Since there were so many suggestions, let's have several blog options:
Fatima Al Zahraa proposed we discuss the following: "I believe that it would be interesting if we discussed the steps that Arabs need to do in order to avoid imitating the Western culture and
start creating a civilization of their own. Also, we can stress on how the Emirate rulers could've focused on making Dubai an oustanding city that represents the Arabs instead of just building copies of other worldwide cultures."
start creating a civilization of their own. Also, we can stress on how the Emirate rulers could've focused on making Dubai an oustanding city that represents the Arabs instead of just building copies of other worldwide cultures."
Rather than the steps, maybe we could discuss how much we imitate the Western culture and how our leaders don't do much to encourage other behaviors.
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The Arab culture is fading away; in fact if you ask a youngster from the new generation of what an Arab culture means to them, they will probably give you an inaccurate answer. This is because nowadays the Western culture is dominating the Arab world. We look at the western world as a solution to our problems instead of developing our own culture. The leaders of the Arab world themselves are influenced greatly by the Western world. I personally think that we need leaders who care enough about their culture and want to cherish it.
ReplyDeleteGlobalization is considered a major controversial issue nowadays, and the Arab world has been affected strongly with it. The Western culture can be observed strongly in the Arab society nowadays. We eat their food, wear the clothes they sew, build the houses they invented, and think they way they do. Imitating the Western life has become so prevalent in our society in a way that we are becoming to lose our identity. I believe that we should take serious measures to reduce this revolution because it has many negative effects on ourselves. Once the identity is lost, not much is left.
ReplyDeleteI am (and proud to be) 100% Lebanese but I grew up in the United States. My mother decided to move us to Lebanon about 3 years ago because she was scared that her daughter wouldn't "know and live the Arab culture." To much of my mother' s surprise, this is not what happened once we moved back to Beirut. We both just felt like we were living in a distorted, chaotic version of America. While attending a school based on the American System, I made several friends. These friends were nice to have but honestly frustrated me. They all showed this desperation to be considered "American." I would hear people bragging about owning an American Passport or spending a month there and everyone thinking it was so cool. They only owned American Brands (even if that means having to import them) and they dislike associating themselves with the Arab society. The young generation prefers Western food, movies, clothes, and humour over that of their own culture. Although I know for fact that Lebanon has so much beauty and a very rich history and culture to offer.
ReplyDeleteTo most of the teenagers living in Arab Countries, all they know of American/European culture and lifestyle is what they see on tv and in magazines. They mimic these forms of Media but to a much exaggerated sense. I personally have encountered both good and bad things and people while growing up in the states but I feel like all the students in this generations do is take the "bad" and exaggerate it. They do not know that Americans are not really what the television shows hypnotize you with. And it is a shame that this is happening because I had to face MANY many stereotypes and criticisms while first adapting to this country that I wish to call my home. I was expecting living in a place so different.
All my life, my mother would take to me about "the good ol' days" growing up in Beirut and we would practice all the Lebanese traditions and cultures in our home in Vegas. I was quite disappointment to later find out that practicing old traditions and actually being proud to be Lebanese is something quite rare in this generation.
Another thing that's quite sad is that nobody is trying to stop this extinction of Arab Culture. Instead, it seems like all leaders and celebrities only encourage it. As if they're trying to kill the last bit of individuality we had.
One thing is for sure, the Arab World is being highly influenced by the Western Media and is resulting in the slow atrophy of our rich, beautiful, and unique culture.
Wow, someone that was finally able to "break the silence" about imitations of America, and Lebanon becoming more or less westernized in every single way possible. Thank you Dana for sharing some of your personal experience with us to clarify your point of view which I can't agree more with.
DeleteTo be honest I do not think that the Arab countries are trying to copy the western cities and paste them in the west, but they are following the development. It is undeniable that Dubai and Beirut look so much like NYC or else but we can’t omit the fact that Beirut got destroyed during the war which is a fact and we, Lebanese people, had to rebuild it of course we are not going to build old traditional houses (that look very nice), we are going to go for something more space efficient, like sky scrapers. And the same applies for Dubai, where the dead desert became one of the most active and visited places. Well for me these “new” cities aren’t following the western design, they are following the development. In none of the western cities we can see that much skyscrapers or these weirdly and engineering challenging designs. And we can talk about the very huge structure in Dubai that looks like a moon which is an Islam sign. And saying that the Arabic culture is fading away is not true, I as a Lebanese know a lot about my culture my identity my history, more than any of the other young people we can find in the U.S.A .
ReplyDeleteAs a conclusion the Arab world is not losing its identity, but it’s going through development which made it a huge attraction for the world.
Nowadays, the oriental culture is imitating a lot the european one. There's no doubt that europe has many strengths. But why do we always seek to imitate unimportant things instead of emulating their efficient economical and social politics that would put an end to our daily problems (such as poverty and political conflicts)? why do we always copy their architectures for example instead of trying to preserve our heritage by restoring the buildings of yesterday?
ReplyDeletewe shouldn't forget that Lebanon relies so much on the tourism , and tourists visit our country because they are attracted by the beauty of our nature and monuments so leaders should spend their money on restoring our old building and taking care of our beautiful nature and museum!
I agree with you Fatimaa! They say that globalization is the interchange of world views but i think that this is a sophisticated form of colonization since one or few countries are rulling the world by imposing western ideas upon the eastern thoughts
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ReplyDeleteHabtour, downtown, geant malls, you think you're in Dubai, or in any other developped Arab country...Not only imitation exists in the architecture of Beirut, but also in the energy, whereas renewable energy is taken from the arabic countries too. Moreover, Lebanese people aren't creative, this is one of the main reasons that brains are immigrating to Arabic countries where they can find creativity, and put in use their inteligence to find petroleum, renewable energy and much more... Dubai isn't the only country Lebanon is trying to imitate, America is too. Dress codes, styles, open mindness, everything is being copied but the only difference is that it's fake and chaotic.
ReplyDeleteOne always wonders when will Lebanese people stop copying and be the country that everyone wishes to be born in it, because this beautiful 10452 km.2 isn't a useless and hopeless space, it's much more than that...