Ways of Seeing

John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing” was pretty insightful in the sense that it causes readers to think about things differently than they normally would. For instance, he draws upon two different way to look at the sunset. For one, there is the scientific knowledge that the earth is spinning, causing the sun to slowly go out of view. Then, there is the more surreal view that can be captured in paintings, highlighting the true beauty, simplicity, and yet complexity of a sunset. 

They way we interpret things are shaped by past experiences and personal beliefs; both the conscious and unconscious. Because of this, the same representation can mean so many things, each unique for each person. In the same sense, a painting can have different meanings for the same person over time. This is also as a result of the way we look at things are shaped by our lives. 

Aside from a single work of art evoking countless emotions and perspectives, I thought it to be very eye-opening how the camera has done so much to change the way we see and value different experiences. For example, the reading mentions how an image is simply a sight that has been reproduced and, as a result, is now detached from place and time. Further, the camera has the ability to make a moment in time stay still. And this allows people in different places and different times to have the opportunity to develop their own perspective of the pictures.