Orientalism

Orientalism is a dangerous mindset, and one that has been embedded in much of the worlds view.  The media that is portrayed about the cultures and people in these areas is largely to blame.  For years they would depict different cultures with incorrect imagery that is quite insulting.  Even with a shift in the world view the damage has already been done.

When I was in first grade my parents sat me and my siblings down to tell us something.  We were moving to Africa for his job.  My siblings and I were absolutely distraught, mostly because of our ill informed idea of what Africa was really going to be like.  We'd grown up watching "The Lion King," "Tarzan," and "Curious George."  Of course when we arrived it was nothing like any of those movies.  I remember on the car ride from the airport my six year old brother asked our parents, "Where are all the elephants?"

Of course these are children's movies and without a certain amount of creative assumption they wouldn't be successful.  However the amount the media has managed to distort what a place and people really are, in such an insulting way,  is ridiculous.