To be honest I am part of the "problem". When Said
and others talk about Westerners stereotyping the Middle East, he is taking
about me. Of course I like the Idea of an exotic mysterious different place in
the world. Who wouldn’t want to travel to a region of adventure and
excitement? Have I romanticized the
region? Yes! But isn’t that part of the allure? Of course if I went to Egypt
I’d want to see pyramids. I want to trade in a Berber suk, ride a camel, and
have a nomadic adventure. Is there really anything wrong with that? Attitudes
like this have allowed the Middle East to develop tourist attractions, to make
money for their people. Hey, if you got it flaunt it! This desire for a nomadic
adventure has allowed small oasis towns to develop tourist industry and become
a desirable travel destination to those who watched Lawrence of Arabia and the
Man Who Would Be King, one too many times. Sure we are Romanticized
Colonialists, but is it really wrong to appreciate the exoticness of the Middle
East? There is sense of “Otherness” the culture is different but let’s embrace
it and not run from it.
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