(no subject)

Thought-provoking quote from RTD in an interview earlier this year:

You’ve come in for some criticism for shooting in Dubai.
'From some blogs, yeah. I knew what we were doing. I didn’t personally choose the location, but I’m not ducking out of it now, I am the exec producer. But of course we filmed there. What are we suggesting, that we isolate the whole Arab world? Or the whole Islamic world? Do we cut them off? Do they cut us off? It’s not the way anyone engages with the modern world at all, I wouldn’t do that on a personal level or a professional level. Underneath it all is a subtle form of racism at work there that says white westerners are encouraged to love ethnic races, unless they’re rich. All these countries are running out of oil, so they have to build these giant hotels, because all they can do is engage with the West. After that the laws will change and the culture will change and we will assimilate with them as well. It’s a big cultural process and nothing is ever gained by saying: "We’re not going there." Would you refuse to go into a room with an Arab? Where does that get people? I’m not saying we Westernise them, it’ll go the other way and happen in ways we don’t like personally as well. If you isolate them then you end up with Zimbabwe or with what’s happening in Senegal.'

Now this may be a bit of a rationalisation, and there's a case to be made that nations with a dodgy human rights record, including persecution of gays, ought not to have our business - especially government business. (In which case we'd better do something about all these cars.) But those things said, I see that urge to ostracise everywhere, from trivial squabbles online to boycotts of international conferences. I think it's often a mistake, as simple, righteous solutions to complicated problems frequently are. Dialogue's difficult and frustrating. Having to change our opinions, or make compromises, is humiliating. Much simpler to just say, "Hmph, I'm not talking to you."