Mandingoism

Today I'd like to coin a new term "Mandingoism". I created this term fairly recently after re-reading some material for middle eastern studies. This term is an extension of Edward Said's term Orientalism. Orientalism defined at its simplest is described as, "Western knowledge about the East is not generated from facts, but through imagined constructs that see all "Eastern" societies as fundamentally similar, all sharing crucial characteristics unlike those of "Western" societies, thus, this ‘a priori’ knowledge established the East as antithetical to the West. Such Eastern knowledge is constructed with literary texts and historical records that often are of limited understanding of the facts of life in the Middle East.[5]". Essentially most knowledge generated about the Middle East is based on preconceived notions and preoccupied with exaggerating the East's "otherness" and differences from the west.

Mandingoism is Orientalisms first cousin. Mandingoism shall be defined as American fascination with Africa and its differences from the Anglo-American world. It shall further be stated that most of the Anglo-American world's interaction,and ideas of Africa and Africans (particularly the men) are based on antiquated studies (eugenics,the likes of Dr. Blumenbach, and various anthropologists studies) and stereotypes that originated as early as the 17th century. Some of them are that Africans are immoral, overly sexual, uncivilized, poor, cannibals, and of course have a big...stick

Hi, I'm Satya and i'm an Mandingoist (one who unknowingly follows or studies Mandingoism). I don't mean it in the sense that I think all Africans live in huts, are going to eat me, or are going to hall me off to their village and have me circumcised. But in the sense that I am extremely fascinated with the "otherness" and do see African men as exotic. I guess you could say I find myself wondering if some of the sexual stereotypes are true. Why do I wonder, hell if I know... wait it could have something to do with all the B-S I was continuously told in secondary school and things I have seen in various movies.

I'm currently seeing an African guy and hot dam I'm so attracted to him. I find his accent quite appealing, i'm very attracted to his height, and I know it sounds crazy but something about him seems exotic and mysterious to me. Is he really exotic and mysterious or am I just creating this in my mind b\c of the crap I've learned and heard? The latter is probablly true. This whole thought process is uncool to me. I spend a great deal of time in academia trying to debunk Orientalism and here I am being a Mandingoist. What's up with that? I'm trying my best not to let my Mandingosit thoughts affect our interactions. They usually don't, but every now and then when we're out a Mandingoist thought or behavior enters my mind.

Have you ever thought of someone as exotic and been fascinated by their "otherness"? Have you ever received attention b\c you were deemed different\exotic\other? How'd it make you feel?