Gladwell Reading

In “The Picture Problem” by Malcolm Gladwell, he discusses tow different forms of photography, one used in the military and one used in the medical field. Lantrin, and image system to detect scud launchers and Mammogram image device. These devices are similar, in that they are both trying to fight a war, one on terrorist and one on cancer. But they do differ as well, the Lantrin is used to destroy and kill, while the mammogram is used to save and preserve life, I also noticed the distinction in one being very masculine and the other feminine. I found it an interesting choice to compare them.

            Gladwell compares two relatively new technologies, that both need a specialist to interpret. This is, to Gladwell, where the problem lies. When the military was using the Lantrin, there were problems with them bombing regular trucks and houses, not actual scud launchers. The image the military received from the Lantrin wasn’t what it is today; it was very grainy, dark, and blurry. Hard for anyone to interpret in my opinion, but the military had ‘specialist’ who interpreted these images and declared them scud launchers or not. Mammograms require a specialist interpretation as well, now a days someone specifically specialized in reading MRIs, mammograms, CT scans, X-rays, etc., which usually isn’t even the head doctor on your case. The human interference and interpretation here is the problem, there are so many different interpreters looking at the images, and giving different interpretations. The problem there may lie in the fact that these specialists are being taught in different places, the context in which they are readings these images may differentiate hugely. 

-Emily Walsh