ORIENTALISM

Edward Said Crisis (in Orientalism

a ) Summarize Said in Your Own Words

Although it is common for people to take the textual-attitude in to avoid the disorientations of direct contact , this is a mistaken attitude and to take it too seriously could result in disastrous encounters within reality

The textual attitude is supported by two factors . The first factor involves the text 's ability to dull uncertainty by persuading the reader through its logical coherence that it is so familiar with the mysterious that it can guide one from uncertainty to

certainty

The second factor is that the text supports itself because it forms the reader 's perceptions so prevalently that when the reader encounters what it describes . There is a strong tendency for the reader to describe it in a very similar way and in doing so , to feel confirmed that the text is right

Texts furthermore create and are supported by a created tradition . A tradition towards perceiving a certain way creates strength from confidence and the resulting power dimension can reshape reality so that it conforms to what is believed and further transmitted

Theory based upon textual support is very closely linked to the enhancement of power as assuming extreme difference and even deference is very good for political reasons . Essentialist thinking allows for racist thinking and racist thinking removes guilt or remorse as `the other ' becomes seen as not fully human . If the other can be `successfully ' theorized then one can manipulate `the other ' for...