>Every single empire in its official discourse has said that it is not like all the others, that its circumstances are special, that it has a mission to enlighten, civilize, bring order and democracy, and that it uses force only as a last resort. And, sadder still, there always is a chorus of willing intellectuals to say calming words about benign or altruistic empires, as if one shouldn't trust the evidence of one's eyes watching the destruction and the misery and death brought by the latest mission civilizatrice.
Edward W. Said, Orientalism
>>7357092
based
>>7357119
giving it a name is to rejecting the truth
>>7357092
>that it has a mission to [...] bring democracy
that sound really unreasonable for everything before the french revolution
>>7357092
sounds like a description of the Islamic State tph
>>7357119
It's a little subtler than that. Said was an intelligent literary critic—try reading Culture and Imperialism and you'll see.
He was not just "leftist"—he was a Palestinian. That brings with it a certain perspective. One could not expect him to condone or ignore imperialism, given the form of it he knew. And whether or not you agree with his politics you ought to at least read that most famous book of his. It's not "propaganda".
There is no need to shun literature which rejects or complicates what you value. I disagree with Said on many things, including US policy and to some extent Islam. I'm a patriot and I believe in the idea of empire to the extent that I believe in civilization, which makes Said in some sense my enemy; his books have added some doubt to my sense of what it is I support. But my belief is neither weaker nor less certain for having that depth. One can be agnostic about empire in the same way that the most fervent Catholic is agnostic about God.
Read Said. You have nothing to lose.
>>7357177
Said was a Palestinian Christian who lived a life of privilidge and out of some weird sense of guilt for being bourgeois and Christian dedicated his life to being resentful on behalf of muslims. He was an ok literary critic, but he's not a convincing historian since most of sources are works of fiction, not historical records. Still worth a read if you're a fan of Nietzsche and Foucault, since he uses their "genealogical method"
>>7357177
My post was deliberately provocative and I feel kind of bad now that someone has replied with heartfelt sincerity.
I'll add it to my "to read" list.
>>7357167
heard ever about the Delian league?
>>7357199
the second half of orientalism gets bogged down in long irrelevant american party politics of the late 70s and is boring as shit, but the first half is p rad and will make u smarter even if u dont buy it all
>>7357167
Even authoritarian dictators claim they give "power to the people" and talk about the virtues of democracy. Monarchs did the same.
>>7357216
I sort of agree with this
>>7357167
>he fell for the 'democracy is only 300 years old meme'
>>7357092
He was full of hate.
>>7357788
Raises my opinion of him. Thanks anon. :)
>>7357788
it was a symbolic gesture of resistance. he din hurt nobody
