Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis, the editor of Vogue magazine, posted the photo above to her Instagram account. She captioned the photo, “Paris is full of surprises....and @voguemagazine readers even in unexpected corners!” This photo was deemed “tasteless” and “cruel” by many people online.
I personally found the photo dehumanizing, both for the homeless woman and as a spectator. People need to think twice before they post something on social media. Moreover, we should think before we take such a photo of a woman without her permission. It seems as if people today lack empathy for others.
What do you think about this photo and caption? Do you find it in poor taste? Do you think it is appropriate to take a photo of a homeless person and share it with everyone on social media without her knowledge? Do you think people are too “politically correct” today?
Fortunately, Ms. von Thurn und Taxis deleted the photo and issued an apology; however, it is impossible to remove all traces of this post from the internet. We should all remember this story when posting online and proceed with caution.
After the jump, I have included an activity from the Southern Poverity Law Center for developing empathy in Middle School students. It would also be a good idea to review the dangers of social media with students.
Click here for the instructions on completing this activity.
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