das kunstwerk im zeitalter seiner technischen reproduzierbarkeit. is when i wish i was able to follow a little of the language. here courtesy of harry zohn and other philanthropes, of course.

all this benjamining came up with the business of photography. the small history, and so on.

i cannot have any contention with kracauer when he tells of the sign of the fear of death (more accessibly, here, perhaps). i fully admit it. what i wonder, then, is whether it is possible to look through the lens and actually love, or bless, or give deep, deep benediction. and thus to click. and thus to preserve. whether it is possible to tell through the lens of love. to tell of great longing and of desperate prayers and of such blessings as can only be given with the full fatal knowledge of the tremendous contingency of the moment.

but i probably have no business asking such a question. i have seen it to be possible, i think.