about perception and manipulation

Nikon D80 | 1/60 seconds | f 5.6 | ISO 125 | 112 mm
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I recall quite well a moment back when I was at university, at one of many courses about journalistic deontology and writing techniques. It was the first seminary with Liviu Popescu, the professor that in just a few week will have to became our friend, mine and my colleagues.
At first, when he entered the class, it was one of that situation when nobody know about the other or what to aspect. Of course the ball was in his court. Looking back now, I have no doubt that he staged very well that moment. He brought a computer an played for us a series of images requiring that each one of us to write what he or she sees in that picture.
Sounds simple, no? And so we started to write.. “an old lady that was banished from her house”, “a skater who is preparing for the Olympics”, “a lovely puppy begging to be pat”, “a just married couple, very in loved, walking in the botanical garden”, “the storm who is on the verge to break out” and so on and so forth. And he started to name students randomly in order to get some answers. After a couple of minutes, he said loud and clear to each one of us: no, no and again no. You should have seen “an old lady”, “a skater”, “a dog”, “a man and a woman”, “landscape”... regardless the practical journalistic application of that short experiment, we all remember, as human beings, to “never assume”…

And, in conclusion, but with no evident connection what so ever with the above made statements, one of my favorites quotes…
“For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity or perception to exist, a certain physiological precondition is indispensable: intoxication”
Friedrich Nietzsche quotes [German classical Scholar, Philosopher and Critic of culture, 1844-1900]