What has brought us to where we are today?
I'm not asking that as an individual, but as a group of people or society or community, even.
Why is it that we submit to the will of others of being controlled than to be in control ourselves?
I'm talking about it on a much wider scale than in our own respective countries. More on a global scale. The fact that we have to agree to par up our own standards to the standards of others otherwise we would not be accepted as global players. And yet, if we choose to stay within our walls, we are condemning ourselves to total isolation.
It's a matter of give and take, I suppose.
Where if you give enough, then you take your share. But in a world more like a jungle, that no applies because of competition between neighbors. Everyone is looking for the biggest share in the pie. And sadly, when they do get it, they don't realize that they have cut out their neighbors' share of the same pie or they do know and plan on selling it to them for a much larger price in non-monetary terms.
Chess is no more a mere game that was used by the ancient Chinese to settle war tactics, it is now more of strategic multi-purpose mutli-generic moves used by a many group of people but at the same time. Each one of them trying to determine the right piece and the right move to make next.
Our societies have now been infected with the western capitalist approach to all that exists. A choice not made by the people but get unfortunately, get greatly affected by it. Thus affecting the practices of the normal people in our community such as the new laws to come into effect by the new year of applying a Friday-Saturday holiday. The mere idea of having such a holiday never made any sense some 30 years ago but due to rising economical demands, it has become a need to adhere to global standards in banking and business holidays.
It all starts with something so little so simple and along the years it just grows and grows until it cannot be contained any longer.
And the day will come when it will burst. But not because of economical instability.
But merely because the people will have nothing of it.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
summer article #4: control
Posted by Sleepless In Muscat at 00:32
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2 comments:
You seem to get frustrated at any sign of change. I do agree that not all change is positive, and there exist negative changes that take you backwards. However, not all or in this case any change should upset us. Why do we have to feel like we are always leaving our culture or our ideas behind? Being Omani, or OMAN itself, is not a static identity. Why cant we adjust to the demand of the world, but at the same time bring to it our culture, and our society. Why do we choose to believe that actions must be enforced upon us, versus us causing the change? When cultures meet, our goal is to take the best of each. So Im sorry if I dont understand why you believe our culture will die, and become western.
Also, do you recall when we had Friday off, and half of Thursdays? At that time, to be an employee in Oman meant you had to work on Thursdays (govt), but when that changed and became a full two day holiday like the western world I dont think anyone became less Omani!
Per Your Request:
Quite the contrary, actually. I welcome change and everything that comes with it as long as it does not involve controlling or dictating the way other societies or communities live.
That's all I meant to say.
But thanks for that valued comment.
:o)
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