45 Most Powerful Images of 2012

[CapnSev]

That picture of Mars is awesome!

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by zachoff

..and quit glorifying war. War sucks and it's sucking the life and financial stability out of our country.

I suppose everyone interprets things differently. I personally felt that the pictures didn't glorify war in the least bit...actually, I felt they did quite the opposite.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by Bloodhammer

I think it's important for us not to turn a blind eye on things that are "unpleasant" to us anyway. I'd much rather have an understanding of what is happening in the world than delude my consciousness with silly sitcoms, reality shows, and movies with Seth Rogen in them, nonstop.

I'm honestly tired of all of it. The sitcoms, the news reports on shootings, the glorification of people like the Kardashians. I could happily live my life without any of that stuff being in it.

[zachoff]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I'm honestly tired of all of it. The sitcoms, the news reports on shootings, the glorification of people like the Kardashians. I could happily live my life without any of that stuff being in it.

Totally... And I mostly try to.

Facebook though... Those f'ing Facebook people... The ones that post Navy pic after Navy pic... Marine pic after Marine pic... Army pic after Army pic of dudes ready to shoot someone. "Come at me, bro..." God damn it you're attacking!!! You're not getting attacked. Nobody's going to attack a f'ing Navy batallion. Seriously, I get so mad when I see that crap. Really makes me pretty much hate mankind. I should probably get rid of Facebook. I've pretty much gotten rid of everything else that's not hot rod shows, college football, and the NBA (NHL used to be in there until now).

[Relic]

The ones that have been burned into my memory forever are 20, 43, and 44. Especially the latter 2...
Ones that I look back on that give me a little ray of hope are 39 and 40. I'd love to elaborate as to why but it'd likely set this thread political. Don't wanna do that.

[Bloodhammer]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

I suppose everyone interprets things differently. I personally felt that the pictures didn't glorify war in the least bit...actually, I felt they did quite the opposite.

Same here.

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I'm honestly tired of all of it. The sitcoms, the news reports on shootings, the glorification of people like the Kardashians. I could happily live my life without any of that stuff being in it.

Not seeing it doesn't make it go away, though.

There was a time when "family entertainment" was a trip to the gallows to watch criminals be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Children perched on their parents' shoulders to see better and people cheered. I think modern television has nothing on what our ancestors used to watch.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by Bloodhammer

Same here.

Not seeing it doesn't make it go away, though.

There was a time when "family entertainment" was a trip to the gallows to watch criminals be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Children perched on their parents' shoulders to see better and people cheered. I think modern television has nothing on what our ancestors used to watch.

Yep. Don't recall the Romans having any trouble filling the Coliseum.

[macaroni tony]

I really loved this picture

[fisticuffs]

What no McKayla? I'm not impressed.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by Bloodhammer

Not seeing it doesn't make it go away, though.

Not sure I agree. I almost completely stopped watching TV back in high school and within a month's time I saw my attitude and outlook on life change very quickly. I went from being overly cynical to being hopeful and happy in regards to most aspects of my life (although someone could make an 'ignorance is bliss' argument here - and I would not disagree). Regardless, it definitely made all the bad feelings and thoughts go away. Once I got to college my need to use a computer on a more than daily basis arose, and suddenly I was once again being exposed to all that nonsense, but through a different medium. I have definitely seen myself become more cynical over the years because of it, and I don't like it.

[Bloodhammer]

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

Yep. Don't recall the Romans having any trouble filling the Coliseum.

"Beasts awaiting, restless
Circus victims panic struck
Hunger spawns bestial frenzy
Commencement of the feast
By the sign of the cross!"

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Not sure I agree. I almost completely stopped watching TV back in high school and within a month's time I saw my attitude and outlook on life change very quickly. I went from being overly cynical to being hopeful and happy in regards to most aspects of my life (although someone could make an 'ignorance is bliss' argument here - and I would not disagree). Regardless, it definitely made all the bad feelings and thoughts go away. Once I got to college my need to use a computer on a more than daily basis arose, and suddenly I was once again being exposed to all that nonsense, but through a different medium. I have definitely seen myself become more cynical over the years because of it, and I don't like it.

Happiness is overrated and cynicism is unfairly derided. An unfortunate result of the "self esteem movement", I'm afraid. The idea of a society of fat, content, happy people with no contact with the misery of the world is a scary one to me - remember the Eloi and Morlock classes in H.G. Wells' The Time Machine?

If you feel cynical, let it inspire you to try to improve things, rather than just give the media the ol' gonorrhea treatment ("try to ignore it and hope it will go away"). I'm only speaking of the war and atrocity part of it, though. Ignoring the Kardashians and other television bs is strongly recommended by me. That crap truly has no use.

Except Charlie Sheen. He's hilarious.

[Bloodhammer]

This picture is a good example of what I'm talking about. Those women don't appear to see that homeless man, yet there he sits.

Is the media bad for showing us this, or should we perhaps take a look?

[zachoff]

Snotty chicks posing for a pic together totally oblivious to the homeless dude. My kinda women...

[casualmadness]

45

[capnjim]

How depressing how many of those are of bad/sad events.
What a crappy world we live in.