11–20 of 44 posts
'Normal' was fairly biased, as it mostly refers to an average western individual. Nothing wrong with it, but why not avoid the negative aspects of it? Why not fostering your own culture?
Their culture failed them by bringing islamists in power, might as well discard it. P. S. Mine failed me either so I know what I'm talking about.
>Remember, she tells me, most Iranians’ priority is economic wellbeing. Political freedom is the concern of a minority. The great tragedy of modern society.
You can't eat freedom.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their culture failed them by bringing islamists in power, might as well discard it. P. S. Mine failed me either so I know what I'm talking about.
that did not happen without meddling from the west...
"You should not blame the west, you should become the west".
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber. They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite exposed to other cultures. Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern. But they don't represent the whole population of Ir…
Thomas Erdbrink's recent video reports for the NYT which carefully skirt any sensitive issues and avoids any hints of criticism is another example. Not that I blame him or any other journalists! Just like Jason Rezaian, Thomas has a Persian wife and I understand that his first thought is for his own and his family's safety.
It just means that as a consumer you have to be intelligent and discerning so as to not mistake the type and manner of reporting done in Iran with that done inside a free Western style liberal democracy.
Source: Iranian living outside Iran (vali hanooz bache tehrooni :)
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber. They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite exposed to other cultures. Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern. But they don't represent the whole population of Ir…
How would you contrast this 'echo chamber' perspective with a more realistic one? Is there a strong conservative movement among the young which is underrepresented in this article?
For them the only prospect is to ingratiate themselves through the basij and other similar organizations so they can then gain employment with the government or with the many bonyads which overwhelmingly control the Iranian economy.
Employment with the government or bonyads is not based on merit but through a test of loyalty to the Islamic revolutionary ideas. If you can distinguish yourself through zealous service and unquestioning devotion, then you stand a chance of gaining a foothold.
By the by, the Basij were the ones on the front lines in the 2009 protests brutally suppressing the street marchers.
That's the only possible avenue of advancement for the vast majority of Iran's youth who do not come from a 'connected family' and/or do not have a wealthy family that will give them a leg up.
By the way I think that not having family/children is an ultimate way to bring vengeance to their parents who failed them. They want grandchildren but they're not getting any. Too bad.
If you don't eagerly feel that you are bringing children to a good healthy society: don't.
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber. They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite exposed to other cultures. Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern. But they don't represent the whole population of Ir…
The answer I'd like for you to read is not the one with 4.7k upvotes. It's the one below it with just 62.
The most popular answer implies, very nicely and agreeably, that all cultures are equal, and that any problems are the result of poor governance and or some faceless structure/entity. The one right below it states that, while it's true that environment plays a large role in oppression, fundamentally it is the people who perpetuate such an environment.
It is very comfortable to rest at one extreme or the other (as the OP's article goes to show). I, for one, think it is better to follow what the man who wrote the 62-upvote post says, despite the mental discomfort it causes:
"A lot of work has to be done to cleanse one's mind from years of propaganda and brain washing against the "Western World, Israel, and India". But it's not going to happen by pretending that everything is okay."
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their culture failed them by bringing islamists in power, might as well discard it. P. S. Mine failed me either so I know what I'm talking about.
that did not happen without meddling from the west...
The persians held onto their obsession with religious leaders and sharia courts well after the vast majority of the middle east moved on. Even during Ottoman muslim rule where sharia and strictly religious leaders were semi-tolerated there was very little compromise in Iran.
I'm not saying America was right, I'm against intervention, but Iran was hardly on-course to anything except a repeat of their despots that ruled for thousands of years. Their one western-friendly leader was just a minor short-lived detour in their very long history of authoritarianism.
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber. They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite exposed to other cultures. Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern. But they don't represent the whole population of Ir…
American reporters in America are in an echo chamber. They overwhelmingly live in weird cloisters and associate only with fellow outliers.
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber. They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite exposed to other cultures. Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern. But they don't represent the whole population of Ir…