Photos, Photography, and Images - The Superiority of Images Over Words :: Free Argumentative Essays

The Superiority of Images Over Words The battle for superiority and sanction between spoken communication and images is long and on-going. Both can be bring everywhere, mostly in books, magazines, television, paintings, and movies. However, in more recent years, the dominance of images everyplace words can be seen. In a world where better, faster, and easier dialogue is necessary, images be a far better option than words. Mitchell Stephens in By Means of the Visible A Pictures Worth, Ward Churchill in Crimes Against Humanity, and the director of Within These Walls, Mike Robe, concur that images such as gestures, symbols, and pictures pass a wide break and pro found influence. In truth, painting is much more eloquent than speech, and often penetrates more deeply into ones centerfield (Stephens 473). Thus, images are more powerful than words because they communicate more all the way and concisely, cater for a wider and more diverse audience, and connect with peopl e on a deeper level. Images such as pictures dominate words because they can pass messages in a clear and succinct manner. The purpose of world fitted to communicate in the most effective way possible is to spread knowledge and information. However, when miscommunication becomes a factor and a problem, the quality of the knowledge being relayed becomes tainted. Stephens has found that images are a way to remedy this. He reasons that because order Primates are visual animals, and think best in pictorial or geometric terms, humans need images in order to fully develop and/or understand a concept (480). Unfortunately, the Nazis understood the power of this theory. Churchill found that while spreading anti-Semitic propaganda, the Nazis drew grotesque caricatures of Judaic faces (498). Immediately, messages of unfavorable position and hatred spread throughout Germany. Even without words, such pictures had a heavy effect. It influenced average Germans to later indul ge in the outright liquidation of Jewish vermin (501). Even though images were used negatively, it is clear that they nurse a deep effect on peoples perception and understanding. Words, however, cannot have the same effect. Because abstract words and emotions such as hate make a deep understanding, they can be put into images but are difficult to put into words (Stephens 480). Therefore, images remain dominant over words because a single picture can depict complex emotions that no word or group of words can accomplish.