Dr. Webb said that our blogs could be our under-developed ideas… so here are my under-developed ideas! I certainly have many!
First, I have learned many new things about Orientalism in this past week, especially since I have not had much exposure to it before. I think that the whole concept is very intriguing, and have not understood the breadth of it until now. One thing that we talked about in class that particularly intrigued me was the way that we romanticized those people we call “Orientals,” while at the same time labeling them “barbaric.” I guess the two terms do not have to contradict each other, but I always thought of “romantic” as having a positive connotation, while “barbaric,” of course, as having a negative connotation. I think it is interesting how we think of the Orient as a beautiful place, while also being frightened of it, because it is so different from our own culture. And because it is such a different culture, I think we tend to think of the people there as being totally different than ourselves, when in reality, humans are humans, no matter where on the globe they live.
Another interesting idea about Orientalism is the veil that it tends to create, and the dialogue that veil prevents. This is ironic, though, because Orientalism also fosters a general interest in the “other” culture. But usually that interest is satisfied only by reading about the “other” culture, instead of experiencing that culture for oneself. The problem is that, if one does experience another culture, he will probably want to write about his experiences; but experiences are always viewed through the eyes of the one experiencing, and may be totally different from what someone else would experience. No two people experience the same thing (or culture) the same way. I think that is why when one reads a travel guide and then travels to that same place, he does not always think that the guide was accurate.
So there are my unfinished thoughts from class the other day! I hope to be able to delve deeper into some of these ideas, and answer some of my own questions!
I totally agree with your ideas about those in the west thinking that just because these groups of people live a different way that doesn't give us the right to call them "barbaric". I guess I have just been so far removed from that type of lifestyle that I never truly understood what was going on until now.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary a barbarian is "a foreigner, one whose language and customs differ from the speaker's."
ReplyDeleteI find that interesting how this simple etymological definition has taken on a negative connotation, as you said in your blog. Today the term describes a rude and uncivilized person. When and why did that change in definition happen?
Within your blog you also state that "we" think of the Orient a certain way, because it's so different from "our" culture. I think one needs to be cautious when saying "we." I know it's difficult, and I make this generalization all the time too, but what/who is 'we'? Westerners? But who and who isn't a westerner? Also, midwestern people of the U.S. are very different "we's" from New England "we's" and again different from French or British "we's."
I hope you don't feel chastised here... I find that it's complex when one says "we." Maybe to be most politically correct one should always explain what is meant when "we" is said. For example, "we, the people of an industrialized nation,..." When there's a 'we' there's a 'them.'