As December has crept up on us (seriously though, what is this weather?) and 2011 is in its last month, I want to briefly discuss this article I found floating around on Facebook.
With a title like “The 45 Most Powerful Images of 2011,” you can imagine you’re going to be looking at some pretty striking photography. Before I started scrolling through I tried to think about what the photos could be of. Occupy Wall St demonstrations? 9/11 ten year anniversary? ….but what else? 45 pictures? I sheepishly couldn’t think of what else may make up the past year of my life here on earth (woah, got intense there).
So I took some time to scroll through. I didn’t expect to look at the them all but oh, I certainly did. And i have continued to look through them since. I was absolutely deeply struck at the amount of events/disasters/successes that happened in the world this year.
First of all there was a surprising amounts of weather related trauma – tornados, hurricane Irene, the small eastcoast earthquake, tsunamis. Terrifying and heartbreaking images of the destruction mother nature caused this year. I think about the current weather we’re experiencing – December in the 40s and 50s? huh? It’s a bit scary when you think about it. The unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of mother nature will always be an issue in our lives.
Next, I was reminded of the protesting that has rose this year all of the world. Several of the pictures were of desperate protesters getting sprayed in the face with pepper spray as they fight to voice their opinion about the state of our government. These images are really difficult to view. On the one hand, its amazing to see the lengths at which these protestors go to stand up for their rights. On the other is repulsing to see the police taking harmful measures to silence them. But I’m strongly reminded that 2011 has been a powerful year of activism and change.
Several influential deaths occured this year – from Osama bin Laden to our very own genius, Steve Jobs, to talented British singer, Amy Winehouse. Now, each of these passings will hit you in different ways but having these moments mixed in with the compilation of images was revealing. These were all pretty huge figures that effected our daily lives for many years, yes one is a international pop star known for her poor drinking habits and one is a terriorist responsible for the 9/11 attacks (which was represented several times in this article) but they both were undoubtably a powerful force in our lives.
I learned that two elderly women became the first same-sex couple to me married in new york (#&), that there were London riots back in august (#31), that the world was due to end on May 22 of this year (#40) and that US gay service members marched their first gay pride parade ever (#42).
So many stories. And as we all know, theatre is built on powerful stories. Stories that say, this day, unlike any other day, is something worth paying attention to. So much of theatre can be imagined but many plays get written from these very photos. The lives and experiences of these events in our world’s history. It’s really exciting and inspiring.
I highly suggest you all scroll through this article and be reminded, learn more about and honor all the powerful events that shaped the past year of our lives.
2 Comments
sbmeyers posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:17 pm
What the pictures of the natural disasters that have occurred this year remind me is that we will always be pitted against mother nature. Although we may try to control it, she will undoubtedly control us. All social issues must rest when society is pitted against the earth itself.
kmjiang posted on December 7, 2011 at 8:43 pm
I mean, maybe we don’t have to be pitted AGAINST her, necessarily. I always thought the idea was that we could work with her more, or…something.
😐