ed says
Edward Said passed away last week. The shocking aspect of this news was not that he died, but shouldn't he be dead ages ago? For you naturally assume that the theorists studied in class had already become ashes. Also, it seems that after you die, people generally say nice stuff to commemorate you. Two females each used 'gallantry' and 'worthy friend' on him (knowing the man behind the theory), another gave sincere credit to the profound influence of Orientalism. Not knowing him as a person, Said was mentioned one too many times in our '-ism' course; he was within the canon, as one might put it. His death reminded me of my undergrad years, and maybe I should pick up Orientalism again. It's a privilege to encounter some great minds of the century, and I like the idea of Said fashioning himself as an academic outsider, because 'it is only the amateur who is moved neither by the rewards nor the requirements of a career, and who is therefore capable of a disinterested engagement with ideas and values', cool! The world can still go on without another thinker.