Category talk:Oriental woo

I'm kinda bothered by this term. "oriental" is derogatory, and even per Wiki, "orient" is so broad, and has changed so often in who it refers to... "east Asian?" would that be better? or is the term intentionally snarky, "old fashioned" and colonial. --GodotSome would use a tautology to describe it ("The way things are done around here is the wa 17:11, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

I would love to see it as "Orientalist woo," which I think gets closer to what's going on with these things--people in the West giving things from Asia particular meanings tied to a sense of "spirituality" and "nature" just because they're from that part of the world. PintOfStout Talk Good people drink good beer. 17:14, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

See my comments here. I don't mind the name being changed if people think it's inappropriate. But I think these things belong together in a category not just because of their geographical origins but because of their faddish popularity (especially in hippy/New Age circles) in the western world, which I think is part of a romanticised & exoticised view of far East. ΨΣΔξΣΓΩΙÐ^{Methinks it is a Weasel} 17:32, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

"...which I think is part of a romanticised & exoticised view of far East." Which is exactly why "Orientalist" is a better name, IMHO. PintOfStout Talk Good people drink good beer. 17:39, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Didn't know it was thought derogatory. Perhaps when referring to a person as an oriental, yes, but it just means eastern dunnit? Scream!! (talk) 17:41, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

The "O-Word"

Political correctness is a form of woo. "Oriental" just means Eastern. Persian rugs are often called Oriental rugs, even though Iran/Persia is in the Middle East, rather than the Far East. Even Turkey was seen as "Oriental," hence the railroad called the Orient Express. I don't get why so many Asians are bothered by the word; it's not like gook, chink, or jap. (Flame me, I'm White.) 74.89.212.27 (talk) 04:31, 28 December 2011 (UTC)