Edward Said on "Orientalism"

How fascinating it is to know what other countries are thinking about our country. But what if we come to know that others are thinking differently than what we are? Professor Edward Said of Columbia is looking towards these aspects. He has written a book called "Orientalism". The book is translated in 26 languages. He is saying that Orientalism is a theory,   analyze the various lenses through which west is looking towards east. In his interview with MEF, he has talked deeply on his book Orientalism. Here I am pointing out some of the concepts on Orientalism discussed by Said in his interview. Here I am sharing the video of that interview.

1) Motionless Image of Orient

When it is asked to Said on started looking from the perspective of Orientalism, he has answered that the picture of East from West's perspective it does not match with the experience of living in the east. He also says that every form of art is presenting the same picture of east. He also has given example of one scholar researching on middle east he talks same about other eastern country, so Said is pointing out that for all western people whole east is same. I am very surprised by hearing this that west has same image of east from centuries, still and non developing. So those who creates knowledge about east that created knowledge is not innocent and surprisingly west also believes that since many centuries one can remain undeveloped or as a freeze world. So this concept make Edward Said to ponder upon and show then real image of orient.

2) Power Creates Knowledge

Here Edward Said is talking about that how it is necessary to have power to create a new knowledge. Here he gives example of Napoleon, who comes to Egypt to rule but by knowing everything about them and then tell them what they don't have, and how they are powerful then natives. And on the other hand Egypt don't have any kind of knowledge about Napoleon, because they don't have power to go and study other country and create knowledge about them. This is what Said is talking about. This knowledge which is created by power is not innocent. It has its own agendas to use only some part of information to create certain image front of all.

3) Different Orientalism

In this Edward Said is talking about two types of orientalism, one is direct and second is indirect. Then he gives example of orientalism of Britain and of America. Britain has its colony over half of the world and Britishers were their in east, they have experienced the life in east and what they think about east is direct orientalism. While on the other hand America is never been in east. So the knowledge of east is indirect to them, and this is what indirect orientalism is. Experience always matters, so we can identify the difference between direct and indirect orientalism.

4) Focus of Image 

What if someone repeatedly says that in India only Hindu lives? After some time people will start believing it. They will forget the diversity for which India is known for. Same is happening with middle east and Muslim peoples. All media, news papers and even movies also portray a Muslim character in only one way as terrorist. Because of this image world has forgot to questions of common sense also. People have started looking towards Muslim identities only as religious extremists. All Muslims are generalized. And because of this generalization the world is forgetting that terrorist exists every where but not every one is terrorist. Here Said has shared his own experience as middle eastern when any terrorist activity happens people readily believes that you will know what it is for and much more. Why the world is doing this. Answer is simple their mind is conditioned in such a way that they don't even realize that they are making mistakes. They forget that they have been shown only one side of coin, they have never also tried even to turn the coin and have a look at other side of it.

5) Inventory and Co - Existence

After all these things Edward has said that this all is keep on happening because, from orient there is no inventory. Inventory of history which people don't know. This face of middle east which every one is recognizing wrong. So here Said is talking about inventory to have parallel study of orient. Edward says very important thing, "That would be the notion of writing an inventory, historical inventory, which would try to understand not only to understand one's self but to understand one's self in relation to others and to understand others as if you would understand yourself." Then he talks about co - existence. He asks that can we co - exist with fear, if not then we have to try to understand each other with contrapuntal studies and not as others but as our self.

Thank you.