Comments on: Edward Said http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/ Korea... in Blog Format Fri, 5 Dec 2008 08:57:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mohammad http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/#comment-229 Mohammad Thu, 09 Oct 2003 23:28:51 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=103#comment-229 Hi I have also written in Siad's memory. WOuld u mind visiting my blog and leaving ur comments? <a href="http://oddamongbrains.blogsky.com" rel="nofollow">http://oddamongbrains.blogsky.com</a> Hi
I have also written in Siad’s memory. WOuld u mind visiting my blog and leaving ur comments?
http://oddamongbrains.blogsky.com

]]> By: The Marmot http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/#comment-228 The Marmot Wed, 01 Oct 2003 08:11:34 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=103#comment-228 Not a whole lot to argue with, Mr. Simon. As I mentioned in my post, I don't agree with much of what Said argued, although much of his criticism of how the West has viewed the "Orient" is, in my opinion, still valid. I find it difficult to argue that the West did not, for centuries, create an image of an Eastern "other" that bore very little resemblance to what the "East" really was. As you point out, however, the East has for centuries done the same thing with the "West" - both at times of relative strength and relative weakness. I've read Arab accounts of medival Europe, and to say the least, they are neither flattering nor sensitive to local conditions, and even now - both in the Middle East and the Far East - societies have created various images of an Occidental "other" in order to help shape definitions of self (among other reasons). And just as Said criticises just about every Western writer who wrote about "the East" (including Burton, for Christ's sake!) for misrepresenting that about which they were writing, so do a great many "Eastern" writers who write upon the West. I remember a Korean professor of mine who was discussing James Clavel's "Shogun" (a book I'm sure gave Said fits - assuming he cared about that other "East" further along the Silk Road) over lunch one day, and he lamented that few Korean writers could display such a deep understanding of the West. And if I needed more proof, just listen to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he's having a bad day. That being said, I still think Said's loss is tragic - at least he raised issues that got us thinking. And he provided a great many of us with terrific fisk material. Not a whole lot to argue with, Mr. Simon. As I mentioned in my post, I don’t agree with much of what Said argued, although much of his criticism of how the West has viewed the “Orient” is, in my opinion, still valid. I find it difficult to argue that the West did not, for centuries, create an image of an Eastern “other” that bore very little resemblance to what the “East” really was. As you point out, however, the East has for centuries done the same thing with the “West” - both at times of relative strength and relative weakness. I’ve read Arab accounts of medival Europe, and to say the least, they are neither flattering nor sensitive to local conditions, and even now - both in the Middle East and the Far East - societies have created various images of an Occidental “other” in order to help shape definitions of self (among other reasons). And just as Said criticises just about every Western writer who wrote about “the East” (including Burton, for Christ’s sake!) for misrepresenting that about which they were writing, so do a great many “Eastern” writers who write upon the West. I remember a Korean professor of mine who was discussing James Clavel’s “Shogun” (a book I’m sure gave Said fits - assuming he cared about that other “East” further along the Silk Road) over lunch one day, and he lamented that few Korean writers could display such a deep understanding of the West. And if I needed more proof, just listen to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he’s having a bad day.

That being said, I still think Said’s loss is tragic - at least he raised issues that got us thinking. And he provided a great many of us with terrific fisk material.

]]> By: Dan http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/#comment-227 Dan Wed, 01 Oct 2003 07:38:54 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=103#comment-227 Well spoken, M. Simon. Well spoken, M. Simon.

]]> By: M. Simon http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/#comment-226 M. Simon Tue, 30 Sep 2003 11:21:38 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=103#comment-226 Gentlemen, May I suggest that you put Winds of Change or Little Green Footballs on your daily list. Oh, yeah. Re: Said. Is lying about yourself and your origins for political effect one of the requirements of scholarship? As to Orientalism: what the West taught about the East must have been fairly close to the truth because the West has mastered the East. As you well know military power is never enough. The real problem of East/West relationships is that the East in fact practices Occidentalism. A distorted view of the West. How could it be otherwise? The West has passed out of tribalism to nationalism. The East is not very far along in this path. Which is why the East is ignorant of the West. Said's main result in the war of ideas was to confuse the issues. And make certain topics of discussion off limits - Western "Orientalism" was the #1 excuse for not looking at Islamic fascism before 9/11. I suppose if you applaud the 9/11 attacks (which I know you don't) Said was OK. If you don't then you must recognize that 9/11 was in part a result of his book "Orientalism". Some scholar. Gentlemen,

May I suggest that you put Winds of Change or Little Green Footballs on your daily list.

Oh, yeah. Re: Said. Is lying about yourself and your origins for political effect one of the requirements of scholarship?

As to Orientalism: what the West taught about the East must have been fairly close to the truth because the West has mastered the East. As you well know military power is never enough.

The real problem of East/West relationships is that the East in fact practices Occidentalism. A distorted view of the West.

How could it be otherwise? The West has passed out of tribalism to nationalism. The East is not very far along in this path. Which is why the East is ignorant of the West.

Said’s main result in the war of ideas was to confuse the issues. And make certain topics of discussion off limits - Western “Orientalism” was the #1 excuse for not looking at Islamic fascism before 9/11. I suppose if you applaud the 9/11 attacks (which I know you don’t) Said was OK. If you don’t then you must recognize that 9/11 was in part a result of his book “Orientalism”.

Some scholar.

]]> By: Dan http://www.rjkoehler.com/2003/09/29/edward-said/#comment-225 Dan Tue, 30 Sep 2003 05:55:42 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=103#comment-225 WTF!?! I hadn't heard about this either. Maybe it's because many of his convoluted theories came tumbling down with the WTC. Still, he was an influential scholar...you'd think there'd be a bit more news coverage. (Does the rule of three apply to deaths among leftist intellectuals, too? If so, Chomsky, Zinn, and Sontag better take cover.) ;) WTF!?! I hadn’t heard about this either. Maybe it’s because many of his convoluted theories came tumbling down with the WTC. Still, he was an influential scholar…you’d think there’d be a bit more news coverage.

(Does the rule of three apply to deaths among leftist intellectuals, too? If so, Chomsky, Zinn, and Sontag better take cover.) ;)

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