Edward Said describes Orientalism as the way in which culture makes the east and the west seem like very different areas. To better understand what Said means, he references Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, by likening his idea of imperialism with the idea of Orientalism. In Conrad's story, Imperialism is a process that makes another part of the world seem frightening and full of mystery, which is very similar to the idea of Orientalism.
Today, I feel that our society is still in many ways disconnected from eastern culture, and where we are disconnected from that culture, the Orientalist mindset begins to creep into our heads as to what we think the east is like. Although recently with the new rise of technology we are now easily connecting with all parts of the world and I believe that this increased connectivity will end Orientalist thinking.
Nice post! I totally agree that with our disconnect from the east it's easier to have an Orientalist mindset. Even if we try to have a different perspective, it's hard to fight ideas that have been ingrained in our culture for so long.
ReplyDeleteI agree that new technology has lessened our Orientalist thinking. Also, political figures and role models native to the Eastern part of the world such as Malala Yousafzai, have made the east seem not like an ¨other¨.
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