from the beginning of western speculation about the orient the one thing the orient could not do was represent itself evidence of the orient was credible only after it had passed through the refining fire of the orientalist work edward saeed palestinian intellectual literary theorist historian of the colonial narrative syed explained how colonialism works not just through armies but through literature not just through conquest but through anthropology not just through oppression but justified through narrative he showed how the west painted a picture of the east snake charmers belly dancers thieves the exotic the sensual the depraved syed
saw it in 19th century western literature and you can see it across modern culture switch on the news read the newspapers look at the images what stories are you being told us versus them the rational versus the irrational civilization versus baptism africans corrupt their sports starving victims latin americans drug lords football players dictators arabs terrorists misogynists asians software engineers religious fanatics how does it feel to be fixed captured framed think of orientalism as a lens use it when you read the media spot the stereotype decode the fiction unlearn the myth [Music] you
