"I will admit there were details which annoyed me. The ease with which they parted with money, for example, thinking nothing of the occasional - but not altogether infrequent - meal costing perhaps fifty dollars a head. Or their self-righteousness in dealing with those whom they had paid for a service. "But you told us, " they would say to Greeks twice their age, before insisting things be done their way. I, with my finite and depleting reserve of cash and my traditional sense of deference to one's seniors, found myself wondering by what quirk of human history my companions - many of whom I would have regarded as upstarts in my own country, so devoid of refinement were they - were in a position to conduct themselves in the world as though they were its ruling class."
The Reluctant Fundamentalist - by Mohsin Hamid (shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2007)
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
"I will admit there were details which annoyed me. The ease with which they parted with money, for example, thinking nothing of the occasional - but not altogether infrequent - meal costing perhaps fifty dollars a head. Or their self-righteousness in dealing with those whom they had paid for a service. "But you told us, " they would say to Greeks twice their age, before insisting things be done their way. I, with my finite and depleting reserve of cash and my traditional sense of deference to one's seniors, found myself wondering by what quirk of human history my companions - many of whom I would have regarded as upstarts in my own country, so devoid of refinement were they - were in a position to conduct themselves in the world as though they were its ruling class."
The Reluctant Fundamentalist - by Mohsin Hamid (shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2007)
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1 comment:
Michal, you have a gift of being able to strip away the bias we sometimes carry in favour of our own comfort and familiar social and spiritual environments. If you remove the reference to islam, this article would so fit into a setting where a committed Christian is trying to live out his faith in the face of pressures from those not quite as ardent about their faith walks. To see the commonality of experiences in other religions, is truly a wonderful way to embrace all men no matter what their backgrounds, and gives them the dignity and value that is their rightful God given heritage. Thanks for lighting your candle, and ours.
George
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