Perceptions-Emma Daitz Post 1

In both this class and my other core class, we are talking about the idea of perceptions and how they play a role in the world, at large. As Americans and possibly Westerners in general, I think that we take for granted the idea of a middle ground in a place like the Middle East. What I mean by this is the idea that everyone is either an extremist or a non-extremist. One example of this can be seen in the perceptions some people have that all Muslims or all Arabs are terrorists. These assumptions are what create problems when we try to work with other countries. It is interesting to figure out why we have these perceptions and assumptions. Perhaps it is because the only time most people hear anything about the Middle East, is when something bad happens. It is up to each individual person to seek out the knowledge about that area of the world and understand that there are people in the “middle”.