Ian Buruma's God's Dust
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Ian Buruma's God's Dust: A Modern Asian Journey is an exploration of the effects of Westernization and development on eight nations of Asia. Buruma uses the differences between "the village" and "the city" to symbolize the effects of Western development and progress (mainly in the city) on the native culture (mainly represented by the village). The basic question of the book is "What happens to people when the loyalties and traditions of the village break down and are replaced by the complexities of the modern world [as symbolized by the City]"? (xii). In general, Buruma believes that development, progress, and political change (especially change leading toward democracy) have had balanced results in these Asian nations. He writes of the despair of one Thai woman with respect to Westernization and the resultant "loss of traditional values, the destruction of the Village, the emptiness of capitalist development" (60), etc. But Buruma says this is a negative simplification of what has actually happened: For every image of loss can be countered with an example of gain. The mountains of Khao Kor have no trees, but the political destiny of Thailand is no longer decided by gunfire in the mountains. More and more, it is decided by debate, choice, politics. . . . Thais have lost something in their quest for material well-being. But they have managed to retain the thing that is most precious to them, their self-respect (60). Buruma's attitude is one of acceptance of what has happe
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the point of unrecognizability, but as long as the people have their sense of self, their "self-respect," then all is relatively well. There is an unpleasant tone of cultural condescension in Buruma's conclusion about Thailand and the "precious . . . self-respect" of the Thais:
This is their most attractive quality and it seems indestructible, in the villages, but also in the cities, among students, merchants, politicians, and peasants, and, yes, even among "the chicks of Fun City," the dancing girls of Patpong (61).
The same prostitution which Buruma is thankful has not come to village-dominated, dictatorship-ruled Burma, Buruma celebrates in city-dominated Thailand. The "chicks of Fun City" have their self-respect, and that is what matters. Similarly, the City-Village conflict in Thailand is described by Buruma as something which is good for all. Wealth may flow to the City, but "people in rural villages . . . were spiritually richer" (43). The Village is always there for the Thai who wants to be enriched spiritually: "Turning to the Village, as opposed to the confusing, amoral City, is a way of re-defining his Thai-ness. The Village is pure Thai, the City, dominated by Chinese businessmen, is alien" (44).
If Burma has c
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Village Burma, Village City, Village Japan, Singapore Buruma, Asia Buruma, Khao Kor, Oh Malaysia, Cory Aquino, Malaysia Singapore, Mainland Japanese, village city, city village, asian nations, sense self, modern world, westernization development, military dictatorship, people sense self, chaos poverty, native culture, city/village conflict, village city village, chaos poverty corruption, cultural sense self, chicks fun city,
Approximate Word count = 2091
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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