Blount, I admire that you do not wish to write about the turks without visiting the Ottoman Empire, but shut up about your reasoning already. Also, I like that you said that they were civilized in a different, but not necessarily better or worse way.
Blount, buddy, you lost my respect now in your military section. You didn't go looking to find out the truth about what happens to conquered areas, and instead wrote about what you had heard. I highly doubt that the actions you seem to look down upon in this section are not the norm in all empires of this time.
Ok, now I'm getting sick to my stomach from the lies you're shoving down my throat. I mean, c'mon now, do a little bit of truth telling instead of truth twisting. Also, while I like the concrete imagery, I cannot condone the "These fair works so caused, seemed to me like dainty fruit growing on a dunghill." comment. I understand where your views are coming from, but I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.
Now I understand why we are reading this: to show a perfect example of the orientalist style of travel writing. It is remarkable to me to see the similarities between Blount and Biddulph in their writing styles: condescending and propagandistic about the Ottoman Empire. Any credit Blount gives to the Muslim peoples, he immediately follows it with the explanation that it was taken from elsewhere and made into a superstition or a habitual action.
I'm glad to be done with that. The misrepresentation of Islam and Islamic rule is rampant, and quite obviously intentional, as the Jewish peoples are shown in a much more favorable light than the Muslim, most likely because they were non-threatening to England and the Christian world.
peace.
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A place for video gaming rants and my reactions to the course content of ENG 307 at U-M Flint
3 comments:
Stupid typos.
I find it intriguing that we came away from the same reading with such different views. After class yesterday do you still feel the same? Or did the discussion sway you to see Blount's writing in a different light? Just curious.
I thoughts Ryan's comment about this being a manual or guide for building your own empire to be very insightful. Until he said that, I didn't see it. Yet, once he put the idea in my head, I could totally agree.
I guess I can see that, but first thing that strikes me about his writing is the ignorance he displays throughout, without any shown attempt to correct his misunderstandings, or to learn about the things he knows nothing about. This willful ignorance is what upset me so much about it all, especially because of his intro where he states that he will approach this scientifically and without bias.
Oh, I agree! I thought it was rather disappointing when he failed to live up to his stated intentions.
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