By Theresa Rézeau

There is a difference between blindness and the refusal to see. One belongs to the eyes. The other belongs to the conscience.

For centuries, blindness has been associated with darkness, dependence and limitation. Yet history repeatedly reminds us that some of the clearest vision has come from those who could not see the world in the way the rest of us do. At the same time, societies blessed with perfect eyesight have often overlooked suffering unfolding directly before them.

The greatest blindness has never been physical. It has always been moral.

Today, we inhabit one of the most visually saturated civilisations in history. Every day we consume thousands of images. We scroll through celebrations, disasters, advertisements, holidays, victories and tragedies with astonishing speed. We witness wars from our mobile phones while eating dinner. We observe homelessness from train windows before returning to conversations about property prices. We watch people quietly disappear beneath debt, loneliness and grief while reassuring ourselves that someone else will help.

We have never looked more. Yet, for all our looking, we have never truly seen less.

The full essay explores how art, faith and our own lives reveal the difference between eyesight and true vision. Read the complete essay in the Membership Archive of The Image & Culture Journal.