A Historical Take on Orientalism

It would be extremely hard to make a convincing argument that Western culture does not perpetuate a eurocentric narrative. Through everything from pop culture to history books, the West makes sure it's lens clearly defines the other, making sure that the white man is always on top. Edward Said's theory of Orientalism is just another wrench in the West's toolbox.

It's very easy to say that Said's 1978 book doesn't apply anymore. In the age of political correctness, how could we get away with perpetuating biased and sometimes (more often than not) racist notions of Asia and the Middle East? But surprise, we aren't living in a post colonial world. And honestly, I don't think we ever will be. Colonialism is part of world history, there's no denying that. What we can change, however, is the way the past oppressors portray those they oppressed.

Take Great Britain, for example. One of the emblems of the Western world, the empire which the sun always kisses, the birthplace of industrialism. Britain's prosperity came from their colonization of India, which served as a market for their textiles. As industrialism swept the nation, mechanization of production cause a mass surge of goods with no market except for, of course, their colony. Thus, they thrived.

Ignoring this colonization is equivalent to ignoring Britain's prosperity, which, I assure you, no Westerner is wont to do. In fact, ignoring the colonization and its effects reduces the agency of the colonized. But our mainstream culture does just that. Mystifies the Orient, dehumanizing those who live there, those who call it their home.

Aladdin, Mulan, The Jungle Book -- all seemingly innocent movies that, in fact, perpetuate a dangerous narrative which ignores an entire portion of world history. How can we claim post-colonialism when we're still acting like we're the ones in charge?