the cultural affects of national geographic Essay examples -- essays r

Thailand is a country enveloped in much mystery and cultural tradition. This fact is reflected very clearly in a series of pictures taken from the article, â€Å"The Many Faces of Thailand† in the February 1996 issue of the National Geographic magazine, titled, â€Å"Into the Heart of Glaciers† I will attempt to analyze the way in which the pictures portray the richness of Thailand’s culture and people and prove this statement about the National Geographic’s photography, â€Å"They originated in a search for ways of teaching about the third world that did not objectify and were not paternalistic but that fostered both a sense of how lives around the globe are interconnected and a capacity for empathetic understanding.† (Collins, Lutz 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A good portion of its text and photographs is devoted to images of the peoples and cultures of the third world.† (Collins, Lutz 1) This quote taken out of, Reading National Geographic, is proven very true by my use of this article about Thailand. National Geographic magazine has always tried to create interest in third world countries through its photographic spreads and â€Å"draw people into contact with a much wider set of cultural ideas† (Collins, Lutz 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first photograph found in this series is one of a Buddhist ceremony. It includes much artistry and focus and teaches the reader many things about Thailand’s culture. The first thing that I noticed about the picture was that it is dominated by males. There are no females in this photograph and the ages of the males vary greatly showing a male dominance being present in the cultural hierarchy. The photo is very dark, causing the reader to focus on the subjects rather than the background. Jodi Cobb, the photographer, portrays the harmony and continuity which is traditionally the spirit found amongst the Thai people by showing the men donning monks’ robes and holding candles, incense and lotus blossoms. Capturing a photograph of a cultural ceremony is very effective in educating an audience about a country. An omniscient, unbiased stance is being achieved by the photographer in this shot because there is no indication of good or bad throughout this p hotograph, it is simply the reflection of a ceremony in order to more appreciate Thai culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The magazine attempts to articulate a national vision, ... ...eaders to see and understand the respect that Thai people have for animals and nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout this collection of photographs many different things have been learned about Thailand. Even without reading the article, I have seen a lot of cultural differences between America and Thailand and even between the Thai people themselves. â€Å"Some readings reinforce American illusions of cultural superiority and paternalism, while others entail an engagement with the subject photographed, identification across cultural boundaries, the awakening of a curiosity that may be politically invigorating.† (Collins, Lutz 11) In this issue of National Geographic the article, â€Å"The Many Faces of Thailand†, really did show the many faces of this country. Each photograph of the collection portrayed a different piece of Thailand’s cultural puzzle and than fit together to illustrate the harmony, celebration, vivaciousness and even depression of the nation’s people. Bibliography Collins, Jane L. and Lutz, Catherine A. Reading National Geographic. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1993. National Geographic Volume 189 No. 2, â€Å"Into the Heart of Glaciers† February 1996