Reading Response for week 14

Bryant Lymburn

This weeks reading focused upon the chapter provided on orientalism and an article discussing the postcolonialism in the climbing culture. Both ideas provide issues and points of interest based on the context in which they are both used. In the first article on orientalism there is very overly defined defenition of what orientalism is. It focuses on the more larger interaction of western civilization as a whole and comparing the interactions which occurred in the east also known as the orient. Even though this article does not directly relate to climbing culture the over reaching effects of the ideas from society and this orientalism can be seen throughout early expeditions into the Himalaya and Karakorum ranges. This idea of orientalism can be seen in the early expedition’s views towards the local populations in Nepal and Tibet. Often western ideas were assumed to be the most ideal and that they mus be shared with the world. Here is where the problem lies. Because one group of people think of themselves as superior to another group does not mean that this is the case.  Too many of these expeditions people were thought of as lesser, dirty, and lacking of knowledge. Sometimes these were preconceived notions that could almost be looked towards being viewed as racist. The idea that the greater group needed to aid the lesser group allowed for an excuse to access these orient locations. Thus giving them access to their ultimate goal of climbing the great peaks that were located in these areas of the world.

As the world became more aware and less ignorant these lop sided views began to diminish as the world became more interconnected. As this began to happen why is there still the need to climb then these untrodden and undesecrated peaks. There are a few factors that become present in this postcolonial era that follows. First it is for pride, not only for nations, but too also later on for individuals. Then there is the allure of the mountains that begin to redraw individuals to explore them. This can almost be viewed as a renaissance in climbing most likely due to the counter culture movement that has began during some of this time period. These both intern translate to a sort of nostalgia for the mountains. A quote from the second article sums this up for me. And I will finish with it let ones self think.

” Nostalgia for Everest also remains rampant – but it takes two forms, and they are incommensurable. The first is a nostalgia for Everest’s return to the imperial archive: it was thought that the summit was a children’s storybook where the only pure at heart and well intentioned were admitted. The second is nostalgia for a Everest before imperial history. But for mountain climbers the second is impossible and self annihilating. “