Is Seeing Believing...? 'Michael Herr' (Aloha Friday)

Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest-blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday talking about  what is really real... Make sure and check out Michael's website at; http://www.michaelherr.com/

ALOHA FRIDAY

April 20, 2012Ó

It's Aloha Friday.

Is Seeing Believing Anymore?

Aloha folks.

Got an email from a "friend" recently.  It contained nude photos of President Barack Obama's mother.  Putting aside the issue of poor taste, especially when it concerns the man who is our elected President, this message started me thinking.

The pictures in the email were real.  But the woman was not President Obama's mother.  She was a "pin-up" model from the 50's who bore a close resemblance to President Obama's mother.  Close but no cigar (possible pun related to President Clinton).

But what I got to thinking about goes way back.  Fifty some years ago my father worked in advertising.  He frequently did paste-ups of photos to include in circulars and catalogs.  He also did our Xmas cards and joke newsletters for people who were retiring.  It was easy for him to affix some one's face to someone else's body.  Years later photographers found ways in the darkroom to manipulate images humorously (or maliciously).

Then, a few years back, someone came up with PhotoShop (and other similar programs) that allowed anyone with a modest amount of skill to put together false images.  Some of these images are so blatantly false that they become quite humorous.  Others become quite slanderous.  As Raj in "The Big Bang Theory" once asked Leonard, "Do you think that's really Hillary doing the nasty with those five Japanese businessmen?"

When I look at images these days I frequently have to ask myself whether or not I think the person sending them had an ulterior motive.  Were they manipulated in order to present someone in a bad light?  Should I just ignore them, should I simply discard them, or should I reply to the person who sent them and call them to account?  I usually choose the later.

So, is seeing believing?  Unfortunately, not as much as it once was.

Okay folks, see you next week. 

check out Michael's website at http://www.michaelherr.com/ 

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