Photography and politics
The central theme of this book of essays is the often overlooked relationship between photography and public opinion. In her view, photography has been historically abused by important voices in the zeitgeist, because many people experience photography as a kind of automatic truth. When the farmers were at risk of starvation during years of famine and drought, the government showed photographs of a plentiful harvest, so the nation would not be perceived as weak during complicated geopolitical times.
The need for honesty
Instead of propaganda, Susan Sontag hopes for a more ethical use of photography, one that features the difficult truth of human life. Instead of using the power of photography to reinforce assumptions among the masses, Sontag suggests photography could be used to break down wrong assumptions. She feels that because photography is frequently used for economic and political purposes, there is a great need for truth.
The exploitation of the masses
Sontag feels that there is another major ethical breach happening in the field of photography: Not only is propaganda used ubiquitously, but also marketing firms and companies have historically used suggestive photography to exploit people, by using the natural power of a photograph to imply that the person's life would be better if they purchased whatever the photograph advertised. Sontag feels this is unethical, because it suggests that people spend their money unwisely, and because the human brain is highly influenced by photography.
