The detailed account by Said defines orientalism as India and the Biblical lands of the Middle East. The term, “Oriental”, was used to describe the Middle East and it’s near and far surroundings. Said shows the point of view that the West held about the East, including the political, historical, and cultural views. The Orient is eastern thinking while European is western thinking, although these are just constructs of history. The root of these views stems from the colonial period where Britain and Europe governed the Middle East. It was shown by Said that the Westerners used the Orient for mere studying purposes because of their feelings of superiority. Said had a fascinating perspective on several virtues that were used as excuses in countless imperial endeavors over the 19th century. His ideas that several of these virtues can be used as an oppressive force when certain cultures are stripped of their respective virtues.  The effect that the “unstoppable European force” created was a Nationalist sentiment. That European force wanted their country to be the richest and best, and the European empires wanted to conquer not just land, but, the most prestigious geographical feats, like the Third Pole. The idea of nationalism has shifted after the prominent non-oriental country, Great Britain and France, shifted to a capitalistic country.

Said mentions very early on the concept of moralized conquering by the Europeans. The Europeans used virtues as excuses, such as autonomy. The Orientals were stripped of their tools, in order to have autonomy in their societies, which allowed for empires to claim a lack of sovereignty. In other words, European nations, such as the British Empire, claimed that the oriental people has no concept of humanity, and therefore, it is up to us (the British) to teach them what humility is. Said disputed the claim that the Orientals were inferior to Europeans, thus, almost needing to be conquered and ruled. This claim that the oriental did not have the capability to run their own life, let alone running an economy, led the Oriental people to be colonized by the Europeans. Said alludes to the idea that the Europeans did not understand understand the Muslims or the Orientals and therefore, were afraid. This conceptualizing of the idea of inverse virtue, in order to allow for the country to grow prosperously while the Europeans all think they are acting as a civilizing force for the betterment and enlightenment of their fellow man. This is contrary to reality, where the Europeans were acting against their oriental counterpart.

These fears that the Europeans had, which forced them to go against the Oriental people, remained constant until a certain level of understanding came about. In World War II, the ideas behind sovereignty were altered when the Empires of Europe laid in disarray and ruin. The U.S. filled the gap that was left by France and British circum nationalistic ideas.

Mountaineering shows this shift perfectly. In the first half the 20th century, mountaineering expedition were largely nationally funded by governments and led by governmental appointments. Currently, funding is largely privatized and expedition are led by commercial outfitters. The dynamic has shifted from a nationalized world, common during the age of European Empires, to capitalism approaches aligned with the dominant world power being the US.

The oriental is first defined by the aspect of not being Christian. In order for the orientals to be corrected, then they need to be exposed to the correct ideas of virtue in a European society. This would allow them to finally gain their right to sovereignty. Mountaineering is affected greatly by the transportation of these events, whether it is Younghusband exploring the Himalaya to see how far the Russians have come down, to the British who continue their dismantling of the oriental, or the fact that Everest was first mapped and climbed by the British because of their conquest of the Indus subcontinent, and beyond.