Being in the class Modern Middle East this year has really opened my eyes to Orientalism and its widespread influence. One of the first works we read was in fact Edward Said's Orientalism. I was truly shocked at the nonchalant stereotypes that plague Western Society. After watching Aladdin, I was very disappointed with how a childhood classic portrayed the entire region in the Middle East. From clothing, to actions, to the scenery, the production lumped together all the possible stereotypes there are, to brainwash young Western children, which included me.
I think we as a Western society must be mindful of Orientalism. It has been ingrained within us from a young age and it goes unnoticed in many cases. The media plays a huge part in this because there is a constant skewed portrayal of the Middle East region. Therefore, Orientalism is very present in our world today. The first step in getting rid of this mindset is by recognizing that it is a problem. Although it may be my lack of faith in the world, I think that we as a Western and Eurocentric society have a tough time even recognizing this idea as a problem. Either way, after recognizing the problem, we would have to diligently and consciously try to prevent Orientalism from entering our day to day to lives. Overall, Said really opened my eyes to a huge underlying problem we have in the West, and I hope we are able to work of it.
It seems that you never really notice the specifics of a movie until you step back and take a look at it. When I was younger, I loved Aladdin. Although, all this is doing to young viewers is exposing them to false concepts about outside cultures. It is wrong, and completely racist. Learning about Orientalism is a vital part of our education. It allows us to see other parts of the world in a different mindset, for the good.
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