Tangible Change

Yesterday, I spent most of my day with a very good friend. She's an accomplished young lady who is doing her share in terms of being a productive citizen, and thus feels she's earned the right to respect from society. The entire day was filled with complaints about "the way things are"; people driving on the street, people serving us food, people walking in malls, etc... Honestly, I agreed with almost everything she said. Something is wrong with this society.

What is wrong with us? Let's see... we simply don't relate to each other. Why is Egypt a dirty country in general? Is it because we, as people, are not clean? That's simply not true. Go into in any of our houses and homes and you will find it as clean as can be (well there are exceptions off course). But walk on the street, and you find litter all over the place. Is this a problem of governmental regulation? I doubt that any regulation can effectively prevent citizens of any country from contributing to the general filth on the streets. Keeping a county clean can only be achieved on basis of social awareness. While Egyptians take good care of their private posessions, public posessions are fair game. We have become individualists with nothing to gather us onto common grounds. Surely, there are groups of people rallied together, but even these share a common best interest. In actuality, we have no real society.

A friend of mine (now wisely relocated in the States) said that this society is dead. Well, I agree, but I'm still here - perhaps not for long, but I am here for now. The question that has really been nagging me lately is: what can we do to try to make a difference? I haven't found a single decent societal or political movement that I can feel comfortable working with (well the best one was a group called Bazrameet, which is a word I cannot find a specific translation for in English, but believe me it's not very enticing. On the other hand, I cannot sit around and watch anymore, or else I forfeit my right to complain.

I guess this article is a calling for ideas. I thought of theatre as a tool to bring about change... to communicate a message aimed at reviving this society. I thought of political parties (only because that would allow us to publish). I thought of working out a web-site to gather all those interested in societal (not political!) reform. I know that many of the people who read my blog shar this common interest.

What can we do?

I need ideas that can be turned into an action plan that we can actually implement. I guess that working towards reviving this society can be a goal worth living for.

Any thoughts?

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well...
It is only fitting that my birthday receives the proper notice on my own blog, right?
Now at the age of 31, and in the wake of a period of forced self-reflection, I am forced to wonder what the value of my first 31 years on earth.

Well, let's see... They say the value of one's life can only be measured by its value to others. I guess that places very little value on my life, doesn't it?

Welcome to the next 31 years!

Why We MUST Destroy the Sphinx!

Have you ever noticed how long it takes for people to disappear in Egypt? Off course, by disappear I mean those who have appeared. As everyone knows, we all don't really exist in this country. The sole purpose of our existence is to provide the filling for those who are eating Egypt up. What I mean is people who have had the good fortune (and misfortune for us) of making it to our public life. As soon as they get there, they become a fact of life that we have to cope with for ages.

This phenomenon spans many fields... it's not any one field in specific. But for instance, when does anyone expect Nadia Al-Guindy or Nabila Ebeid to stop acting - or at least stop doing seductive roles at the age of 10,000? How about Adel Emam (with all due respect - anyone can over do it). Hussam Hassan! When will I stop hearing his name in association with soccer and perhaps in association with.. I don't know.. perhaps a home for the elderly (he IS elderly). Off course, our beloved governement is finally changing somewhat, but you still hear names that seem to be coming from the Pharaonic ages such as Amal Osman or Safwat Al-Sherif... I mean, I can hardly believe that there an earthly power actually exists to remove someone like Kamal Al-Shazely, but still most of our ministers (even the new ones) have overstayed their welcome.

The examples are many - and I tried to find out why this phenomenon exists in our society. Off course, it was easy to note that our biggest role models are in heads of state: Abdel Nasser: 16 years in power; Sadat: 11 years in power; Mubarak: 24 years in power (this is the energizer bunny of Egyptian presidents).

But an ideal so ingrained in our psyche can only originate from something more ever-lasting. I was walking around Giza, hands in my pocket, wondering where the inspiration for this permanence may come from. Then suddenly, I looked up and saw the source of inspiration. For 5000 years, the great Sphinx has provided inspiration for thousands of fame-seekers. There he sits, in all his majesty, with a smirk on his face that promises ages of presence in our midst.

We MUST destroy the Sphinx.

The Framework Theory of Theology

I am not a theologist and do not claim in-depth knowledge of religions. But I am someone who has had the fortune of being exposed to different perspectives. I know I may be crucified for this post, but I will post it anyway and take the heat.

I don't believe there is a single set of right and wrong. I believe that we're all born into a certain framework, and that the boundaries of this frameworks are ever-changing based on our life experiences. Our constant pursuit of the boundaries of the framework as well as our remaining true to this framework at each and every point of our existence (and changing this as the framework changes) is the gauge by which we can evaluate our lives. Is God always in this framework - this is a question that I have yet to answer. Don't get me wrong, this does not mean that God does not exist. It just means that my knowledge of his existence, my faith, does not necessarily make me a better person than someone who has not found Him yet - even if he/she never finds him.

Being a Muslim, I believe in Judgement. But I believe that I cannot extend the basis of my judgement to anyone outside my general framework. I cannot condemn any human being on basis of my belief. I firmly believe that the value of our lives can only be measured by the value of our existence to the rest of humans, be the reference of such value Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, or even Athiesm. What happens to each person in after-life is their problem not mine - as long as we retain our humanity.

I hope I haven't made too many enemies by this post. I just needed to put it up as reference because I seem to be the target of so many talks about religion - who's right, who's wrong. Everyone is right and everyone is wrong. Including me.

A Tribute to A Great Person

You can meet greatness everyday. Sure, greatness does have manifestations - some people are great people in ways that anyone can see... like being a great actor or soccer player. But you CAN see greatness in everyday life as well.

People who know me would find it strange that I meet someone who I may consider a role model (ego speaking here). But this person I am talking about is not a famous writer, not a musician, not a humanitarian. She is a person who is leading a life that is in many ways ordinary, but manages to make it extrordinary in every sense of the word. I have never seen someone in my life who can, at our young age, carry so much psychological weight and still function normally... and not only that - be a source of joy for everyone around her. I don't know how she does it... but I know that people like her are the ones who end up making a real difference in life. I am paying this tribute to this person because personally I have benefited from our friendship - and because I know that there isn't an award out there for such greatness.

Stand up and be recognized...

Thanks for everything, Sherine.

My take on Egypolitics - better late than never!

OK maybe I am late, but I had to say it!

For quite some time, I'd been wanting to participate in the on-going talks on the streets of Cairo regarding the political scene. Presidential elections, parliamentary elections, opposition solidarity… seems so much is going on. I'd been abstaining from venturing my humble opinion because I didn't want to seem like the party pooper amidst all the excitement. But in the wake of the disappointing parliamentary elections, where religion was an instrument for politics, I feel I need to blurt it out (may not feel better anyway but will do it!)

I think I'd be echoing opinions already ventured by many others who are probably much more expert at political science than me when I say that this whole excitement about the political scene is a farce. A sound political system requires many things – an educated populace and equal access to media to name a couple. Whether over 80% of the votes did go to Mubarak or not is the not the issue; the percentage basically represents nothing except the extent of the problem.

So am I personally disturbed by the fact that we don't have a real political scene? Not one bit. As far as I am concerned, I am not bleeding my heart over any of the political movements in Egypt. As a 30 year old Egyptian male who is moderately intelligent and educated, I am simply unconvinced with the ability of the leaders of any of the political movements in Egypt to lead this country into a new renaissance (and for many, I don't even trust their intentions). Secondly, being unaffiliated with any specific political ideology (I have one of my own). I am not blindly following slogans raised in fervor ("Islam is the Solution" and such).

Hence, being free of the need to politicize, I can say that as an average Egyptian citizen, I don't care one bit who rules this country. I am totally indifferent to their backgrounds, ideologies, and leaders. It's not that I am apathetic; I just think that this simply is not the issue. I don't care how the rulers of Egypt come to power, I don't care if I agree with their ideologies, I don't even care for their level of integrity (Does it get any more desperate than that?). So what is it that I am looking for? Just my rights as a citizen. Any political party or leader who provides me with these rights has my support to own the country as far as I am concerned. What are these rights? Here are some of the most important ones:
The right to a good education
The right to a generally acceptable level of municipal and civil services.
The right to be respected in my own country.
The right to good medical services.
The right to express myself without fear of persecution (as long as this expression does not infringe upon the rights of others)
The right to breathe clean air and drink clean water

I could name a thousand others: the right to drive on well-paved streets, the assurance that these rights won't be violated by someone with the necessary clout, the right to a working judicial system - the list never ends. In my mind, this is the social contract that gives the government real legitimacy. I will pledge eternal allegiance to any government that embraces this social contract.

And before I forget, I must retain the right to boot the government that's not doing a good job (not personally off course).


In short, I want a government that guarantees all citizens the tools necessary for them to reach their full potentials, to be hampered only on accord of their own will and drive. I will not pledge allegiance to any political party or movement until I am convinced that they can get the job done. For now, I will remain the apathetic abstainer from the current political scene.

I want everyone to participate in forming this social contract. If you have ideas or suggestions or interjections, please send post them. Together, we can build the Book of Citizen Demands, and then wait patiently for the first glimmer of hope that any of the participants in the political scene will pick up on this country manual and work diligently towards fulfilling it.

The way it looks right now, we will have to have a lot of patience.

But then again, patience is all we've ever had.

Mubarak's caricature courtesy of http://www.opdebeeck.com/.

MBA Applications

Well... the worst over!
After a month of being pre-occupied day and night with my college applications.. I am done with most of them. Off course, MIT still remains, but now I think I've gotten the hang of it.

What an experience!

In addition to having to recall everything that I've been doing in the past few years, the applications have been a chance for me to reflect. Last year was a year of transformation for me... On an ideological as well as professional basis. I have a clear plan for what I will be doing, as well as auxiliary plans in case the master plan fails (chances of acceptance: 0.001%). But the applications really got me to review and think about if I am going in the right direction. Is my life supposed to be like I am planning it? The best thing I got out of the experience is that I am not more certain than ever that this should be my next move. All we can do now is cross our fingers!
Thanks AbdelRahman for putting up with this... I promise Gawab free consultancy if I do make it!