The Concept Of Orientalism And Its Role In History

Throughout the history of “The Orient” it has been concluded that the general circumstances of an Oriental world consists of a cloned society living under the rule of the superior male gender and following a set guideline on how to live, obligated to certain morals and unable to leave their ideological boundaries due to their environment. Edward Said counters this generalization by claiming that Orientalism is simply a discipline. Orientalism is the main way of life in the Islamic world in the period of European imperialism, pushing the boundaries of this claim, people of the Orient have been disciplined to an extent in which they have hardly any control over their thoughts, or thought process. Which eventually leads to a mimicked behavior throughout the community. Overtime, this mimicked behavior started to breed within itself and sparked a culture of this distinct discipline and strict rules. Causing the entirety of the East to be swept with this culture, indefinitely resulting in the Oriental lifestyle.

In 1978 the late scholar Edward Said proposed this ideology of Orientalism, he contended that a predominant European political belief system made the idea of the Orient as to oppress and control it. The question that remains at hand is what makes Western (Occidental) and Eastern (Oriental) culture? I learned that through the lectures from Hughes and Muhamad Ali that it is all defined by perception, the way a person views both sides honestly differs from another viewpoint. This could mean that although people have preconceived premonitions for both the East and the West, whether they believe that one is right and the other is wrong is hard to base off of opinion alone. However, according to the reading, Said clarified that the refinements between 'East' (the Orient) and 'West' (the Occident) weigh more heavily on the West as the 'West' could control and approve perspectives on the 'East. ' They were seen to be the more powerful of two “sides”. For Said, this concatenation of intensity and learning empowered the 'West' to sum up and distort North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In spite of the fact that the content he speaks of itself, possesses significant analysis, the book in any case remains a spearheading mediation.

In the documentary video from class, Said contends that the Western (particularly American) comprehension of the Middle East to be a place where evil and torturous oppressors led by Islamic fundamentalism creates a profoundly mutilated picture of the assorted variety and unpredictability of a large number of Arab people groups. This was additionally furthered in discussion where the concept of “othering of others” is utilized so people that are in power dehumanize and belittle others to justify their actions. Said notes that the Middle East is seen to be barbaric when in reality, it is nothing of the sorts. It is important to realize that “One of the most important aspects Edward Said has made clear is how the media misleads the non-orientals (non-Muslims especially) by representing a non-realistic image of the orient”. The Westerners express their perspective about the orient contingent upon their parts of life as they consider themselves to be 'perfect' individuals.

This in turn shows how Orientalism plays the role of a historical force in the way that it had taken over an entire culture of the human species after the European Imperialism. After this period, the Oriental ideology had started to form and refine itself so that it could become a suitable way of life for this group of people to live. As their behaviors began to grow and evolve, they slowly transformed into the entire culture of the Islamic religion, showing that Orientalism was a change into defensive, and more revolutionary way of life. Having male dominance over most, if not all women. Finding a way to live life as close to the Quran as possible. Even violent beheadings and honor killings can come full circle to the Orientalist way of life, but this did not originate on its own. European Imperialism being a key factor in this sudden change of culture. After the introduction to Imperialism, it caused a direct fallback onto the strictest rules of Islam, and a return to more defensive, self absorbed culture. Finding peace within themselves and diverging from further European contact. This ideological reformation lead to the massive change in culture, that is still in effect today. Highlighting the fact that Orientalism was quick to become a widespread way of life alongside a new way of thinking for generations to come.