Photography, Philosophy, & Anthropology
When I was in college, I studied cultural anthropology because I was interested to learn more about the world, people, and I sought out for deeper understanding of why we're here. As I became more educated, I was surprised with how much anthropology and philosophy were connected. Initially, I had intentions to pursue a Ph.d and become a professor in anthropology. I planned to be a professor and help others to understand cultural differences and hope to bring some level of better undertanding across cultural differences.
However, an interesting conclusion came through the course of my studies, and I didn't realize how significant it was until I took a step back to understand the full implications - I realized that there is no definitive answer when it comes to analyzing a culture. For example, if you ask someone why they do a particular habit, the answer they give you will be different from the opinion of someone else observing them and giving their opinion of why they're doing it.
Anthropologists are not definitively "right" or "wrong" in their analysis or a culture group. They simply have a difference in opinion. Anthropology isn't an exact science, it's always a changing perspecitve depending on who's telling the story. This was both liberating and frustrating, as I spent so much time learning about anthropology just to have this be the conclusion to my four-year degree. However, I did learn a lot of interesting things, met many helpful people, and learned just as many life skills as I did textbook knowledge during my college days. It had it's value - just differently than expected.
Philosophy goes hand-in-hand with anthropology. They both are based on opinion and speculation to a certain extent. If you don't have a univesal reference point, you are always going to be working from a theory. Unless you establish a credible, universally accepted view of something, then you are always going to have someone disagree with you. Then who is right and who is wrong? Just because a majority believe something, does not mean that an idea is correct or validated.
How does photography tie into this and why does it matter?
Photography is just a matter of opinion. The article, "What is Good Art?" explains about art, opinion, and what makes for a success when creating. Photography shares a story and an experience. It's not always going to be an accurate portrayal of something according to someon'es standards. It's not going to always be perceived as "good art" to some people. However, that's not the point of photography or art. The point is to create something that is unique and true to the message you want to give out. Your opinion matters.
Whether it's "right" or "wrong" - art is the process of expressing yourself at any stage of your life. You learn how to develop your techniques to better express yourself. Art can be seen simply as an expression more than an effort to make a statement. However, it's possible to accomplish both at the same time~
