Old Photos (Issue 18)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The article in this issue is a recollection of family history by an anonymous old man. The old man finally said, "The rise and fall of my family have been a mix of glory and disgrace, joy and sorrow, with all the flavors tangled together, making it impossible to untangle." Why is it impossible to untangle? Observant readers will notice that what brings sorrow to the protagonist is not limited to villains in official history; what brings joy is not limited to heroes in official history. The personal perception of history by the storyteller differs from the conclusions of official history, which may be the very reason why the storyteller cannot untangle it. Photos can retain more of the truth of history, thanks to their irreplaceable and unalterable independent voice. Unfortunately, when narrating history, the independent voice of photos is often not given the respect it deserves. Even in books that heavily use photos, they are merely supplementary evidence for historical conclusions or illustrations for certain historical concepts. The Old Photos attempts to change this by placing photos at the center of observation, letting the photos speak for themselves. Sometimes, the messages and implications contained in photos go far beyond what a few simple historical conclusions can encompass. Only by acknowledging and listening to the voice of photos can history become vivid and lively.