Amor Quote by Aldous Huxley
““… about sixty thousand Indians and half-breeds… absolute savages… our inspectors occasionally visit… otherwise, no communication whatever with the civilized world… still preserve their repulsive habits and customs… marriage, if you know what that is, my dear young lady; families… no conditioning… monstrous superstitions… Christianity and totemism and ancestor worship… extinct languages, such as Zuñi and Spanish and Athapascan… pumas, porcupines and other ferocious animals… infectious diseases… priests… venomous lizards…" / —... Unos sesenta mil indios y mestizos..., absolutamente salvajes... Nuestros inspectores los visitan de vez en cuando... aparte de esto, ninguna comunicación con el mundo civilizado... conservan todavía sus repugnantes hábitos y costumbres... matrimonio, suponiendo que ustedes sepan a qué me refiero; familias... nada de condicionamiento... monstruosas supersticiones... Cristianismo, totemismos y adoración de los antepasados... lenguas muertas, como el zuñí, el español y el atabascano... pumas, puerco—espines y otros animales feroces... enfermedades infecciosas... sacerdotes... lagartos venenosos...””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Passage to India, E.M. Forster, 1924
The passage portrays colonial officials viewing indigenous peoples as uncivilized, emphasizing cultural misunderstanding and dehumanization.
In simple terms: Colonial view of natives as savage and strange.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge stereotypes.
Themes
colonialism
culture clash
stereotypes
misunderstanding
anthropology
Mood
critical
reflective
somber
Type
historical
anthropological
critical
When to use this quote
- anthropological study
- colonial administration
- missionary work
- education reform
- public health initiatives
Key Concepts
ethnocentrism
othering
imperialism
cultural relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do our own cultural lenses shape our judgments?
- What responsibilities do observers have when describing others?
A Different Perspective
The description reflects the bias of the observer, not the reality of the peoples described.
