In “The Grocer and the Chief,” Lerner assumes that development and modernity in Balgat are dependent on the abandonment of certain traditional Turkish values. Referencing how the village used to be, Lerner mentions, “To reveal a desire for money is —Allah defend us!—an impiety.” It seems that, according to Lerner, when villagers start to care about money—when they buy bus tickets, clothing, food, etc.— is when progress occurs. Additionally, Lerner remarks, “Obviously, this was to be on the house, following the paradoxical Turksih custom of giving gratis to those who can best afford to pay.”  Here, Lerner appears to be making fun of Turkish tradition, assuming that with modernity comes the acceptance of inherently Western values. Lerner fails to consider that even though their society has changed, villagers in Balgat may still place higher importance on tradition and showing respect than the Western value of doing anything you can to make a buck.

Similarly, Lerner shares that demand for “modern” clothing increased as “more and more men went into the labor market of Ankara, first discarding their shalvars (the billowing bloomers of traditional garb in which Western cartoon always still portray the (sultan in a harem scene).” Again, Lerner tastelessly associates modernity and development with the abandonment of tradition, assuming that the villagers would rather wear U.S. Army surplus-style clothes rather than their traditional shalvars now that they are “modern.”  While Lerner does present a clear and interesting depiction of how the village has changed in just a few years, I think his tendency to make fun of everything that doesn’t align with Western culture undermines any meaningful claims he may have made about the reasons behind “advancement” in Balgat.