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Joshuah Mills
Professor Fran Voltz
UWRT 1102-30
6 November 2014
Journal 10
Everywhere, in the news, television advertisements, on the internet, and in print, we are
constantly bombarded by images that are permanently burned into our memory. While we may
not always be able recall a vivid rendition of these images into our mind, we are usually at least
able to recognize what we see or experience a sense of familiarity. Even if we do not realize it,
the images that we are exposed to influence us in great ways. The greatest influence that these
images have may be the extent that they alter our perception of reality. Unfortunately, we
oftentimes lack control over this influence, allowing our perception to change solely because of
exposure to these images. Because of the influence these images have on us, how far from true
reality is our perception of the world?
The largest aspect of this influence is simply overexposure. What we consider to be
normal is merely what we are exposed to on a frequent basis. For example, we have all seen
countless television advertisements campaigning to raise funding for poor children in third world
countries. In these advertisements shockingly malnourished and sometimes disfigured children
are shown with the hopes of creating sympathy among viewers. However, despite being exposed
to these images, most people would not cringe or even entertain a second thought about these
children. Why do these images have a seemingly numbing effect on us? Simply put, these types
of advertisements are countless in number, and through constant exposure we have come to
adopt a sense of normalcy toward them. If we spend time to consider the actuality of these

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images we would find them to be at least mildly shocking. However, because of its
omnipresence, these images have become normal in our spectrum of reality.
Contributing to this influence is also our lack of knowledge on what is reality. For those
who have not served in the military or have never witnessed a military engagement firsthand, our
perception of what happens in these instances is left entirely to what is reported to us. Especially
during the height of the War on Terror, news stations and agencies would provide countless
hours of coverage on events in Middle Eastern areas where conflict was occurring. In these
reports actual videos and photographs of airstrikes, roadside bombings, and shootouts between
militants were shown. For those not engaged in these events, this was the reality of these
conflicts. Whether they choose to or not, they associate these images with the War on Terror.
The unfortunate aspect of the influence images have on us is that they can never truly
represent reality. Instead, they create a likeness of reality in which we fill in the blanks; images
that fail to represent certain aspects of actuality are subject to assumptions. In some cases these
images may not have been as terrible or inconceivable as we believe. Still, in other cases these
images that we choose to take with little consideration or concern could be monumental in
importance. Nonetheless, images are only what we choose to see them as, therefore preventing
us from gathering a full sense of reality from them alone.
In a sense, the influence images have on us is inescapable. However, the gravity of the
influence they have on us is controlled entirely by us. We can choose to accept what we see as
normal or shocking, but we can and should choose to see it for what is: a mere image that is a
reflection of actuality. Where these images are omnipresent, and even worse, used intentionally
to manipulate our perception, we have to rely on our discrepancy. With this understanding, we

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are perfectly capable of combating the false sense of reality brought about by how we perceive
images.