"If I die in Pakistan,It'll be because of a traffic accident, not a bomb or a bullet...The real danger over there is on the road."-Greg Mortensen
We have preconceived notions about middle eastern countries. This quote blows those ideas out of the water. Do you believe Greg Mortensen? What apprehensions would you have about visiting Pakistan?
I believe Greg in a sense because he's not out there looking for where the war is and really he's not too close to where the fighting is going on so based on this I believ that he would probably die from traffic than a bomb or bullet in this case. But travling to Pakistan I would be more worried about getting hijacked or shot down or getting taken by terrorists. But then again I aslo think it depends on where you are in the middle east too.
ReplyDeleteI do believe greg. I have no reason to not believe him. Apprehensions would certainly be weariness, but I would bring that with me anywhere new I visit. I have no clue what pakistan is trully like because I have never been there, I only hear or what others have to say about it, and thats never 100% trustworthy because every person has bias. But I would approach it the same as anywhere else; with caution.
ReplyDeleteI think this is probably a very true statement. Our society is really driven by fear, so we only focus on the scary, bad stories we hear. We hear that there are terrorists in Iraq and Pakistan that want nothing more than to kill all Americans, but that's not necessarily true. Its that same mindset that causes us to become afraid when we see a Muslim on a plane. We automatically assume they are a suicide bomber. However, this is no different than what we assume when we see a black person in baggy jeans and a do-rag. Everyone in our community would automatically assume he was in a gang. That's just how we have been conditioned to see things in the world. We assume the worst about people because we only hear the worst stories. The only apprehensions I would have about visiting Pakistan would be ones similar to me visiting any where else. I wouldn't understand the culture, I wouldn't know my way around, and I wouldn't speak the language.
ReplyDeleteMany people have a preconceived notion of Middle Eastern countries because of the media attention that area of the world receives. While that part of the world definitely has major problems we tend to only focus on a a tiny percent of the population that causes problems. This leads us into a trap of thinking that all Muslims are terrorists when in reality only a tiny tiny percentage of Muslims are what we would call "terrorists". The chances of traveling to a Middle Eastern country and dieing in a car bomb or some other kind of attack are small. When I traveled to Egypt I never once felt like my life was in danger from any of the people there...except when I was crossing the road or driving. There is no organization on the roads and people drive crazy.
ReplyDeleteGreg Mortensen stated that he would have a more likely chance dying in a traffic accident then a bomb or a bullet. This is interesting because he ran into the men of the bridge with guns and amunition. The road is more of an issue in his life as of now then getting bombed though. He is on an extremely dangerous road and if they jerk the wheel even the slightest bit they could fall off the cliff. I think that he would maybe be more worried if he wasnt so focused on building a school. If I were to visit Pakistan I would have some fear just because it is outside of our comfort zone but it wouldnt be too hard to forget about the risk with the beautiful scenery and the new culture. Greg Mortensen had other worries in his life that it wasnt a big issue for him.
ReplyDeleteI think that it depends on how a person looks at a situation. I think that there would be some people who would look at this situation and say that Greg is completely crazy, and others would say that he is exactly right. It is similar to looking at the glass half empty versus half full. I think that you could look for postivies or negatives in this situaiton, and Greg was optimistic about this. The fact that he had a military background probably helped give him confidence in this situation, however, he still had a positive outlook on these circumstances. I would be very nervous going to Pakistan, partially because I am a woman, and because I do not know very much about this part of the world. I doubt that I would adapt as quickly as Greg did because I am not nearly as spontaneous as him. I give him a lot of credit because he truly tries to fit in with the culture of Pakistan. He wants to help these people as a true Pakistan person, and therefore looks for the positives in the situations that arise.
ReplyDeleteFrom the reading that sounded pretty intense about the truck ride, and how dangerous the roads were, that would seriously be a crazy car ride. But if I were visiting Pakistan, I would be weary just about adjusting to the culture. I would want to take a while to study and learn about the culture before I travelled over there. First of all from just being an American and all the customs and social norms here would be exstremely different from what would be acceptable there, and being a woman I there would be a lot of things I would have to adjust to and just learn what would be acceptable and unacceptable in the culture.
ReplyDeleteI do believe what Greg says. Through news and media we are told about weapons killing people, people killing people, war killing people, but they never mention poverty and climate conditions killing people. Out of all the above problems the easiest to thing to make people believe are violent killings, which is sad because we try to change that reality, but the poverty and natural conditions may be harder for people to understand so we don’t know or try to change it. Greg said something along the lines of Pakistan seems more like an idea than a place, and to me this makes sense because few people can place a face with the name. People don’t want to show news about conditions we can change with hard work and philanthropy, we want to show news about things we can fight with force.
ReplyDeleteYou cant look at countries like pakistan as a whole, you have to view each person as an individual with different opinions. There is no doubt in my mind that there are some, in our view bad people, and good people there. I do believe Mortensen to an extent, but we really cant believe that there in no conflict throughout there, no matter how peaceful it may look. As Americans, I believe that we always view Middle-Eastern Countries in a negative light, and stereotypically as a buch of terrorists and war-driven people. If I were to visit Pakistan, my main concern would be the terrorism and that sort of stuff, just because we are brought up to have that fear in our society that they are bad people.
ReplyDeleteI think that just like any other country, it just depends on where you go. I agree with him, that probably for the majority of the nation the biggest danger is driving around. Though this may be true, I would still have apprehensions visiting Pakistan because there are still dangerous parts, and many armed people (the men guarding the bridge). If I went I would just make sure I had guide who knew where to go.
ReplyDeleteI believe Mortensons beliefs about living in these countries, first off because they are bringing good to the world and reaching out. I don't think that these people should be at risk for helping someone. Also I feel like the places they are visiting are generally peaceful where as if you go somewhere else there might be more military control and dangerous situations. An apprehension I would need to have about going to Pakistan would be to have an open mind about things, not really looking at things in such a bias and racist way our country cuts these countries out to be.
ReplyDeletePersonally reading this book and reading that quote from Mortensen doesn't make me much less apprehensive to visit these middle eastern countries. I'm not the kind of person who will tell you that all middle eastern citizens are terroists, I don't think that at all. I do believe however that there are a lot of people with very heavy anti-american beliefs and for my own well being I'd rather not go over there. I realize that by saying that some people would jump all over me and say I'm jugdmental, maybe even racist somehow but I don't think it's wrong to feel that way. The war is still going on in the middle east and so I certainly wouldn't call it a safe place to be. Maybe for a person like Mortensen who has earned the trust and respect of Pakistan's people since before the war it's easy to feel safe and at home there but for me I don't think I would ever feel comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI would also argue that it's good to have that cautious feeling about the middle east, or really anyway that our country has been at war with, because it could keep you safe simply being a little wary of the people you meet there. So go ahead and say what you will, but first think about how many of you would feel completely comfortable in a country like Pakistan or Iraq.
Yes I believe Greg. Even though we hear a lot about the violence and the deaths in Pakistan there are deaths and violence everywhere. We as a country are focused on the Middle East because of our history with them and the current tension between us. There is violence everywhere in the world, including our own country however we just choose not to focus on that. Also, in the US we have grown up and have been taught to fear people that look the same as the terrorists which gives us the outlook that we have on Middle Eastern people. However, I would be a little uneasy going to Pakistan because their military is so much more present because of the hostle environment they live in. This might just be because of the good and safe place I have grown up in but I think it would make everyone nervous.
ReplyDeleteI believe Greg Mortensen. These middle eastern countries not always figting. Parts of Pakistan will probably always be in some kind of war, however there are plenty of places that are safe and war free. I think that we assume all middle eastern countries are filled with terrorists and bombers. Except how many of us have actually been to one of these countries to experience it first hand. As Americans we believe what we are told and never really underdstand the whole truth. I would be more nervous about the healtcare issues when traveling to Pakistan however i do believe i would have some scary thoughts because that is what i have been taught to think.
ReplyDeleteI believe his thoughts about the road, but I don't know that it's necessarily the most dangerous thing over there. I've seen a show or two about some of these roads, and after watching people drive on them, I understand that aspect of his statement. There are, however, too many kidnappings of journalists, for example, for me to just say "OK, let's book a trip to Pakistan". As a tall, white, non-Muslim American, I wouldn't feel safe there. Sticking out in many foreign nations is a bad thing, and, if any of our preconceived notions have any sort of merit to them, sticking out in countries like these is even worse.
ReplyDeleteThis part of the reading reminded me of this past summer. I went on a mission trip to Gautemala and the roads were rather scary, just as in Pakistan. Guatemala is very mountainous and many of the roads wind in and out of mountains. People who drive in Guatemala can take these rather fast and many times will shoot over into the other lane withouht knowing if there was someone coming the other way. There were a few times on the trip where I was sure we were going to get in an accident. However the people there grow up learning to drive this way and to them it is no big deal. I can empathize with Mortensen when he says that there is a high chance of traffic accidents in Pakistan. It is scary to be driving on steep roads and to have a driver that seems to be taking many risks. I would be a little nervous going to Pakistan and having to drive on these roads, but since I have somewhat experienced it already I think I would be less apphrehensive.
ReplyDeleteI believe Greg Mortensen about having a traffic accident because of how unsafe the roads are when traveling, but as for the rest, I don’t believe it’s true. You’re not going to get blown up when you go over to Pakistan just because you’re visiting. It’s a bad assumption about the people themselves and it gives us a bad idea of the culture. Mortensen basically describes how we foresee this country altogether.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I have always thought of Pakistan as a really dangerous place and it has scared me to even want to go there. After reading what Greg said and how he is more likely to die on the road because of an accident, it really made me think. Why is it that we have this mindset as Americans that these people are bad? well I think it is just maily because of the war and how we discriminate against those people because some terrorist come from over there. I beleive that my apprehensions have always been fears of getting killed while being over there, but my mind is starting to change about this country.
ReplyDeleteI would believe Mortenson that in some parts of Pakistan he probably does not feel in danger. However, I think in most of the Middle East and most poor countries all over the world there are parts that are more dangerous than others. Most of the time those parts are the city, where there is more crime and more people. If I were to visit Pakistan I would probably spend most of my time away from large cities. I would imagine that is where most of the danger lies. I think Greg also has less fear because he travels very frequently. Once you experience other cultures around the world you are more likely to come into a situation with an open mind rather than a biased opinion.
ReplyDeleteI believe Mortensen to some extent because not everyone there is a radical Islamist that believes that all Americans are evil. However because we are so ignorant of other customs and faiths, we would probably misstep more then Mortensen did, there would be some crucial error that changes the average Pakistani's point of view. You can see this when the store keeper is frustrated with Mortensen when he thinks its a simple mistake.
ReplyDeleteHaving never been anywhere in the middle east, I do not know how life is over there, so I am a bit skeptical of this information, but also I do believe him. All over the news, information is given reporting how violent some middle eastern countries are which make me wonder how he can feel that way. However, it is difficult to comprehend how a country filled with very religious people praying five times a day could have a reputation for being so violent.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know if i agree or disagree with Greg because i can see why he would say he would die on the road rather than by a bomb but we as Americans and the rest of the world hear about all the suicide bombs that happen in Pakistan and surrounding countries that it makes that really hard to believe. When I watch a show or a movie that takes place in a third world country or a very busy city without technology, I can see where Mortenson is coming from. I doubt many of those drivers know how to drive and they pack their cars like sardines. I don't know if i would visit Pakistan ever. It just seems way too dangerous and i do listen to the news and i hear how many bombers there are and there are a lot of revolts going on so i dont think i would ever go to Pakistan or anywhere in the middle east.
ReplyDeleteI think we can believe what Greg Mortensen is saying because from the way he has described his trip he really has not encountered many dangerous situations. It seems to me that if you try and be accepting of their religion and their culture than they have no reason to be upset or act in violence. An apprehension I would have about visiting Pakistan is, like in many foreign countries, if a vendor or someone can tell from your appearance your American it is easy for them to try and take advantage of you because they assume you have lots of money. This is seen in Three Cups of Tea every time Greg wants to purchase something he first converses with Abdul to understand if he is being given as fair price on something or if someone is trying to rip him off.
ReplyDeleteI believe Mortensen, we as Americans tend to look at things outside our culture as extreme, so for us to be told that its more likely that we would die of a traffic accident then a bullet is eye opening. It proves that other cultures are just like us in the fact that dieing is an everyday occurance that can happen over an armed robbery or of a traffic accident.
ReplyDeleteNever having visited an area in the middle of a war, I would definitly have some fears over visiting Pakistan, such as in todays world Americans are not looked upon as 'good' people so the bias of everyone and how they would react would scare me.
When he says that he will die because of a car accident I think he means that he is only there to do good and help and since he will be in the school at all times he will be staying out of trouble. We also judge right away and see Pakistanian's like very dangerous people but they are just like us and not all terrorists. Greg was surrounded by them and could see how they really are and he feels safe.
ReplyDeleteEventhough I would like to visit Pakistan to learn more about the culture and see the differences in thier country versus ours, I would have several fears. One of them would be how controlling their government is and how violent they always are. Granted not everyone who lives there is like this, but the majority of the population is like this. Also, women over there do not have the same freedoms as men do, therefore it would be scary going from a completley free country to one with little freedoms for being a woman. I somewhat agree with Mortenson.
ReplyDeleteI believe him. I think the vast majority of the people in the middle east are not violent. I dont have apprehensions beyond basic concerns about visiting a country with different customs who speak different languages.
ReplyDeleteHere in America, we has our views of the Middle East as bad people, terrorists, and scary people. After 9/11, our views were affected negatively toward them. We hear bad things coming from there so we look at badly. Can you blame us? It's a stereotype of the coutries and the people who live there that they are suicide bombers or torturers. Though we have bad thoughts of them, I think we should give the Middle East a chance. Although they do have bad thoughts around them, not everyone there is bad. There are people there who are not out to get us but are just another number in the world population who happens to live there. I feel that we should view the people there as humans and not just terrorists.
ReplyDeleteI believe Greg when he says this. Considering the Geography of Pakistan it is easy to see difficulties in infrastructure. The terrain is extremely mountainous and steep making roads very skinny on turnpikes and rock/snow slides are always a major concern. When things like this are every day life, its easy to see why no one would be concerned with bullets or bombs.
ReplyDeleteHere in America we do believe that right when we walk into Pakistan there will be bombs and we will constantly have to be in bomb shelters. That is definitly not true. Yes there are people with guns and bombs but they're not constantly blowing up their own country. My boyfriend lives in an islamic coutry in Northern Africa called Tunisia. And a lot of people believe that because it is a middle eastern country it is full of terroists. That is not true. These people are people. Just like you and me. They may have less or more money. They may live with different morals. But they are people. And with Mortensen's quote I agree that they don't have the money to fix the roads and so they are very dangerous and those are things we should be fixated on, not everyone being terroists. If anything we have more terroists as Americans then Muslims.
ReplyDeleteI have every reason to believe Greg in his statement, I have never been to Pakistan and can honestly say I don't know much about it. It may be a wonderful country, or it may not be. Somebody with much experience in the country though, such as Greg Mortenson would be a credible source of information about what to expect when visiting Pakistan. There is a lot of negative attention around the middle east that we here about every day in the U.S. media, but that is media for you. They tend to focus on a tiny percent of a topic, typically the most dramatic part of the topic. Since that is all I ever see tha is all I ever learn about countries in that area, but I bet if I actually visited there I would find that I have a different perspective about the country than the media portrays.
ReplyDeleteI think that to some extent this is true. This particular scene was set before 9/11, so the terrorist violence towards Americans that is so common today hadn't really been sparked. The area of Pakistan that Greg was in is also not an area that you would expect to find such violence, because of it's isolation.
ReplyDeleteIf I were ever to visit Pakistan, I would probably share the same fears as Greg.
I believe what Greg says. Although he might not be where any fighting is occurring and also he is with a lot of the native Pakistanis so someone bombing him or shooting at him is less likely. The Middle East is perceived as a dangerous and scary place. As Americans, we believe that the Middle East is filled with terrorists who want Americans dead. Although that is true, it isn't true to the extent that we think. There are groups in the Middle East that do want us dead but that might not be the highest likely way we would die if we were to go there. We only hear about the bombs and bullets on the news. We don't however hear about the other ways people have died so that is why we might not agree with Greg's quote.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in what Mortensen says because most stereotypes are not true.For example, people from foreign countries think that all Americans are fat,dumb, inbred hicks. Living in America,we know that this is not true. If I were to go to Pakistan, I would be more worried about the living conditions than having a run in with people carrying guns.
ReplyDeleteI would definetly agree with Mortenson, but I don't neccesarily think that the concept of dangerous roads is completely unheard of in third world countries. It also seems to make sense that more people would die on the passes than by bullets or bombs because even though the middle-east is often characterized by these types of terrorism, the United states never hears about traffic accidents in Pakistan, just like Pakistan never hears about traffic accidents in the United states.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I would agree with Mortenson, or if I "believe" him. I'm not familiar enough with Pakistan to know what dangers he faces in the regions he is traveling in. I feel like our somewhat stereotypical notions of the Middle East, most obviously those regarding terrorists and violence between different peoples, are still viable and hold true. At the same time, though, he may be in a part of the country where violence (be it bases in race, ethnicity, religion, or anything else) is minimal compared to elsewhere in the country; the part of Pakistan we see on the news may not be the part he is traveling in (and this is likely the case, since he is heading to a high mountain village). What's more, he does not seem to be dangerously close to the border with India, which I do know is a key area for violence in this region. For his situation, his location, and his circumstances, this car ride very well may pose far more of a threat to him than any terrorist or other violent people would.
ReplyDeleteI do believe Greg Mortenson. I think that people can't talk about a place they have never been in their lives. I think out of everyone, I would believe what he has to say about the country because he is one of the only Americans to look at the country in a positive light. Everything is going to be bad if you think it is. I dont really have any reservations about visting pakistan or any of the other middle eastern countries. I think it would be an amazing experience and I would love to go there and visit because these countries have so much culture and so much beauty. I also think that it depends on where you are in the country. I dont think there are a lot of bombs going off in the rual areas where Greg was spending most of his time, I think that is probably in more of the populated city areas... thats where you see the tanks roaming around on youtube videos and such. I think about the only reservation I have about leaving Pakistan is being able to get a visa to go there. Other than that, I think it would be a wonderful experience, and from the way Greg describes the landscape on his hike of K2 and on his journey up to the village, I think it sounds like such a beautiful, amazing place and I would absolutly love to go climbing there. I think that would be so awesome and I hope someday in my life I am able to do that.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in Greg because I think that he's not out there to spread a bad word or make their country look worse but to help them, there is really no reason to lie. They are also a little village with pretty much nothing they aren't looking for war because they want more land or are looking to get more goods. These people appreciate the everyday life they have and just have to survive. Than Greg pointed that out because they are on a side of a mountain that they are probably gonna die from falling off while driving more than anything else because these people don't persuade war. This village is also not to modern with nice roads and nice materials I'm sure they don't have a military with guns anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI would believe Greg Mortenson about that, because we can't as Americans, stereotype that something will happen in a certain place. We can't all think that if we go to Pakistan(Or any where else) we will be shot, and nothing else besides that can happen. The Middle East shouldn't be renown for that, I don't think you can judge a place based on stereotypes until you've visited it. Anything in the world can kill you it, stereotyping to keep from getting shot will just lesser your defenses about everything else. Not to strike paranoia into people, but Greg Mortenson does have a point that he is fearful of traffic because he isn't use to traffic like that.
ReplyDeleteWe here rumors about how the middle east is all corrupt and how there are terrorists attacks everyday but, this is probably not 100% true. Yes there are these things that happen, but the people have lived through it so they know how to live through it. So i do belive with greg because he has been there and seen their life style and not just rumors that are talked about halfway across the world. If i were to visit there i would have apprehensions because of the rumors but that isnt bad. It just makes people more cautious.
ReplyDeleteI believe Greg because I think because of our American way of thinking we just think everyone dies over in the middle east by bombs and bullets and no one is safe and everyone is in danger of dying. We stereotype them but none of us actually know what it's like to be over there, Greg Mortenson does. If I visited Pakistan, I would try to not have that stereotype of the people and the country but I have to admit that it would be hard. We, as Americans, get all these crazy ideas that everyone in Pakistan/Middle East hates Americans and wants us all to die. I'm sure there are people like that there but then again, there are people in America who don't like certain countries and wish bad things upon them to. It's just the perspective that we have on certian things.
ReplyDeleteI believe hes right i dont think he would get killed out in pakistan because of a bullet or a bomb. The reason why i say this is because he is not involved with the people who do that to eachother. So They wont have a reason to kill him. But How the traffic is like is dangerous so that could most likely kill him. There is a small percentage that he might get hit with a bullet or get bombed but its less likely. If he was involved with people who want to kill eachother than he could get killed. Its like a bee leave the bee alone and it wont sting you.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is probably more threat in driving and completing other daily activities in Pakistan just like there is anywhere else in the world. The only news we here from that part of the world is about death or some other sort of violence that has occurred because that is what makes the news. If I were to travel to the Middle East I would definitely be apprehensive of being involved in a violent conflict, but I would be more worried about being able to acclimate to the culture, water, and food since the bacteria they take in daily are far different them that of the U.S. and often causes illness to foreigners.
ReplyDeleteI believe Greg's statement to be true. I think that when we think of middle eastern countries the first thing we think about is war and fighting, but we are ignorant to the fact that there are so many other problems there that can cause death. We think of driving and eating as simple pleasures and take them for granted, but in other countries these two simple things can be fatal.
ReplyDeleteI believe this quote because I think in those poorer countries they are finally receiving our everyday necessities and, as they add cars to their country and the people see they can obtain one easier, they probably aren't thinking about the cautions to take on keeping roads up for safety and regulating the space needed to handle the new coming traffic. Their knowledge on these cars isn’t what it should be as they enter this new age of technology. From the time of when Greg was there and said this, I think they have advanced and roads may have gotten better, and they may have even found a sense of safety on the road and fixing roads to be safe, although traveling there would still have to be a cautious and watchful trip.
ReplyDeleteSure everyone has preconceived notions about middle eastern countries, but everyones preconceived notions are different. From my perspective this quote does not blow my ideas out of the water whatsoever. I haven't been to Pakistan, I don't know what it's like. I completely believe Greg Mortensen, I do know how deadly some of the roads are in such jagged mountainous regions. I wouldn't have any apprehensions about visiting Pakistan, I'm not afraid to travel.
ReplyDeleteMost of what naive Americans think of the middle east is what we see on the news. We think that everywhere you go there will be something bombed or some man killing himself and others in the name of Allah, but that is not the reality that Greg has portrayed in this book, and especially in this quote. Sure, the middle east is in a time of termoil, but isn't the whole world? These people are so passionate about their religion and their relationship with Allah that they would do anything for it. I definatly would want to visit Pakistan, based on what Greg has described in 3COT. It sounds as if the people and their spirtual relationship with Allah, make the world go round here, and not material matter like most of the world.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a very true statement right now because so far the only danger that has put his life at risk is riding on this bus. The middle east really isn't that bad of a place it is just our conception of how it is and who all live there, not everyone is a terrorist or a radical out to get someone. Traveling to Pakistan would be interesting because you don't really know what to expect and if someone is going to come after you. It might be a little sketchy at first because walking around seeing people holding AK-47, but that's just cause we aren't used to that kind of society. You would still have to be very careful if you were to visit Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteI believe the author, because the media does a poor job in broadcasting the good in a country that has a vast amount of poverty in it, and this results in the obscure perceptions of its viewers. The saying "Do not judge a book by it's cover" goes the same for countries you have not visited and only base your opinions of them by the opinions and perceptions of other people. And having lived in America for just over a year and a half the criticism I've heard of Africa from various people are all contorted, so I can understand where the Author is coming from.
ReplyDeleteTiffany Witchard
I think that this statement is true. I think that a lot of people have preconceived notions of the Middle East; however, not everyone there is violent. It's not like there is war going on everywhere in the country either. Just like anywhere else there are other dangers besides guns.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to visit Pakistan I would be a little nervous to visit the country because I've never been to a country that is at war. I think I would be more nervous that I would do something to accidently offend the people like Mortenson did with his shalwar and azarband.
I do somewhat believe Greg. Anywhere you go though, accidents may occur and like someone said way above, that Greg is not looking for the war, he is simply on a quest to build. So he is on the road all the time so it will seem like the roads are really dangerous. On the news in the morning I always hear of accidents. But that does not mean the roads are the most dangerous place to be.
ReplyDeleteMy Apprehensions are, most Middle Eastern countries do not like Americans. I do not think I will ever visit a Middle Eastern country. It is dangerous and who knows what could happen.
I believe what Greg has to say; we as Americans only fear the Middle East because we have been told how horrible they are and have seen what they have done to our country on 9/11 but what we don't realize is not all of the Middle East is full of bad people. It's almost as if America has a huge ego and believes everyone is out to get them, it's time to become less self centered and start to better understand some countries. The way Greg described his truck ride it would seem he’d more likely to die from an accident, I see this as him also explaining how he has not witnessed any dangerous situations in Pakistan that he has felt his life in danger. Pakistan may be a very different than what we have perceived it to be, we only hear the bad news that’s taking place; so when a car bomb happens that’s all we hear about therefore that is all we know about this country. We seem to think it’s full of violence but how would we know if it is or isn’t when our news makes it seem that way.
ReplyDeleteWell, the conceived beliefs of many Americans is that the middle east is full of terrorists with bombs strapped to them running around and blowing themselves up. Or that as a whole the middle east is a bunch of Muslims carrying AK-47's waiting to shoot the white man. To a point I agree with Greg. Not all Muslims tote around an automatic rifle. Not all residents of middle eastern countries hate Americans. One of the true dangers over there is actually traffic and road conditions. Its not like the governments over there are concerned with the road conditions around the countries let alone the roads in the mountainous regions. From my current knowledge of Pakistan, the war problems aren't as rampant throughout as it is in Afghanistan for instance. If I was to travel to Afghanistan for some reason, I would be fearful about catching a stray bullet. In Pakistan though, falling off of a cliff would be my fear because it would hurt.
ReplyDeleteIm not sure what pre-concived ideas others have about the hymalayen landscape, but is seems to become more and more evident that there is a lot of hustle and bustle in India which is just across the way from where Greg is. Also Greg is there at a bit of a different time period and there has been a lot of different things going on now in the east than when he traveled there. He also describes the mortar shells that fly over the glacers she he is not without the sounds of bombs and bullits that we are unfammilar to. On antoher note i do belive greg. So far he hasent seemed to be in any bad situations like i have read in kite runner. So it seems easy to belive that people want to get wheere they are going as fast as they can, and they dont really care who is in there way. Maybe what they are doing is more important than any one or anything else?
ReplyDeleteI fully buy into Mortenson's statement. The culture there may foster extremism, but extremists, by definition, are rare, rendering extreme action even rarer. Plus, it doesn't take much imagination to see what he means about the roads. I think the most dire things to remain wary of during your stay in such a nation are the entrenched powers who work the system and systemic flaws themselves, namely corrupt government officials and poor sanitation. These two can most notably affect your condition and health, and are not the outlier extremists who are boogeymen in our nation and Quixotic back home.
ReplyDeleteI do believe Greg Mortensen because his quote is the epitome of stereotyping. Our preconceived notions about the middle east are just the same as our stereotypes of people who wear turbans at the airport. Our society is so sheltered to specific news that we don't see the rarity of a situation. Not all of Pakistan is bad, and even the parts that are aren't necessarily a death trap. But I am being slightly hypocritical when I say this, because I know that that would be my biggest worry when traveling to the middle east. I wouldn't visit Pakistan willingly, because I don't have the same draw towards it as I do to a country like Italy or Spain; I think the reason is because of my preconceived notion. His point is valid and I agree with it, but at the same time, I'm sheltered enough to be afraid of a bomb going off in a foreign country instead of being afraid of something that could occur anywhere, like a car accident.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe Greg Mortenson. We as Americans have our own ideas of what Pakistan is "supposed" to be like due to the media and what not. But the problem with our country is that the news only reports the bad. Why would we want to hear the good news when there are so many bad things going on in the world. In what I've seen in the book, it's just as possible to die here in our own hometown as it is to die in Pakistan, where the danger is supposed to be so high. I think we just are too stubborn to change our minds. People give their opinions about the country without even looking into it or finding out the information that people "think" they know. In a way, it's ignorance because we don't take the time to learn about them, we just assume that everyone from the middle east is bad because of what we have heard our entire lives.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be incredible to visit Pakistan. The only thing I would be nervous about is not knowing how to follow their customs very well. Their culture is very intriguing to me and I would love to see it firsthand. Reading Three Cups of Tea has really changed my perspective of Pakistan and has given me a desire to visit there.
I agree with Greg to a point. There is a very small portion of the population that is dangerous and obviously not everyone is a terrorist, however there are still major problems there caused by the very few who are terrorists. The streets themselves are dangerous, yes, but there still is a chance that you could get hit by a stray bullet or there could be a roadside bomb even. The chances may be slim, but Pakistan is still wrapped up in the middle of all the unrest and a lot of innocent people are put at risk there whether it is from a bomb, bullet or just a car accident. He is trying to stand up for Pakistan, which is a good thing, but its not about the majority of the people who are innocent, good people, its about the few who are dangerous and intend to kill innocent people. They pose a big threat and that is what everyone sees as dangerous in Pakistan, not that they think everyone in Pakistan is bad.
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