Super Highway 8 Rogerian

Super Highway 8: Rogerian Essay The picture in question shows a pleasant-looking country road made up of both grass and dirt that has a rustic wooden fence that has fallen into chic disrepair over time. The path the road takes curves in a manner that give the viewer a sense of movement, and the trees on either side of the road are able to give a clear impression that this is a scene from springtime. Some might criticize this image as being derivative and banal.

Another form of criticism that one might have for this image is that it’s very non-specific. It’s almost impossible to place where in the world the image occurs; even the trees are non-descript. Critics of this image might even point out that this picture can be connected to websites, businesses, blogs and books all over the world: it is an image which has been used and accepted as a means of embracing and depicting simplicity of thought.

While some might use these reasons to support the notion that this image is very banal, one can also use it as evidence for the universality of the image and the unity it inspires. This image can be found all over the internet, and rather as evidence for the image’s banality and clichéd qualities, one can infer that there is something about this image that provokes a sense of calm, or hope, or some other positive emotion, thought or sentiment in people.

The unity that this image provokes is what prevents it from being banal. Interestingly enough, this is an image that is readily found on a host of stock photography websites, something that critics of the image use as evidence for its triteness and overwhelming banality. However, in this case, we can use the massive dissemination and ubiquitous quality of the image online as proof of its universality: it strikes a chord in so many, delivering messages of hope and inspiration, and of the beauty and calm present in nature.

One could argue that in embracing its own banality, the image transcends the immediate banality: “From the perspective of the everyday, banal imaging transforms the perfunctory into the performative, inviting new forms of gaze, aestheticisation, engagement, communication, connection and immortalisation of life through the visual” (Ibrahim, 42). One can see this image emerge on websites that represent a host of business from substance abuse rehabilitation centers, to blogs about wellness and meditation, to wedding planning, to blogs about how to care for your pet, or about ageing gracefully.

There is so much about this image that is applicable to the human experience because this photo highlights so many themes that are present in human life: calm, transitions, transformations, and the beauty of uncertainty (Nisbet et al., 305). One of the greatest strengths of this image is also what some might consider its greatest flaw.

The image of country road curves gently in such a way that there’s no way to see where the road leads to or if there is a final destination, such as a house or estate or lake or some other geographical entity. Some viewers argue that this uncertainty creates a sense of anxiety for the spectator, as an image of a road leading to an unknown destination can leave people with a sense of unease (Gross & Rene, 2005).

However, this element of the unknown is exactly what makes so many other people gravitate to the image. By showing an aesthetically pleasing image of a road that leads to an uncertain destination, the picture encourages the average person to enjoy the journey. The future is unknown to all of us, and there’s nothing one can do to change that. With as much free will as the individual has in life, there’s still only so much within our control.

Hence, this photo encourages one to enjoy the journey, as so much about the process of reaching a goal is equally important to the goal itself. It’s not necessarily up to us to understand where the road leads but to make the most of our journey upon our self-chosen paths. One of the major strengths of the image is that it spotlights and embraces the inherent beauty of uncertainty.

Yes, the fact that the destination is veiled can cause some viewers anxiety, but on a greater scale sometimes anxiety or discomfort can be a powerful motivator to many people. “Uncertainty leads to changes in life that we may or may not be prepared for, or expect at all. These changes can be good for us, or they could tear us apart” (Hosane). Just because uncertainty and anxiety doesn’t always lead to the rosiest outcomes does not mean that it’s not worthwhile.

Life is a series of transformations and changes and even the negative ones can often help us reach the next plateau of consciousness and development. “Uncertainty sometimes forces us to explore aspects in life we never even knew existed, and that's what makes uncertainty and change so beautiful” (Hosane). Having the courage to embrace life’s uncertainty is expressed with grace in this photo, and is no doubt a big part of the reason why so many individuals and entities have embraces it so readily.

Another criticism that the image receives is that the composition is so perfect that the qualities of the image almost look hyper-real or painted with the strokes of an artist’s brush. There’s a tranquility that some could argue is almost not of this world, and the color palette of the images in their entirety are so vivid and vibrant, they almost suggest a place that doesn’t exist on earth.

Rather than viewing these objections as elements that undermine the strength of the image, they should really be viewed as elements that strengthen the entire composition. There is indeed a hyper-real quality to the photograph and that’s good. If one interprets the photograph as something that depicts the quiet splendor of the ordinary life taking an ordinary journey, one can easily see that it is beneficial to dress the image with the most incandescent hues: it’s a way of celebrating the ordinary life.

Furthermore, when critics say that this image is unspecific, as it’s impossible to determine where in the world it is located, that is a shortsighted remark. A simple Google search places the image on a website of photos from Virginia, allowing one to make the assumption that this image is a country road in Virginia. This is an important detail as it gives the image a strong sense of Americana and historical significance.

Virginia of course was one of the 13 colonies and a host of important historical events took place there—such as America’s first thanksgiving (Wallenstein, 27). Virginia is a place that is saturated in stories of America’s development, stories that are both good and bad: “During the Revolutionary War years, several events took place in the city, including Patrick Henry's ‘Give me liberty or give me death’ speech delivered in 1775 at St. John's Church, in Richmond.

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, was also passed in Virginia” (Mandel). While this was one of the more uplifting historical facts about Virginia—as Virginia played a center role in America securing their autonomy as a young nation, Virginia also has much to be ashamed of.

Richmond was the capital of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War and more than half of these battles took place in Virginia—including the surrender of Robert E Lee in Appomattox County, Virginia (Mandel). Virginia was also one of the states in America that started forced desegregation in 1959—a period that lasted over ten years: “African Americans earned their way into schools through federal lawsuits that forced the state to comply with the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v.

Board of Education (Topeka, Kansas), which made the desegregation of public schools the law” (Mandel). Hence, identifying this image as one that originates in Virginia is important as it loads the image with deeper meaning. Virginia is a state in the nation that has a history of pride and shame and of light and dark. It is in many ways a metaphor for the journey of life and for the human experience of.