“The exotic is not the other, but the power of dreaming of the other.”
What this quote means
This quote by Victor Segalen redefines exoticism not as a simple fascination with the elsewhere or the other, but as an inner capacity to imagine, to dream the other. It invites us to go beyond clichés and stereotypes to embrace the richness of alterity. In a globalized world, it reminds us that the true encounter with the other begins with an openness of mind and a creativity in our way of perceiving what is foreign to us.
How to apply it daily
At your next encounter with a different culture, take a moment to imagine the other's life, their joys and sorrows, before passing judgment.
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