losanarchos (July 19, 2008 at 5:22 am)

That's not even the cusp of orientalism or the perspective that Said has brought forth in his life. If you read further into Said's work into his book Culture and Imperialism, you'd find out that Said doesn't fall prey to identity politics and nationalistic/ethnic hatred of the West. He believes in the interconnected nature of history and has quite frankly argued against the supporting of retaliatory stereotypes against the west. it contradicts his belief that no society is homogenously distinct

losanarchos (July 19, 2008 at 5:15 am)

by saying that in the colonial era the study of the orient was tainted by the fact that there were real political interests to maintain a view that the peripheral nations were inferior or simply unable to govern themselves. Said applied a Foucauldean approach to power in society in which language is relegated to what is permitted to be heard or better regarded, that being the opinion of a european authority or any western educated authority, over that of a subjugated Other.

losanarchos (July 19, 2008 at 5:09 am)

subjects in an attempt to understand a subjugated people. It's a power-relationship that requires an initial condition of conqueror and conquered, colonial-center and peripheral. Orientalism goes beyond islamophobia in the sense that it needs high levels of institutionalized support because the power-relationship between the studied native and the settler studying requires a situation where one is not considered authoritative or "objective" enough to represent themselves. Said expands on this

losanarchos (July 19, 2008 at 5:06 am)

1. wilsparky, I don't think you've actually studied orientalism or any aspect of postcolonial theory if you're simplifying orientalism to being akin to islamophobia. They're not the same at all, maybe part of the same game but that's like saying a golf shirt represents the entirety of golf. Islamophobia can be considered the by-product of what Said called orientalism. The Said initially began with an attack on the scholarly field of orientalism itself, where western scholars studied eastern..

wilsparky (July 15, 2008 at 9:23 am)

"Orientalism" is only the forerunner to "Islamophobia"They are classic examples of what Orwell called 'double speak'. A "phobia" is an irrational fear. Therefore "Islamophobia" is an irrational fear of islam. Pray tell me what is irrational about fear of a 'religion' whose adherernts slice off the heads of bound human beings whilst chanting the name of their deity?Is it irrational to fear such a faith? I rest my case.

shockskin (July 15, 2008 at 5:56 am)

If any country in the world is synonymous with 'superioty complex' it'd be the states if you asked me. The overall ideas behind orientalism can be applied from any A culture to any B culture. All that aside, zionists like you definately aren't helping anything. Go vote McCain.

cursedsilly (July 4, 2008 at 9:33 pm)

You've got a vendetta against Ed. Go write a diatribe rebutting his claims, and sell your insanity. Nobody here buys it. You're an Orientalist, Wilsparky. Move on.

wilsparky (July 1, 2008 at 6:56 pm)

Amazing how real portrayals of real terrorist acts are shown as examples of our 'proganda' against islam.What Alice in wonderland is this!Muslims can blow up civilians (deliberately targeting them) and if that is shown in the wester media, we suddenly become the villains for giving muslims a bad name!!!You couldn't make up this weird islamic logic. Oh I get it now, we shouldn't criticise the nut job muslims in case the 'nice ones' get upset!Incidentally, guess who hides the nut jobs?

wilsparky (July 1, 2008 at 6:46 pm)

Only an eastern immigrant with his fangs into the west could write 'Orientalism'.I have two things against the notion which Said promotes:1: all cultures (especially islamic culture) present themselves as superior to others if they are free from outside censure.2: any westerner living in the east would find the converse, negative stereotypes of westerners portrayed there.So, what does this false grievance indicate?That muslims don't like criticism because they feel they're superior.

tincoffin (June 25, 2008 at 10:06 pm)

Meadow99 (4 months ago ) says it all .Orientalism is an imaginary construct and a dangerous , evil idea .Prejudices and attitudes quoted regardless of time and place do not amount to a stereotype.