Rory Stewart on our ‘Dystopian Vision’ of Afghanistan

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  07.20.09 | 11:25 AM ET

Photo by N_Creatures via Flickr (Creative Commons)

In a long piece on the future of Afghanistan, Rory Stewart makes a point about the country’s usual image in the media:

“We are accustomed to seeing Afghans through bars, or smeared windows, or the sight of a rifle: turbaned men carrying rockets, praying in unison, or lying in pools of blood; boys squabbling in an empty swimming-pool; women in burn wards, or begging in burqas,” he writes. “Kabul is a South Asian city of millions. Bollywood music blares out in its crowded spice markets and flower gardens, but it seems that images conveying colour and humour are reserved for Rajasthan.”

It’s not the first time the author of “The Places in Between” has spoken out on the subject. (Via Andrew Sullivan)

Tags: Media Addict, Nation Branding, Asia, Afghanistan, News and Briefs

Eva Holland is co-editor of World Hum. She is a former associate editor at Up Here and Up Here Business magazines, and a contributor to Vela. She's based in Canada's Yukon territory.


1 Comment for Rory Stewart on our ‘Dystopian Vision’ of Afghanistan

Ling 07.20.09 | 12:09 PM ET

It’s what we call the ‘new normal’ - people adjust to just about anything, and they’ll build up a life around it, even if it is in places like Afghanistan and Sudan. Just like America is getting used to 10% unemployment, and abominable healthcare. And staycations. :)

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