April 12, 2007

Living in Three Centuries A short photo essay related to age... if you ever wake up feeling a bit old, you'll have a new perspective after viewing Mark Story's photography.
posted by HuronBob 17 years ago
  • That was fantastic, HB. Thanks a lot.
  • What really strikes me is how immeasurably sad many, if not most, of these people appear. Beautiful photographs... awe-inspiring people. Good one, HB.
  • Excellent notes and project. The photos are extremely close and high-contrast though which is a really big club to use, so to speak. Heck, I look like that with enough shadows and a lens up one nostril. Definitely inspiring though. 104 year-old Navajo Native American woman living near the rim of Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. She sat for twenty minutes in 24-degree weather in a thin jacket while being photographed. When I complained that my fingers couldn't move, she said, "It's not cold."
  • Wonderful photos, and a great post, Bob. ...how immeasurably sad many, if not most, of these people appear. Can you imagine how much these people have endured? All the physical hardships they endured, the wars they've lived through, the loss of their friends and families? Most of them probably didn't get enough to eat when they were younger, or if American, during the Great Depression; most of them had to work 12-14 hours a day at physical labor as young children. None of them look super rich now, and most likely, their lot in life has slightly improved as economic conditions in their respective countries improved. At least now some have electric lights, hot water, and flush toilets. Can you imagine the shock of the change they've gone through? From foot and horse travel to cars, planes, and spaceflight? From silence or conversation to radio, television, computers and noise? From herbs and simples, birth and death in the same bed to modern medicine and dying in a hospital bed? From barter and trade to Wal-Mart? My mind boggles and stutters.
  • Well put, BlueHorse. The accellerating rate of change, and its direction, that I see daily--especially culturally--leaves me feeling very sad indeed, and I'm only half the age of these folks. And yet, they're tough--the caption quoted above by petebest really says it all. I don't think I want to live that long. Frankly, I never thought I'd live THIS long. *heads for liquor cabinet with glass in hand*
  • What kinnakeet said. Also, it seems like a good many of them were blessed with natural good health even in their youths.
  • I was at a surprise bday party for a friend last night. he was turning 30. he was having a really hard time with it. those of us closer to the 40 mark tried really hard to explain to him that he had absolutely no concept of what he was in for, but then again we dont either ;) human resilience is an amazing thing.
  • absolutely no concept of what he was in for 40! piffle Mere babes. Yer either in it for the long haul, or yer a wanker.
  • Or maybe you might have an operable brain tumour, or something.
  • Or an inoperable one, which would be worse, I guess.
  • MonkeyFilter: Yer either in it for the long haul, or yer a wanker.
  • Yup, 's true, Quiddy, that sortta thing might give one a moment's pause. But you can't give up the good fight. Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not. [info][add][mail] Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC)
  • Crap.Copy.Paste.NoPreview.