Romany, I think censorship is an issue ... just think how deep the images of the Twin Towers are on your psyche - shown over and over again (an attack on Western democracy). Now how often are images shown of Bosnia, Iraq, Rwanda, etc - where many more deaths occured (and occur).

The acts of terrorism on US soil are constantly being reshown, while attacks elsewhere MAY be given air time depending on the news line up. Certainly we hear about Australian and US / allied casualties, but I don't recall hearing too much about Iraqi deaths ... inless it's the police who were trained by Western allies.

I don't watch Al Jazeera but I'm sure the broadcast on that station tells a completely different story (albeit as biased).

Corri,
Yes, I take your point and agree absolutely. It is undeniable that media is an important part of propaganda. The most effective component, in fact.

What I meant about censorship not being an issue was that, whatever partisan issue such images are bolstering, they are still graphic images of the effects of war.

Therefore the fact that a person, after seeing images of the reality, could say that they were unaware of what war does until a film crew armed with a few thousand fake blood capsules and skillful make-up artists makes them pay to view such artistry, completely astounds me.

I am not so shallow that it was only the words of the poster that caused such angst. It was all the questions that were thrown up by it: is our view of reality generally distorted; do we consider that "others" are somehow not like us, so that it takes a Tom Cruise or someone we "know" to actually touch us;why is it that when we suspend our disbelief (as in watching a movie) we actually are more affected than when we are presented with not-so-glamorous reality; have we become incapable of feeling empathy except when we are personally involved; are we becoming so devoid of imagination that we need things explained; without a carefully crafted script explaining it all to us, are we incapable on our own of processing the images before our eyes?

Roberts point about the way we process things being individualist gave me a lot to think about. But I am still, believe it or not, mulling this whole thing over

Romany, loved this bit "But I am still, believe it or not, mulling this whole thing over".

Something I often find myself doing as part of my OLO experience (and other parts of life). That is a big part of what I really enjoy out of this - the times my mind just keeps fiddling with something I've read and trying to see how it fit's, what it changes or sometimes asking myself if I have a viable response to an idea thats been put which I disagree with.

R0bert