In James Thom'sThe Perfect Picture?, Thom makes the right decision in not taking the opportunity to snap the perfect photograph. In today's society the media takes advantage of the common people, and profits from the worlds misfortunes. In the era this story is taking place, the media is no different. The media believes they have the right to intrude into people's lives, take want they want, and assume no responsibility and reap no consequences for their actions. Newspapers, TV stations, and so forth, call this their right to free speech. Watching a reporter taking pictures, pushing, shoving, and crowding around the scene, is like watching a group of wild hyenas fighting each other for one piece of a dead carcass.
Reporters, journalists, and photographers all fall into the same category. This select group of people are the medium, of which information, good or bad, flow through to the general population. They are there to find the story, and if there is not a story present, they construct one to create intrigue for their customers. Most of the media is ruthless, cold, and with hearts of stone. These beasts stop at nothing to get what they need to fulfill the greed in their soul. They have no regard for the feelings of the victims, or how the victims might feel with a camera in their face and bright lights blinding them as if they are on trial. The one and only thing that the media truly cares about is money, awards, and reputation for being the first one to violate the innocent before the competitors beat them to the story. .
There is a difference, however, in my opinion, how the media acts today, and how it is in the era this book is taking place. I believe that Thom was a journalist in an era that still had self-respect and morals. In today's society, most journalists have no self-respect or moral values. Sure, there may be a few self-respecting journalists that still linger around, but they get pushed aside by the aggressive, and calloused, beasts.