One of the upsides of tourism is that people begin to take themselves a little more seriously (and think their) culture is worth something. So rather than disparaging the local culture, they vitalize it.
Paul TherouxNotice how many of the Olympic athletes effusively thanked their mothers for their success? โShe drove me to my practice at four in the morning,โ etc. Writing is not figure skating or skiing. Your mother will not make you a writer. My advice to any young person who wants to write is: leave home.
Paul TherouxYou can't save the rhinos and you can't preserve a culture. I'm very pessimistic. Once it's gone, it's over.
Paul TherouxIn a way, Che Guevara's fate was far worse than Simon Bolivar's. Guevara's collapse was complete: his intentions were forgotten, but his style was taken up by boutique owners (one of the fanciest clothes stores in London is called Che Guevara). There is no faster way of destroying a man or mocking his ideas than making him fashionable. That Che succeeded in influencing dress-designers was part of his tragedy.
Paul Theroux