Selma Zeki & Jad Al Jamal question would like to discuss the following : Many Arab countries are being westernized in the context of building and infrastructure / architecture. Are the projects in Dubai and downtown a better change for the people of the country or not ? Are Arab countries losing their true identity?
This is a very interesting topic,indeed, while discussing it in class, it created a lot of agitation. Each one of us had a different view on the matter.
ReplyDeleteNo one can argue with the fact that many Arab countries are being westernized, specifically in the context of building and architecture. But, a country's true identity doesn't lie solely in the way the buildings look. There is a certain feel that's emitted from the building. That's what should matter.
Let's look at the example of Downtown Beirut. For me, downtown is becoming a deserted place. Since the war of 2005, people no longer spend as much time as they used to in downtown. I remember when I was little, almost every Sunday was spent in downtown, riding bicycles around the clock... Nowadays, Downtown on Sunday are far less agitated and crowded. So, the westernized architecture remains western and doesn't emit any Lebanese or patriotic feeling. Personalty, downtown has become a cold and impersonal space. Maybe if downtown was reanimated, the buildings will start 'living' again and they will be able to define Lebanon. I can't say if the project or renovating Downtown the way it is was for the best because I didn't know was downtown was like prior to its destruction. The only thing i can say though is that any building (regardless of how it looks) that triggers an emotional or patriotic response in a citizen is reflective of the country's identity.
I think you haven't been to Downtown Beirut in quite a long time. Children on their bicycles still surround the clock on the weekends with soap bubbles filling the air. I don't really see Downtown Beirut as a cold and deserted place; however, i can't but agree that it was much more lively and cozy before 2005.
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ReplyDelete"Arab countries are being westernized"...We've been hearing that a lot lately, but what exactly is "being westernized"? Is it the new architecture? Because I don't recall the new form of architecture in the old western buildings. I have never seen a hundred year old building in the U.S that looked like a roller coaster trail and was made of glass. Architecture has been evolving all around the world, it just happened that the west developed it sooner than the middle east, unfortunately like most discoveries and developments in science and other factors. Because of our conservative traditions, the Arab world has been holding on to its old inventions and for a very long while would not cross the bridge of evolution that the rest of the world has experienced. I am finally proud to say that my Arab world has evolved and rebuilt itself to become almost as good as the west. We shouldn't deny that "being westernized" means stepping forward. I think it is time we step ahead and stop priding the inventions of our ancestries.
ReplyDeleteYou made a good point Mohana. I see no damage or shame in being westernized; but we can also point that the term westernization is a bit confusing and not totally true. As you said, western countries have developed their architecture sooner than the middle east, but that doesn't mean that Arabs are westernizing if they also try to evolve and develop their own countries. Each country has its own culture, and no matter how much it develops, evolution doesn't make it lose its own identity.
DeleteNicely said Mohana. While reading your blog entry, I found a new way of seeing the "westernization" which is not bad at all. And I agree with Marie-Rose, we shouldn't call it westernization because it is not totally imitating as I said in my blog entry, it is kind of a change to me.
DeleteWell done Mohana! it's the same way that i see it. i think its even the only reasonable and logical perspective.
DeleteNowadays, Arab countries are being influenced by the Western culture on many levels. Countries like Dubai and Lebanon for example are being strongly westernized in the context of building and architecture.
ReplyDeleteSome may argue that the renovation projects in downtown Beirut for example, are not a positive change for the Lebanese citizens. I, on the contrary, believe that these projects are a good idea. Beirut downtown before the civil war seemed like a very beautiful place but it’s been demolished during the war and there’s nothing we can do to retrieve the “old downtown”. I think that the projects in downtown are not a way of “removing” Lebanon’s true identity. They’re a way of rebuilding the country in the most modern way possible. Sure, the new infrastructures may be more impersonal and colder than the previous ones but I don’t think Lebanon’s identity should be defined by some of its buildings. A country’s identity should be based on its citizens, their attitudes and whether or not they respect the traditions and culture of their country. I believe that people consider Beirut downtown “cold” and “lifeless” because it’s mostly a business area but what they often omit is that the place is usually crowded even though not many people live there. Lebanon is a country where different religions and beliefs collide and I think the fact that there is both a church and a mosque in downtown shows that Beirut downtown still portrays Lebanon since it shows the diversity of the country. To conclude, I don’t think Arab countries are losing their true identity because of the changes in the infrastructure or architecture. People should focus more on the way they are acting instead of blaming the changes or the "loss of Arab identity" on the country’s architecture or on other countries.
A really good point you mentioned was the fact that what matters most are the citizens themselves and not the buildings; of course, what we think is much more important than what we wear because it describes our true identity. However, I must point out the fact that what we wear can affect who we are even if we don't feel it and, in some cases, does touch our deep roots after penetrating slowly.
DeleteOther than the fact that I liked your idea when you said that there are both a mosque and a church, you smoothly went from buildings to people as factors of true identity, which is not only a nice idea, but also a nice way of writing :)
DeleteAn undeniable fact we're facing in our everyday lives is that Lebanon is becoming more and more westernized by the minute. Most Lebanese citizens may not realize it, but our country is being conquered in an indirect way because of this reality. Westernization doesn't only appear in the buildings, the educational curricula and all the different electronic devices we have in our homes; Lebanon has been imitating the West to a much wider and more dangerous extent. This imitation is noticed in every single action we do in our daily lives especially when we're talking about the products we buy, all kinds of products including junk food, furniture, accessories, clothes, books and so many others. We can.....actually we can't imagine how much western countries are profiting from all this! Our country is getting conquered by people who sell us diapers! Indeed, even the smallest of our habits are part of this westernization as speaking English and French instead of our own language; the Arabic language is part of our culture, not only as Lebanese citizens, but as Arabs as well and we should try our best to protect it from fading away. Of course, it is not a bad idea to imitate the western countries since that makes us closer to becoming developed countries; it is a step forward, but the level of imitation reached in Lebanon is intimidating. One of the problems we're facing is the fact that our leaders don't give enough effort to protect our culture, for example, some boundaries should be present when it comes to importing the different goods. How can we possibly enhance our own industries if we choose to buy all the goods from other countries? The government should be more concerned when it comes to this issue; the different forms of media and the educational curricula should give more importance to our Lebanese culture with all its branches and images, and more festivals should be made in our touristic areas mainly in order to show a clear image of our precious culture thus making the citizens proud of their Lebanese identity.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I disagree with you Maya when you said that we are imitating the west with the devices because the devices are being improved and it just happened that the companies that improved them are western. So we are just using the improved devices to stay up to date with the new technology.
DeleteSecond, I agree with an interesdting idea you mentioned which is that how are we supposed to improve our own industries when we just import different goods and that our leaders are doing nothing.
I do not agree with the fact that Arab countries are imitating western countries. It is not true. It is more like "learning from each other". United Arab Emirates, for example, had nothing fascinating about it. It transformed itself into a fascinating country that impressed everyone and attracted many people. Without the construction of attractive buildings and malls, Dubai would not be like what is now. For example, Burj Khalifa, tallest tower in the world and Dubai Mall, largest mall in Dubai attract a large amount of tourists every year which brings tremendous amount of revenue to the country and comfort to many of its citizens. Also, work opportunities increase in the country and this is beneficial for the citizens of UAE. Without the construction of such projects, Dubai would not be good economically. In my opinion, UAE did not imitate western countries. They just learnt, from western countries, to develop themselves and become a better country. I believe that there is no such thing as "Arab" identity. You cannot construct/build/design according to an Arab pattern. Arab countries must be up to date with the new developments even though it was done before in Western countries. For example, Beirut without downtown is not worth visiting, for tourists. If there was no downtown, Beirut would not be considered a visiting spot for tourists. It is certain that there will be fewer amounts of tourists and thus bad economic situation. To conclude, new projects in the Arab countries are highly beneficial for all people, even though the idea may be taken from western countries.
ReplyDeleteI chose to talk about the topic of Selma Zeki and Jad Al Jamal.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the Arab countries are being westernalized is a bit confusing for me, because what the Arab countries are doing is not trying to be like or look like western countries, but ameliorating life in the Arab World. And in order to achieve that goal, several procedures should take place in all levels: architectural, infrastructural, cultural ... Can you imagine Dubai without Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa or the huge malls? It would be an isolated, shriveled country and would lose all its efficacy, vitality and intensity. A country isn't only for its citizens, it must also aim to attract tourists from abroad to ameliorate its economical situation. So without these sites to visit Dubai would be a dead country, tourists would rather visit other evolved countries. Arabs are neither being westernalized, nor are imitating the westerns. They're just improving their countries so that they meet the tourists demands and improve their citizens' lives. Development of the Arab World isn't loss of the Arab identity.
I think the main problem with the westernization of our lifestyle in the Arab region is that we aren’t able to find a stable middle ground to allow the existence of both our original culture with the new western one. Both are vastly different and both are at odds with each other on several aspects including architecture. I think that the current Westernization of the Arabs does have a major effect but I think that it affects us both negatively and positively; it is a double-edged sword. We cannot deny that the West holds immense power and strength in the media and in aspects of culture and education. We can learn from the western ideals and we can adapt them to our needs. However, we also cannot deny that there is a sense of loss of identity. Dubai has transformed from the ancient and traditional home of the Bedouins to a synthetic playground for the world, very much like Las Vegas. Downtown Beirut became the image of a single corporation that ousted what was the past for a polished and gleaming future. There are no remnants of our past that are tangible. There are of the ancient past but none of our most immediate one. We need reminders of our past, to remember who we were and how we have become who we are. We shouldn’t hastily rebuild and expand to forget and ignore who we are, but rather we must mold the old with the new.
ReplyDeletePlaces like Dubai and Downtown Beirut have seemingly decided that preserving Arab identity is not as important as riding the wave of Westernization. Although the structure of the buildings in Dubai are quite magnificent, that’s all that they are: magnificent buildings. Everything seems like a display with no soul. It’s quite fantastic what Dubai managed to do with its architecture, but the projects of Dubai lack any representation of Arab identity. Downtown Beirut also exhibits something similar to that. It’s hard to feel like you’re actually in Lebanon in a place that aims to mimic Western civilization. Arab countries are indeed becoming westernized by neglecting to hold on to their identities.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with you that Dubai lack any representation of Arab identity. Projects in dubai have always included some arab identity in them. For example, in some malls there are souks that represent the arab identity.
DeleteRecently, I once asked myself if Arab countries are losing their identity. I asked myself only once because I thought about it, and found that the answer is no. Yes, maybe Lebanon westernized some buildings, but the way I see it, Lebanon is not trying to imitate other western countries. The idea behind it is to have a bit of the west in the east to entertain the people and make the Lebanese life more pleasurable by having variety. This somehow prevents a bit the migration to the west, and encourages a bit the western tourists to pay a visit to Lebanon. I for example have hung out a lot in Downtown because of its nice buildings and the fact that is not very similar to the city you live in every day. So by having a bit of both worlds in one, I find that Lebanon is different from other Arab countries, and has its own touch among the other countries, which draws the tourists (even European ones).
ReplyDeleteMoreover, I personally have been to Dubai and I liked it, but frankly, I can't imagine myself living there. I would go there only for fun. The buildings are interesting in both architecture and infrastructure and they are distinguished from those in the west. True the metro may be imitated, but Dubai is a very wide country, so they just find a convenient way that allows people to move from a city to another fast. However, I have to point out that Dubai is not revealing its true identity. But that does not necessarily mean that it is bad because Dubai is aiming to be unique and different from all other countries in order to attract tourists from all over the world. Seeing people of different nationalities assured me that. In addition, all the buildings in Dubai are extravagantly luxurious, from Burj Khalifa, to the Mall where you can ski in, to the fancy hotels, etc. so I think it is obvious that Dubai is not trying to imitate any country. If Dubai really is imitating others then western tourists wouldn’t be there in the first place. Or am I wrong?
A lot of tourists come to Lebanon to actually experience Lebanese culture. This doesn't only apply to tourists, though. A lot of Lebanese people want to be able to go to the heart of Beirut and feel like they are part of a community. This can't really happen when the "bit of west in the east" that you referred to is manifested through entire buildings and areas that could be fit into Western cities. I don't think there's anything unique about that. I'd like to be able to go to Downtown and say, "Ah, yes, this feels like Lebanon!" :)
Deletei really can't add anything more, i agree 100% !
DeleteYes Salwa you may be right, but the point is that this subject has no definitive explanation so everything said is just a point of view. You, along with everyone, may and may not be right. Of course Lebanese people should feel that everything is lebanese, but i personally like variety that's all.
Delete"The westernization of the Arab world", a sentence that is oftenly repeated nowadays. But in fact, this statement ignores three major facts.
ReplyDeleteFirst, not only the Arabs are replicating the Western architecture, but it's the whole world. From Shanghai to Mumbai, from Dubai to Johannesburg, and all major cities in the world, all we can see is rising skyscraper and tower of glass. So this architectural replication is not limited only in the Arab countries, but it is in every main metropolis of the world.
Second, due to their height, no one would ever mind not seeing the architectural design of the tower because no one can actually see them. Plus, in such height, extreme forces of nature a can be catastrophic to normally engineered towers. Only strengthened glass can resist the extreme force of the wind and the high and low temperatures that currently change threw the day, or even the storms and thunders, because of its flexibility and high resistance and endurance. That’s why Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Taipei 101 in Taiwan, Twin Towers of Malaysia, and many other skyscrapers in the world are glass-facade towers.
Finally, the only way of building towers of such height is the “Western way”, not because we are replicating the West, but only because they developed the infrastructural/architectural way of building before we could, as in many other domains.
The issue of modernity as an extension from capitalism is always at the cost of the the people within a developing country. The societal degeneration that capitalism has caused throughout the Arab world is very catastrophic, leaving behind a huge financial gap between those benefiting from the extravagant investments within the country and those natives that cannot have access to them. Mike Davis, a extreme Marxist, is aware of this fact, and he tackles this issue in a brilliant way showing only the good side of capitalism for those who can keep up with it keeping the hatred boiling inside the reader's blood against such an unfair system. I think George Carlin says it best, "The rich own everything, the middle-class work their ass off and the poor are just there to scare the hell out of the middle-class".
ReplyDeleteI think your on to something here. I like the touch you gave it at the end about the classes.
Deletei think this change is for the better. Why should the Arab world stay primitive while the rest of the world is rapidly moving forward? The new buildings and architecture not only draw western tourists but also invite Arabs to start westernising their mentalities. Unfortunately in every aspect of life to move forward we have to loose something in return. This change was the cause of many innocent people being left homeless and poor having everything taken off them for their land that would soon be turned into a tourist attraction, im not saying it's fair but eventually it needed to happen.
ReplyDeleteWesternising the Arab worlds architecture will lead to westernisation of other aspects within Arab society, it doesn't mean their identity will be lost, instead it will evolve to the 21st centuries standard. This is the chance for Arabs to stop being looked down on and being called primitive, its time to put Arabs back on the map and this is just the spark to a much bigger flame !!
Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the Emirates have been known for their rich culture. Hundreds of cuisines were invented, social confrontations were determined, and a feeling of traditional country side is no longer the image of the Arabs. The Arabs are now known as the super people who happen to live in an area rich with underground oil.
ReplyDeleteThe buildings are causing the Arab countries to lose their identities as traditional states. The new projects are modernizing the once culture rich mega arab cities. Instead of reserving the culture, we are exploiting it by using it in some themes in restaurants and hotels. Instead of seeing traditional settings, we now see a Lamborghini passing by a business building in downtown speeding its way toward the building infested Doura.
Cuisines in saudi arabia ? I would like you to state me some. All they eat is rice. ( I live there for 17 years)
DeleteWesternisation of arab countries is a very controversial issue , some people think that it is for the best , other fear it.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that this westernisation is made on different levels and it is difficult to generalise its effect .
In the case of downtown Beirut and the projects in Dubai , the westernisation concerns mainly the infrastructure .
First , this kind of westernisation do not really affect the Arab identity , in fact , although Dubai faces a lot of changes and especially in the technological field , People conserves traditions and do not change their lifestyle , people may compare Dubai's skyscrapers to the one in New York but when it comes to the way of life , in Dubai a woman is still considered "less important " than mens , and this is not called westernisation for me .
Everything called "westernisation" is just superficial and do not lead to the lost of the true identity .
When we say that the Arab world is imitating western countries it shouldn't actually be a bad thing, I think this should be called development and progress and I always wondered why so many people are against it . these development and progress is not only made on a superficial level but in lebanon it is very obvious that they are affecting our mentalities which creates a conflict of generation and is the cause of many controversial issues in Lebanon nowadays.
but this westernisation "of the mind" isn't such a bad thing at all , once we find the balance between what we want to keep from our "old-fashioned" traditions and what we want to take form "western mentality" we can create our own identity.
People shouldn't be against , or scared of development or changes , it is not a lost of identity it is just called improvement .
I think you are right that the Arab countries do still hold on to some aspects of their way of life, but if you look at how the societies have changed in 10 years, you would notice that, in fact, the people have become much more open.
DeleteI am sure that 10 years ago, people did not even think about even discussing the topics of pre-marital sex or gay identities. But today, it has become a more or less open issue.
The Arab countries did preserve some of their culture, but who knows 10 years from now how everything would be?
So we cannot deny that the Westernization has been affecting the mentality and not only the building. Because if it was really just about tall buildings and new malls, I don't think anyone would be really questioning it today..
And yes the key word that you said was "balance" which should be a sacred thing in our society.
:)
Surely we can't deny that the tall fancy buildings, and the very modernized malls, have much of great influences on the people(either in Dubai or Lebanon). A society should always be on the path of progress, thus we should be able to accept the changes that have been happening in the past few years and try to integrate with them.
ReplyDeleteBut, many people do wonder, isn't this change affecting the Arab identity?
In fact it is.
These tall buildings, and fancy new hotels and shopping stores, are sort of "sucking away" every aspect of the modest Arab culture. And the scary part of it all is that it is happening too fast. How could a Gucci store replace a Falefel shop in so little time and at ease? And how are all the arabs accepting the fact that western cultures simply just came and took over?
But then again, we cannot just refuse all these variations, and not be part of the globalization that has been happening throughout the countries of the world .
I think, what I'm trying to say is that, Arabs should accept modernity, but should never use it as an excuse for their loss of identity and beautiful culture and traditions.
I agree with you that we should accept the changes that Dubai and Lebanon have been going through. However, accepting the change doesn't mean forgetting about our past and what our ancestors have been through. Our generation has witnessed the change therefore have also a very big knowledge of our countries' past. But how can you make sure to pass this knowledge to our kids and so on when you have nothing concrete to show them?
DeleteTherefore, i think that we both agree on this point: Arabs should know when to stop westernizing and just be themselves, find a balance between modernity and traditional.
Arab countries are initiating projects that are influenced by western context of architecture and infrastructure. Those projects have been implanted in many Arab cities, especially in Dubai and Beirut. Arab countries have become more attracted to modern architecture…so what?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, those projects are a better change for the people of the country. Arabs have finally been exposed to a modernized environment, which is exactly what we need. It’s all a matter of moving forward and developing. Sooner or later Arabs would have realized that the rest of the world is in progression, while they are still fixed to old customs.
I also think that Arab countries are doing what they are doing, in the aspect of building, to get recognized. 20 years ago no European or American would even know where Dubai or Beirut is. But now, that all changed! Ever since Dubai and Beirut have developed their infrastructure and architecture, there has been a higher rate of tourism. So, tourists, all over the world, now acknowledge these two cities. Why should that be a bad thing?
Anyways, I do think Arab countries are losing their identity, but not necessarily from the establishment of modern projects. The loss of the Arab identity is from the change in their way of thinking about religion, but not from their need to develop and progress architecturally.
It is a very interesting topic indeed. Arab countries are in fact in a way losing their true identity. At some extent, reproducing a western environment in an arab country means eliminating this country's identity. For example, behind Aya Sofia and Topkapi in Istanbul, there is a history and values that turkish people adhere to. I don't recall knowing anything about Dubai's history. Or even i don't recall at all Downtown being a place that defines what Lebanon really is.
ReplyDeleteWether it is a better change or not is not an issue in my opinion, because it is an issue that changes from a person's point of view to another. I personally don't mind having a place like Downtown Beirut in Lebanon, as long as i still have places like Jbeil and Baalbak i can take my foreign friends to when they want to discover what Lebanon really is and what it has been through. As long as we lebanese know how to differentiate between both regions and know its values separately, i don't think a little bit of western is bad for a country. Dubai on the other hand is a bit too extreme when it comes to westernization. In this case it might have led to its inhabitants forgetting where they came from.
It’s true that in many Arab countries, there’s a big change in the infrastructure and the architecture but that doesn’t mean they are losing their true identity. We may consider the fact that many of the projects, done in Dubai and Beirut, look a bit like some others in the western word as westernization but we can also consider it as steps for modernization. All world countries can share projects and use them in order to bring benefits. In fact, the largest theme parks, the biggest mall, the tallest building are the reason that everybody nowadays are traveling to Dubai; We all know how much tourism can improve the economical situation in any country. Same, in Downtown Beirut known for its shops and other things… Infrastructure is not the only way to show our identity. Our identity is always present in our daily life and traditions.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with today's "modern" middle-eastern city isn't that it's evolving. The problem is that westernization is being forced upon it without an effort to integrate between eastern and western concepts of evolution. Surely Beirut and Dubai are international tourist attractions, but they don't satisfy the current low/middle class inhabitant. A city's identity comes from it's history. I can't see what the "Solidere" or "Burj al Arab" tell about Beirut and Dubai's history. It just shows an effort of producing western similarities. I've yet to see the Arab/eastern touch in recent constructions in these two cities, which further more adheres to the ascension of full westernization. The constant construction and evolution of Dubai and Beirut is definitely a change but it's not a positive one.
ReplyDeleteArab countries in the middle east became rich not long ago, due to petrol and oil and things that are just now being used by the whole world. They went from being very poor to very rich, and so what they did with that money is try and make their country new and modern. But nowadays it's the foreign countries that are more modern, so by making Dubai or downtown "westernized" it is actually an act of modernizing it, it is mostly due to globalization, all the countries are getting closer and more open to each other. This has nothing to do with the arab countries, it is the whole world that's going through this, all the original countries that have their own style or culture are now building doing the same thing as all of the other countries in the world, there is no difference between the new buildings or constructions in Downtown or Dubai and the new things that are being done in other countries. It isn't just downtown beirut or Dubai or other arab countries in the middle east but it's the whole world that's going through this. It's just globalization and it's affects. And whether it is or not better for the people, well it certainly is because what's downtown next to all the culture that's left in lebanon, downtown beirut is just a small part. Arab countries are not losing their identities because their identities don't come from their buildings, what is arab's identities? living in tents? living in the desert? Of course not, now that they have money they make nice citys, or for example in Downtowns case then there is a nice place that's new and unlike the rest of lebanon, personally it's a nice place to stay in if you ask me because it's like escaping from lebanon in some sorts.
ReplyDeletePersonally,I believe that Arabs are loosing their identities. They are being westernized. First of all we can see that from the architecture. All the new buildings are having a western style. I don't think that the western style in architecture would reflect the modernity of a country. We can still build efficient skyscrapers that have an arabic design.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, I dont think that downtown is a better change for the lebanon. You can barely find a normal lebanese there. Downtown is a desert where you can see from time to time a rich lebanese in the exorbitant shops. My grandfather tells me about all the nice day they use to spend there. They used to play "tawleh" or "tarneeb" , drink coffee, read journals. Nowadays, you have to pay 3$ for water and 5$ of a cup of coffee.
I think that all the projects in both Dubai and Beirut downtown are commercial and artificial. They work as magnets to attract people who actually have tons to spend on expensive luxuries. So, most of the people in both countries who belong to the middle class cannot afford it. Beirut, contrary to what Chiara from "Downtown Beirut" said, is only for the now in terms of what I will further explain. It is for the pleasure and amusement of people who still know about the traditional old Beirut and are looking for something different and modern. A picture of something not Lebanese rather something imported from a world lacking culture and architectural originality. Think about the future generation. How will they know about our culture? Well, they will not if our downtown is a copy of a foreign place. If it weren't for our parents we would have never known about our souks and the old Beirut. Lebanon, a place with this load of culture should at least project some in its capital's downtown. Solidere was all about the money and not preserving the heritage of such great city. Downtown Beirut is now a place of prestige, nothing to do with Lebanon; it represents only a small part of our people. Dubai, on the other hand, is different. Dubai was a desert and I think it doesn't really have neither culture nor history; nothing really worth talking about (no offense to the UAE). So, Dubai has accomplished something out of nothing. But it also aims solely at fulfilling the pleasure of high class people. So, my point here is that downtown Beirut should actually resemble the Lebanese culture. The projects in both subjects are fun and cool (couldn’t put in a better word) but they are temporary; people will eventually get bored of them and they’d want something new and that’s because they aren’t special. Arab countries are losing their identities because they are always headed to investments that copy the west and assure them good revenue. They are not preserving the gift they have which is culture. I just hope that we, arabs, will reach a point in which we will be proud of what we have and not copy and steal what others own.
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ReplyDeletelebanese society and arab identity are encountering many changes whether through their tall man made structures or magnificent creations. yet even though with the "westernization" that is said is going on we must not forget the lebanese citizens and their unique ways of thinking. even though we have encountered so much, we have to be thankful to all the 16 different sects in our country. without its unique components lebanon wouldnt be the way it is now. (im not saying there is no violence, no pedestrian riots, and no wars). but thats what makes lebanon DIFFERENT than all the other arab countries. lebanon may be encountering changes ( affected by the west ) but it will always have a special role in its surrounding and always will have its identity.
ReplyDeleteI do like how you focused on Lebanon and what makes it unique but you completely forgot to mention Dubai. You also mentioned something that makes Lebanon different than all the other countries and it's very vague to me. Is it the fact that it contains so many sects ? If so, then I'd have to disagree with you on that.
Deleteyou are right that it might be vague to you, there are plenty more of other unique characteristics the lebanese society shares. in my opinion it was one of the most impotrant thing that makes lebanon different than all the other 21 arab countries.
DeleteI absolutely think that the projects in Dubai and downtown are a better change for the people of their respective countries. I don't see why these two places shouldn't be allowed to evolve architecture wise. Modern architecture doesn't have to be regarded as a western trend, most would find it very appealing and there's no reason for us not to embrace it.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that we're losing our Arab heritage? Of course not, in fact our Arab heritage is still very present in most places in our country. However to evolve we can't be so attached to the past.
Whenever people talk about “westernization” in the Middle East they make it seem as though it’s a bad thing. Yes there are certain ideas that should not be adopted but when the architecture and design of certain buildings are being influenced I don’t think that is necessarily a problem. Downtown Beirut is very modernized. Whenever I go there I feel there is a unique aura to it. It always seems to be full of people; whether eating, shopping, or just walking around. The same goes for Dubai. What makes Dubai different from Beirut is Dubai is a dessert, and its people have adapted to their environment. Unlike Dubai, Lebanon has natural beauty and sites to see. I think every city has a specific area in which the best stores are located and it’s just for a certain class in society. Just because it doesn’t suit everybody in society does not mean it should be condemned and should not be seen as “not part of culture”. A lot of areas in Lebanon show off Lebanese culture and if there is a part of Beirut that is a little westernized, that does not mean Beirut is losing its identity.
ReplyDeleteWhen one steps on the ground of Dubai, he/she cannot but notice the soaring skyscrapers which often carry a Westernized effect. This has been a phenomenon witnessed in several Arab countries, especially in those which are located in the Gulf area. Millions of dollars are being spent yearly on founding such huge buildings, and the countries have found themselves in a continuous loop of competition, where each one thrives to surpass the other in terms of “who possesses the highest tower”. Despite the undeniable fact that these skyscrapers have played a vast role in attracting tourists, especially from European countries to visit these lands, except that they have also had a tremendously harmful effect in terms of our identity. Arabs are known for a certain architecture which has its fingerprint stamped on it. These skyscrapers do not reflect the true identity of Arabs, where Arabs do not opt for such modernized and practical buildings. Also, what is very sorrowful is the dreading fact that millions are being spent over construction and renovation to the extent that governments have forgotten that a huge portion of their citizens is suffering; suffering from lack of social security, scarce education, low job opportunities and inability to offer the bare minimum for their families. Consequently, the Arab world has been extremely hypnotized with the flare of Westernized culture that they have forgotten their people and are gradually losing their identities.
ReplyDeleteDubai is no doubt one of the most attractive and beautiful countries i have ever visited, starting from its sky scrapers to the lights, wide roads, luxurious apartments, and modern aspects. to be a bit patriotic, there are similar attractive sights in downtown Lebanon as well, like the Saifi village, Souks... there is no doubt that all these are attractive, modern, different than the original lebanese traditional sights, and no doubt attractive a lot of tourists, but all these only fill the eye. when we study these projects, they can only be used by the upper classes in Lebanon, and the wealthy tourists, since all of them are over priced. So the working class is kind of marginalized and does not fully enjoy these luxuries. and when we speak of these new modern projects, we realize that there is a difference in culture, and most of these lack the traditional lebanese components. So we can conclude that the Arab world ( Lebanon being an example of most of the the countries going at the same path) is losing its identity and is westernizing rapidly, and since not all people can cope with this change, they are isolated, and cannot benefit from this change. Most of the lebanese people are of the middle class, so all these projects are a bit too far fetched and hard to use, that is why they should be studied carefully, because its these people that will use it mostly, and will lead to its success, and by doing so, we would also indirectly secure our identities, because without our original identities, we are nothing, since it specifies who we are.
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