Orientalism is a self centered mindset that does not allow Westerners to open up their minds to the Middle Eastern region. We believe that living in the Western world gives us authority over the Orient, and contributes to our thinking that Western nations are superior. We need to move past this way of thinking or we will not be able to expand our minds to other viewpoints in the world.
A modern day example that sticks out to me is when 9/11 took place. America rightfully went into a state of panic, but since that day our view of people from the Middle East is that they are all terrorists who are trying to harm America. We generalized one small terrorist group as the entire Middle East, and deemed those people as dangerous and threats to our society. I would say that many Americans have some form of prejudice against people from the Middle East, and when they see someone walking down the street (fully covered up in their clothing)-specify a sense of fear rises in them.
These stereotypes of the people and culture within the Middle East can become very toxic especially when they are portrayed on television shows and movies. Whenever you see a television show that has the Middle East in it, they are always portrayed as the terrorist threat. This constant visual reminder overshadows every wonderful part about their culture and religion that Americans seem to forget about. Everything about their culture seems foreign to us, and we focus on their differences instead of remembering that all of us are human.
I can not imagine being someone from the Middle East living in America, and the stereotypes they have to face everyday. The Western world needs to focus on including everybody, and getting rid of perception that we are the dominating region over the orient.
I think this analysis is really important to think about, especially in context of people from the Middle East who Americans, and also many Europeans, think of as terrorists. This is a case where Orientalism makes Middle Eastern culture into a dark, mysterious, menace, as opposed to another Orientalist idea of the exotic, magical Middle East. But I still think this aspect of Orientalism is an important one to recognize in conjunction with the exotic, magical interpretation, because when you consider them together, you realize that those two dramatic exaggerations of Middle Eastern cultures are representing the entirety of the cultures of many countries and people from the Middle East to Americans and Europeans. It is a problematic and dramatic oversimplification of a multitude of Middle Eastern cultures.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your analysis of how one event involving victims of Orientalism can make worse their situation in Western culture. It is important that as Westerners we recognize this trend, for it often goes undisputed in the media.
ReplyDeleteI think your analysis of Orientalism is especially relevant in today's political sphere. The debate about veil bans in Europe has already resulted in regulations in multiple countries. It is important for Westerners to get a better understanding of other cultures and other people to fight discrimination.
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