the Second world war). If individual Americans are targeted it is only because they somehow are seen to personalize your Government. What many don't understand is of course how millions of Americans can support and even elect Presidents like the one we recently have endured. No person in the world of good sense would hate the American people because all would know that you are of the same kind as us all with family life, friends, children, pets and membership of communities like others elsewhere. To show that in pictures is interesting but would not change the appreciation of foreigners to American policies abroad.<br>

This does not mean that I would not support your initiative although I cannot offer a contribution having knowingly no pictures of Americans in my folders (maybe some American tourists here and there). Such projects are interesting if you are able to somehow categorize or specify the themes which could make some structure out of it all (Americans and sports, education, unemployment, their children, love, solidarity, local community life, church, cars, global warming, illness and the financial crisis etc). Similar projects are just as worthwhile for any other country in the world however.<br>

Coming back to your initial intentions, it might maybe be more interesting to start an initiative on how Americans see other countries and their inhabitants. A more human view on what happens abroad might be a more urgent endeavor and could maybe make a difference in the US.</p>

<p>I think the scope of your project is too big. Take a slice of American life and focus on that. Like making maple syrup, take forty gallons of sap and boil it down to a few ounces of gold.</p>