Arabian "Culture"

what about american gun culture?
what about american homosexuality culture?

I don't know, what about it? (Or were those just supposed to be rhetorical?)

My comments were meant to highlight the fact that you can't judge a specific culture by the act of one person.
Not all arabs drown themselves, just as not all americans love guns or take part in homosexual activities.

Why do you have so much animosity against arabs? They are just another race. No race is perfect, no culture is "ideal".
Or are you just racist?

He's got you there Hagan.
There's not much you can do but close your eyes, grit your teeth and take it up the anus. But then again, you'd probably enjoy that!!!!!!

I think he dislikes arabs because he is pro jewish. Unfortunately there are many idiots like him across the world, with a high concentration in the USA.

Oh well, he's probably gay

Yes, yes! Of course! I think there are some objective things wrong with Arabian culture, and that makes me pro-Jewish and homosexual. If only I had noticed it all sooner myself. My, this clears up so much about my life.

Seriously, let's clear a few things up. I don't have a problem with 'all arabs' or anything like that. Just like I don't have a problem with 'all frenchmen' even though I think France, as a country, is acting like a drunken fool being roused from the public square. What I have a problem with is certain cultural views in Arabia. For example, the view that 'tis ok for a man to threaten his wife if she doesn't have a son. Granted, the article says the man is rural and conservative; but that's a far cry from saying he's wrong. Call me racist if you want, but that right there sounds like sexism to me, and I'll call it that when I see it.

Nowhere have I said that I think there is an "ideal" culture or perfect race, J Jones. But what I am saying is that there are certain metrics for evaluating the viability and success of a culture, and I think Arabian culture isn't fairing too well in those metrics. For an example of the metrics I'm talking about, check out this article by Ralph Peters. http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usawc/parameters/98spring/peters.htm

Saying that I'm judging Arabian culture by one person is so far from the truth as to be laughable. I make it clear from my original post that I'm using this as an example in support of my argument for reform, not as the proof that reform is necessary.

Your response is a smart one and i respect your views, i apoligise for misinterpreting them. I just feel that you shouldn't have begun the blog with such a general use of facts.

I found the article from the URL very informative, thank you.

Arab/Islamic culture is what helped pull the West out of the dark ages when europeans were still learning to wipe their arses properly. It is not fair to define a culture by perameters or "metrics" made up by anoher culture.
To put it simply, it is like saying that humans are inferior to chickens because we can't lay eggs. As you'd no doubt agree,that is a rediculous comparison.

The Japanese for example, have the world's highest youth suicide rates, yet many also consider them a "westernised" country. Despite this, Mr Hagan prefers to single out the Arabs because of one suicide which may or may not have been fabricated to suit the vested interests of news corporations such as AP,CNN and Fox.

I suggest that cultures be cherished, not compared, for what they have contributed to this world. Maybe that would be the first stepping stone on the path to a more peaceful world.

J - Profuse apologies for misreading your name as Jones. I should have been a bit more careful with the attribution. Glad you found the link interesting. Ralph Peters writes lots of very thoughtful articles for Parameters, and is always worth the read.

Timothy - While your thoughts on cultural relativism aren't anything new to me, I still don't see how they're practical (other than making people feel warm and fuzzy, which does count for something I suppose).

The Arabs "helped pull the West out of the dark ages" a thousand years ago. I think that's called "resting on your laurels". I'm not singling out the Arabs "because of one suicide". (And I'll treat your accusation of fabrication with as much weight as the evidence you present to support it.) I'm singling Arabs out over, say Japanese, because Arabian culture is in opposition to my own country and culture.

And that gets to the crux of why we can't "cherish, not compare" cultures. Some cultures require comparison - as when Arabians call us the great Devils and call for the overthrow of America (I know not all Arabs say this, I'm referring to the extremists here). This Extremist Arabia culture has forced me to compare which I think is right - American/Western culture, or Arabian/Extremist Arabian culture. After much thoughtful introspection and consideration, I have to say that I choose Western culture.

You see, people like the Japanese are different. Sometimes, really, really different. (I've know enough personally to know.) But the reason we tolerate them and don't single them out for criticism is that they tolerate us and we learn to coexist. When another culture refuses to coexist, then it becomes a Darwinian battle to see which culture is more fit to survive in our global environment. I think Arabian culture is less fit than Western culture. If they don't "evolve" to somehow either coexist or be better than us (in an objective sense, not a "There is one true God and Mohammed is his prophet" sense), then they'll end up being marginalized or destroyed.

For the record, I don't want to see them be destroyed. There's a long and proud history behind Arabian culture, and they could be welcomed back into the global circle as cherished friends. But they'll have to work at it to pull it off.

Hey i saw your sight and i'm glad someone has started a blog on this topic of "culture".

Seeing that there is no monolith American culure, isn't it possible to dislike some parts of it (such as Jerry Springer) and cherish other parts (such as the Simpsons)? The topic of cultures can be mind-boggling because they are so broad.

To declare that one culture may be falling behind, while it may be fair, only helps to over simplify things.
There are aspects of Arabian culture that have contributed to other cultures around the world, and there are other cultures that have contributed to the Arab way of life.

While the story on the suicide of the Egyptian woman is saddening news, so are the school shooting which occur here. My point is that every culture has its flaws (of course some have more than others)
By the way Daniel, i also find the Japanese to be a tad weird. lol, just kidding.

Great site, thanks