The Beats were 'Orientalists' whereas the Hungries were not 'Occidentalists'
The Beats were, what Edward Said called 'Orientalists'. This may be proved from the photographs of the paupers, lepers, half naked sadhus, lame men in Allen Ginsberg's 'India Journals'. Allen Ginsberg was interested in such photographs only which he sold to Western readers through his book. He met all sorts of Hindu sadhus in India and ultimately adopted Buddhism, changing the sect twice. Same is the case with other Beats who got interested in Buddhism. One may wonder how come there were always photographers and reporters to display Allen Ginsberg's 'Orientalism' to the Western Press. When the reporters arrived at his Benares room he took them for photo opportunities. His Blake vision disappeared thereafter. The Hungries, almost all of them, though born in orthodox Hindu families, turned out to be atheists. ...
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