OleJanx

" I feel so desperately sorry for 21st century young Arab men. Told by their mothers that they are princes of the Universe; told by their schoolteachers that their culture is history's finest flower; told by the Koran that they're God's warriors; told by their imams that they're the torchbearers of the divine light; told by their political leaders that theirs are thegreatest nations on Earth...they emerge as young men imagining that everything lies before them...And what awaits them? Unemployment, corruption, broken countries, broken economies and no sex. Nothing has turned out like they were promised. It must be profoundly bewildering."

Dame Ann Leslie, quoted in The Times.

Pretty astute, no?

Norm_uk

That hits the nail on head - however I'd rather see a traditional Arab say this like this chap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxuMKP_kqg as the Arabs, and Muslims in general do not accept even constructive and factual criticism of anything about their culture unfortunately.

N.

Meow

That is an interesting clip and the interviewee's views are very bold. (Who is he?) The interviewer looked very uncomfortable with what was being said.

It's interesting how different cultures deal with criticism. I think as Brits we are very quick to criticise ourselves. maybe more so than many other nationalities, but of course, we don't appreciate others doing it so much.

I have spent time in a number of countries and in quite a few people are brought up with the absolute belief that they are the best in the world and refuse to believe otherwise even when presented with evidence to the contrary.

I am most amused by one of the comments under the clip

Norm_uk

I'd have to dig up his name as it escapes me in my advancing old age.

I think we allow so much criticism we are now at a stage where we criticise even the concept of our identity and culture. Not many countries in the world have locals wandering around asking what their own culture is like we do in Western Europe, and Britain in particular.

The trouble with us is that we are often better than everyone else in many ways – freedoms, technology, standard of living, rule of law, striving for male and female equality under law, etc. but we also seem to want to pander to lessor cultures at the expense of our own because we are scared to be accused of arrogance or racism (being called a racist in Europe if you are remotely native, ie; "white" is like being called a heretic in medieval Spain!) - we fail to realise is that in some places the reason there is no progress is because of their culture and beliefs. Yet we blindly declare all cultures are equal because we can’t seem to separate culture from race.

As you may of guessed I do not support multiculturalism

N.

slapphead_otool

There is an interesting article on the same vein here:

http://www.meforum.org/441/why-arabs-lose-wars

Norm_uk

They are masters of propaganda though...the Arab-Israeli conflict is a good example of how they spread so much misinformation and yet so many uninformed idiots will buy whatever they say without examination.

Then there's the Arab grip about Western Colonialism...as if that happened in a vacuum and the Arabs were a peaceful people who never hurt anyone until big bad whitey came along. Many people in the West seem to subscribe to that as well, especially in an increasingly politicised academia and media.

Must be hard to keep being so arrogant when your civilisation hasn't invented anything meaningful since the early middle ages and hasn't won a war in centuries either...they quickly have forgotten it was us big bad colonials who released them from the yoke of the Ottoman Empire haven't they?

N.

lionheart

It sounds more like a description of young Greek men, except for the no sex.

slapphead_otool

Sadly a lot on the west believe the propaganda too.

Millhouse

Norm, on a scale of 1 to 10 - 10 being Nick Griffin, just how racist are you?

Millhouse

actually, don't answer that. I'm going to do a poll,

littlejimmy

Uh-oh....tin-hat time....

Norm_uk

I'm a culturalist and probably a bit bigoted in some ways.

As for racism, you'd have to ask the Black and Irish people in my family where I stand on people's physical appearance. Or you could ask my half Filipino son or my Han Chinese fiance...you can ask whilst admiring my all year round tan if that helps?

Another one who doesn't know the different between racism and "culturalism" (or bigotry or prejudice) It's really getting boring now...

N.

Millhouse

You dirty bugger

Oh, I get it Norm. The problem I have is the use of your made up definition. I just don't understand why we are happy to be one thing but not the other when substantially it's the same.

Anyway, that's boring - tell me more about these asian women...

Norm_uk

My made up definition of what, race? Race is a biological term describing physical characteristics - it's only been in the last 30 years or so that some have tried to extend the term to to culture, ethnicity and socio-economic statues which is entirely wrong as we already have words to describe those things.

You don't have to agree with race being a physical descriptor anymore than you have to agree in evolution by natural selection. I feel you are being contrarian for no other reason that not wanting to accept how people look and how people behave are two separate issues that are only linked by accident of birth - something which is increasing becoming less of an absolute as people move around more. Also, when you consider some tribes and ethnicities have zero problems with people who look different providing they convert to whatever culture is dominant the whole race and culture are the same arguement looks even more fragile.

I'm not in the mood for frivolous comments on my personal life and was being entirely serious in the face of your nonsensical charge of comparing my "racism" to Nick Griffin...which is ironic since your definition of race actually fits in with his and many Nazi's.

N.

Millhouse

Correct. It is also the populist way of referring to this line of thinking - I'm not trying to rewrite the dictionary here.

I find it strange that being "culturist" seems a badge of honor, and yet a racist (which the majority use for the same thing) is seen as a bad thing in your books.

The reality is that Nick Griffin, who probably hasn't thought through the semantics, fits your definition of culturist better than that of a racist. I'm sure, or should I say hope, that you are not a fan of Nick.