Comments on: The Unbearable Lightness of Kabul http://registan.net/index.php/2008/12/01/the-unbearable-lightness-of-kabul/ Central Asia News -- All Central Asia, All The Time Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:53:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kilted http://registan.net/index.php/2008/12/01/the-unbearable-lightness-of-kabul/comment-page-1/#comment-379152 Kilted Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:24:07 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/12/01/the-unbearable-lightness-of-kabul/#comment-379152 Mr. Foust: Well, of course! Although all nations and peoples suffer from this syndrome, I think we, as Americans, are near perfect exemplars. "It's all about us." The story of Afghanistan, for America, is the story of what Americans are doing to help Afghanistan. It is a terribly parochial view, but there you go. When I was in Kazakhstan (and, for two glorious weeks, in Mongolia), I encountered the same thing. I called it "isolationism abroad." Expats would go to the Hyatt or Hilton to have a hamburger and Coke for lunch, instead of getting shashlik and Sary-Agash mineral water at a street vendor's stand. It always reminded me of the BBQ scene in Apocalypse Now. Slainte! Mr. Foust:

Well, of course! Although all nations and peoples suffer from this syndrome, I think we, as Americans, are near perfect exemplars.

“It’s all about us.”

The story of Afghanistan, for America, is the story of what Americans are doing to help Afghanistan. It is a terribly parochial view, but there you go.

When I was in Kazakhstan (and, for two glorious weeks, in Mongolia), I encountered the same thing. I called it “isolationism abroad.” Expats would go to the Hyatt or Hilton to have a hamburger and Coke for lunch, instead of getting shashlik and Sary-Agash mineral water at a street vendor’s stand. It always reminded me of the BBQ scene in Apocalypse Now.

Slainte!

]]> By: Paul C http://registan.net/index.php/2008/12/01/the-unbearable-lightness-of-kabul/comment-page-1/#comment-379123 Paul C Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:23:21 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/12/01/the-unbearable-lightness-of-kabul/#comment-379123 I find it hard to get worked up about something that's not just limited to Afghanistan, but is embedded in the very structures of journalism. Do you have any ideas about how these events might be covered without slotting neatly into the preconstructed narratives ("war on terror", "liberal media bias", etc)? Obviously independent journalism addresses that to some extent, but it's a big ship that you're trying to turn... I find it hard to get worked up about something that’s not just limited to Afghanistan, but is embedded in the very structures of journalism. Do you have any ideas about how these events might be covered without slotting neatly into the preconstructed narratives (“war on terror”, “liberal media bias”, etc)? Obviously independent journalism addresses that to some extent, but it’s a big ship that you’re trying to turn…

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