Lonely Planet Politics
Now this is an interesting essay, on how popular tourist travel books tend to sanitize dictatorships for the backpack and birkenstock set. Here's a taste:
There's a formula to them: a pro forma acknowledgment of a lack of democracy and freedom followed by exercises in moral equivalence, various contorted attempts to contextualize authoritarianism or atrocities, and scorching attacks on the U.S. foreign policy that precipitated these defensive and desperate actions. Throughout, there is the consistent refrain that economic backwardness should be viewed as cultural authenticity, not to mention an admirable rejection of globalization and American hegemony. The hotel recommendations might be useful, but the guidebooks are clotted with historical revisionism, factual errors, and a toxic combination of Orientalism and pathological self-loathing....
Has the media convinced you that the burqa is an instrument of oppression? Lonely Planet: Afghanistan, in a rare bit of what appears to be Taliban nostalgia, explains: "The burqa can be seen as a tool to increase mobility and security, a nuance often missed in the outside world's image of the garment. Assuming that a burqa-clad woman is not empowered and in need of liberation is a naïve construct."
Western media outlets have misinformed us on Iran as well. Lonely Planet: Iran assures travelers to the Islamic Republic that "99% of Iranians -- and perhaps even [President] Ahmadinejad himself aren't interested in a nuclear conflict with Israel. In fact, ignore all the hyperventilating about nuclear weapons, because it's "hard to argue with" Iran's claim that its uranium-enrichment program exists only for peaceful purposes.
- Comment (13)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments:
Feb '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
I'm sure these enlightened gentlemen were carrying their dog-eared copy.
Jun '10
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
"...and if a tourist could get in to visit the typical Tehran prison, they'd probably notice the red floor and wall stains from those silly ripe-tomato fights that the prisoners have every week for fun. Monday, soccer night. Tuesday, ripe-tomato fight; Wednesday, a quiet night to rest up for more fun later in the week."
May '10
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
In a saner world, Iran's government would be destroyed just for the threat of annihilating the Jews. There would be no search for alternative interpretations. There would be no wait for Iran to back up that threat. If you threaten genocide, you die.
Aug '10
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
I'd read that article as well and you're very kind to gloss over the real problem with the criticisms : the coddling of bloody dictators .
The now wealthy creators of Lonely Planet and the other one (?) are quoted as being against too much travel now, as the carbon impact of jet travel is just too much. Imagine what it was when they were flying the 747's back in the day so they could eat the psychedelic omelettes in Goa.
Yeah, Iran- swell place for a hike .
May '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Having worked for one such publisher in the distant past, I can say their corporate culture was a far better match for the world's oppressive regimes than any Western democracy. Questioning the party line in that place, no matter how indirectly, was usually the best way to earn a ticket out of there.
Mar '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Young people have had a thirst for travel to dangerous places since time immemorial. Winston Churchill made a lifestyle out of rushing to countries where he had a high probability of being killed, or worse.
And as long as people want to travel to these despotic places, someone without a conscience will step up and fill the market demand for fawning travel guides - if not Lonely Planet, then another entrepreneur.
And having known several left-leaners who have traveled to Cuba, Russia or Vietnam, my experience is that they come back with a much lower view of non-democratic systems of government than when they departed. So I really can't get worked up by this.
But I do fervently wish that our State Department would stop bending over backwards to bail out the naive American travelers who, through their own stupidity, wind up in an Iranian or North Korean dungeon. Not having that moral hazard might lower the demand for whitewashed Lonely Planet guidebooks from the get-go.
Edited on August 15, 2012 at 10:43pmJun '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Mendel:
But I do fervently wish that our State Department would stop bending over backwards to bail out the naive American travelers who, through their own stupidity, wind up in an Iranian or North Korean dungeon.
Edited 18 minutes ago
Agreed. After all, rescuing them is Jesse Jackson's job. Just another thing the private sector can do better than the federal government.
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Mendel:
And having known several left-leaners who have traveled to Cuba, Russia or Vietnam, my experience is that they come back with a much lower view of non-democratic systems of government than when they departed.
I just returned home yesterday from Ecuador, which the Heritage Index of Economic Freedom categorizes as a repressed country. I actually didn't do any research before going to the country, though had intended to buy a Lonely Planet Guide.
Anyway, while in the country, I spoke to 3 Ecuadorians at length about their thoughts on their president, Rafael Correa. Ecuadorian #1 gushed and fawned over her president's charm and good looks; Ecuadorian #2 seemed afraid to share her honest opinion; Ecuadorian #3 told me that the president punishes earned success, makes friends with the worlds' thugs and despots, hates the U.S., holds the concept of free speech in contempt, and is a dyed-in-the-wool socialist if there ever was one.
So anyway, I went to the country neutral and open-minded (since I was ignorant of its politics) and came home with a very low opinion of the regime just by talking to folks there.
Jul '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
How do they put a positive light on boy raping? Egad, these folks who turn a blind eye to women's oppression can justify almost anything.
Apr '12
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Having a body bag over you makes you safer? Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, also wrote a book A Thousand Splendid Suns which is about life as a girl and woman in Afghanistan. If The Lonely Planet writer read even one chapter, he would not see the garment as a tool to give security. <p>As for Iran, remember the leader was invited to speak at a US university? Talk about giving a stamp of approval. It is not just the writer of travel books who blindly hopes for similar values and believes others are thinking the same nice thoughts as them.
Feb '12
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Well, if you lined the burqa with Kevlar ...
Mar '11
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
P.J. O'Rourke needs to put out an updated version of "Holidays in Hell".
Nov '10
Re: Lonely Planet Politics
Technically they're right. If you don't wear a burqa you'll probably get shot. If you do, there's a chance you might make it out of the market alive.