The Arab Psyche
Muslims in general and Arabs in particular should ask themselves some introspective, truly penetrating questions if they ever want to pull themselves into the world of today. The first question they should examine closely about themselves is why they have this seemingly ineradicable tendency to avert blame from themselves onto others. The Arab psyche in particular seems incapable of assigning responsibility to itself for actions taken in haste in response to explosive emotional reactions, rather than thinking matters through to their rational conclusion. Invariably, such behaviours bring disasters of one kind or another raining down on their own heads, but it seems that taking ownership of individual responsibility is beyond a mentality which seeks automatically to assign responsibility for their own actions to others.The tribal mentality of mean spiritedness cloaked in a veneer of affability toward those of their own tribe runs rampant through the Arab personality. The spirit of helpfulness is extended toward only those of one's own tribe, and often even then only if it promises to brighten one's own prospects. Tribal vengeance, hatred and fear of the "other", a nasty predilection toward invective and bombastic threats seems to permeat the very essence of the person. Should individuals, and there have been many, seek to find peace with erstwhile enemies for the good of all concerned they are labelled collaborators and, when discovered, their fate is instant and mortal.
Much can be explained by the historical geographic locale, a scarcity of arable land, and a continual inter-tribal battle for territory. Much can be explained by the pitiless terrain, the necessity to battle geological features and weather which combine to foil the best of human efforts, but not all, by any means. Other groups of people live with similar difficulties without assuming a collective persona of constant deadly belligerance.
Mohammed knew his people well. He brought to them word of the existence of a higher being, a theistic model whose very demands to the faithful echoed their own life experience of bitter strife, suspicion of strangers, ancient xenophobias, the struggle for land ownership. The Bedouin knew of life under a single, powerful and highly respected leader whose word was law; whose ruthless command of his tribal group maintained his position. A fiercely proud people with a proud tradition in many ways, they have trivialized their place in a world which has refuted their quest for conquest in the name of the all-powerful, Allah.
The ancient paradigm of corrupt, powerful ruler over an unruly but respectful horde of tribespeople is a constant within the history of the Arab peoples. One set of despots after another throughout history has enslaved their people so that their lives have continued to be a misery. Rebellion was always settled brutally and swiftly. Grumblings of dissatisfaction were countered with scapegoats, minorities among the Muslim populations whose reputations were imputed to be of the basest of humanity. These scapegoats were knowingly proferred to deflect anger from the rulers toward unfortunates unable to defend themselves but whose presence served to appease the anger of the masses. The targeted minorities were assigned the responsibility of all that went awry for the majority population. A vast conspiracy to take over the world and all its riches. This was certainly not confined to the Middle East, but was a time-honoured device used throughout the world.
It is the readiness of the Arab world, particularly what is called the "Arab street" to accept that all their misfortunes can be laid at the feet of a geographically co-located minority as the root of all evil, of their personal trials and tribulations, that bespeaks their inability to rise above their primal self-destructive instincts.
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, May 23, 2006
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