The Audacity of Mubarak!

It's been a while... every now and then I get ideas about things I really want to write about, but seeing as how things are these days, I am just too busy to do it.

But then, every once in a while something happens which really really ticks me off... It's actually pretty amazing that this only happens every once in while because there are plenty of things to tick one off....

This time, I couldn't hold back! This is one of those entries that should have been written in Arabic, but this is kind of challenging for me when the keyboard doesn't have Arabic letters for guidance.. so here we go.

I refer you to today's Ahram newspaper, first page. Here's the link to the article I am referring to:

http://www.ahram.org.eg/Index.asp?CurFN=fron17.htm&DID=9559

If you don't know Arabic, the article is basically a futile attempt by the state-run newspaper to discredit the internet as a medium. The reason is obvious: the recent call for a strike that originated in Facebook!

A basic summary of the article is as follows:

"Internet is bad because a few evil youths use it to publish porn, false accusations, and calls for social instability. Even though these youths are minority, they're flooding the internet with their content to the point that requires a stance from the majority of internet users before the governement's security forces intervene. Even though Egypt prides itself on having the largest internet user base in the region, the medium has now become infested with porn, and profane language, which taints this advanced technological medium which the West has used for the purposes of advancement of their societies, and for which we use for calls for violence promoted by people hiding behind pen-names and others looking for fame and thrill. So you find sourceless calls for strike and for pharmacies to close, in a manner unmatched by any society in the world. Others yet call for writing anti-government messages on monetary notes, while others make accusations that surpass the limit of what's acceptable, in a manner that breaks any civil law in the world. There aslo vidoes on Youtube with two-way accusations between Christians and Muslims regarding abuse. One person even dared to publish the Dutch movie against Islam via email!"

This is an inexact translation... feel free to correct me if anything has been mistranslated.

What do I say? Of all the silliest, most ridiculous attempts to brainwash people, this is by far the silliest. Over and above being silly, it is insulting and infuriating for all of us who have found a way to express our minds through the internet. As such, I would like to address this article point by point:

1. The attempt of our respected government of Egypt to band together porn, obscentiy, religious unrest and political protest is unacceptable and insulting. The call for the strike was a direct result of our government's failed economic policy which has left millions of Egyptians below the poverty line, while our "elected" government officials find ways to divide up the pie. Position this any way they liked, our people are fed up and afraid. Civil disobedience was the only way to go... protestors are beaten and leaders of protests are sent to jail. A strike was an attempt on the part of these youths to send a message to our government, which seems bent on shutting its ear. The calls for a strike are not obscenity and not porn - it is a right that people of free will can try to exercise when they're fed up. Which we are, in case the government has not noticed. Mixing the bad with the good is a cheap trick that no one will fall for!

2. Accusations? How about evidence? Why are people like Yousif Waly and Ibrahim Nafe'e still free? Who is responsible for their getting away with everything they've committed? Are bloggers and facebook writers the enemy or men of the likes of these people? When an average citizen sees that people of low moral values can get away with anything, this basically shifts the whole value system of our society. The corruption of our government has led to the mainstreaming of corruption, and now it's just become a way of life. Are these false accusations? Are we imagining the corruption? Are we all crazy and our governement the only sane entity in Egypt?

3. Let's run a comparison between the West and us in terms of internet and other things. First of all, everything which the government tries to paint as traits of our internet users exists in the West and to a much larger scale. I do not condone porn or obscenity. But any attempt by our government to paint its people as backwards in comparison to the west is deconstructive and insulting. The internet is uncensored media, so naturally everything appears on it... in our world, as much as in the west. But some key differences include that the West's bloggers can write whatever they want and critisize whomever they please without fear of being jailed. And for that matter, Western countries lead their countries into better standards of living. In addition - and this is just a cherry on the cake - they actually have elections, not a shameful act of theater. So basically, both the west and us similar content publishers (bad and good), but the west has better governements for their people, while we're stuck with this rotten government that unable to provide the least expecations of humanity to its people!

4. No where in the call for the strike was there a call to close pharmacies. I checked the text, and I could not find anything related to pharmacies. That's simply a twisting of the truth that attempts to paint this strike with the color black. Does the governement think we're idiots? People of Egypt have the sense to discern that if they are doctors or pharmacists, then the strike does not include them. (I know first hand because both of my siblings are doctors who went to work even though I suspect they may have otherwise joined the strike). Similary, the people of Egypt are smarter than this futile attempt to disgrace the only attempt at an honorable action by the people of Egypt.

The bottom line is: Mubarak, if you had any dignity you would resign. Politcally, I have no agendas. But societally, we need a government that takes better care of its people. Whatever illusions you may have about what you've done for Egypt, I (and alot of others) can tell you that you've failed. The only decent thing to do now is to step down, and let people who are capable and committed to making this country better step up.

But then who am I kidding

In Search of Excellence...

Here's a question for you: What do you wake up every morning for?

Fast-forward a few months: I am an MBA student, married and living in Los Angeles. It's quite interesting seeing as at the time of my last blog entry, I was single (engaged), employed and living in Cairo. Quite a transformation!

During managerial economics class the other day, we were discussing the concept of economic profit vs. normal profit. Somehow, this discussion reminded me of where I was and where I am now - my own normal vs. economic profit.

I feel alive again. It's not because I am out of Egypt, not because I am out here in the States. It's because I'm finally challenging myself. Exposed to these new challenges, it has dawned upon me that I have been residing at the far left of an "easy" bell curve instead of finding myself in the middle of a "tough" bell curve and then try to make it to the left. This very much echos some of the themes from my earlier blog entry about My Thoughts on Thoughts.

Back in 2004, when this whole journey started on a December night at Sherif Bishr's home, I didn't expect that I could make it here. I had built-in obstacles such a steep financial hurdle. For three years, I'd been juggling building a life and pursuing my dreams. The remarkable part is not that I'm at the gates of my dreams now. What's even more remarkable is what I found in my way: a person with whom I can share this dream along with the rest of my life.

So what's the point of all this? I would like to avoid the question of divinity in this whole matter, since every time I bring it up, side arguments ensue. Instead, I just want to say something lame but very true: it's less about what you achieve, more about what you try to achieve. It's what you try that makes you extraordinary (this message is specifically targeted to my friend who's worried because he's hit 24 without winning the Nobel prize).

Just another side point... I guess a lot of my coming blog entries will about my experiences with people during my time in LA. As a starter, I just want to confirm what I've been preaching all along to all those skeptics: people here are no different than people back home in Egypt. They have the same desires, needs, fears and aspirations.

At any rate, I have to stop here. I have some self-challenging to do. What are YOU going to do when you're done reading?

Get Your Car out of My Way!

If someone double parks his/her car in a crowded street and you happen to be driving in that lane, how would you feel towards them? You may park right behind them and sound your horn until they move; you may drive by and give them a look. Or maybe you will do nothing at all... but you certainly wouldn't be very happy about it.

Now imagine that you need to go into a store for just one minute to pick up something. The store so happens to be in a crowded street and you can't find parking space. Would you double park your car? Most probably... you'll just tell yourself that "it will be a minute."

Sometimes actions are classified as right and wrong depending on who took the action. Sometimes actions are right simply because I or the group to which I belong took those actions.

We're all guilty of this. Let me give some common examples of how subjective right and wrong can be:

Pre-marital sex in eastern socities like hours:

• When a guy does it: he was a player before marriage but now he's straightened out
• When a girl does it: she's a whore

Smoking in public:

• When a guy does it: he's a smoker (perhaps an addict)
• When a girl does it: she's a whore

Walking down a street at 3:00 AM in the morning alone

• When a guy does it: he's just having a walk
• When a girl does it: she's trying to get picked-up because she's a whore

When someone laughs out loud in a public place

• When it's not you or your group: They're vulgar people!
• When it's you or your group: We're having a good time

When someone dies and a street is blocked to set-up Soradeq for funeral and Quran-reading

• When it's someone dear to you: People should understand our grief
• When it's someine else: Does grief justify inconveniencing others?

When Ahly wins a championship and fans block the streets in celebration

• If you're an Ahly fan: We have every right to celebrate
• If you're a Zamalek fan: Come on, don't block the streets. What if an ambulance needs to pass through?

When a waiter is being discourteous at a restaurant

• If you give them a hard time: You're demanding service excellence as a customer
• If someone else gives them a hard time: They're just being difficult

Examples are endless.

Whether you believe in an absolute or not, right and wrong should remain objective. Why? At the risk of oversimplifying life, I dare say that we, as humans, seek the same things and, more importantly, are hurt by the same things. We spend too much time judging others and their actions and very little time judging ourselves and own actions. If we all spend a little more time putting ourselves in other people's shoes, our disputes as humans would be subdued. And if we fail to develop a perspective, we should then resort to some tolerance.

So the next time you hear the neighbour's stereo playing so loud, play your's at a lower volume when you turn it on!

One Size Fits One Size!

If you go to buy socks, you will find that there are some types that are labeled: one size fits all. I bought one of those the other day, but it turned out to be too big. Naturally, this got me thinking: how can the socks producers claim that one size fits all?

In my mind, claiming that one size of socks fits all requires that the socks be tried on all sizes of feet. If any foot size fails the test, then the basic premise of "one size fits all" fails. Seems to be simple enough, right?

So what about those people who insist that one size fits all even though I've tried it and I'm sure it doesn't fit me? Proud of having acquired the "one size" sock, they point at my feet and say, "it fits... you just think it doesn't!" So supposedly, I should believe them and ignore how I feel about the sock, right? In fact, I'm not really believing them... I'm believing the sock producer who made the sock in any size then programmed these people to believe that one sock really does fit all. Bearing into consideration that this claim plays directly into the interest of the sock producer, I have problems believing in their objectivity towards the "one size fits all" premise.

Let's pursue this further... As I said, in order to make sure that a sock fits all sizes, it must be tested on a representative sample of the human race. The question is: how many people would you have to have to test a sock to make sure all foot sizes and shapes are represented in the sample? Seems to me to an impossible sample to create - probably not the approach sock producers follow. The more likely scenario is that they use an elastic material which expands to wrap the exact size of the foot. Brilliant, eh? But then what happens a year later? If my little brother (don't have one actually) tries to wear my elastic sock, it won't fit because over time, it would have lost part of its elasticity to the shape of my own adult foot. It is probably safe to say that no sock can absolutely fit all sizes of feet at any given moment in time. It is probably safe to say that despite the fact that we may wear same sizes of socks, each person has one size which fits them exactly - but we choose to go with a close match to simplify life.

So until a sock has been tried on ALL human feet continuously for a century or so, I will not accept that one size fits all. As far as I am concerned, "one size fits all" is a myth that has not existed anywhere except in the minds of people brainwashed by sock producers. I don't even think sock producers believe it.

Oh, and in case you're concerned with where this blog is going, our next article is NOT about underwear!

Image courtesy of Hippie Shop

الضوء يغمرني

لا أدعي علماً بحياة الآحرين، ولكن أغلب الظن أنها لا تختلف كثيراً عن حياتي، والأهم أننا متيقن أن حياتك أنتِ هي حياتي ذاتها

أتعلمين كيف نظل عمرنا كله نبحث عن ذلك الضوء؟ نلمحه على بعدِ فنجري وراءه فقط ليتبين لنا أن الضوء الذي نسعى خلفه أخفت من أن يضيئ حياتنا؟ أتذكرين كيف نبدأ الرحلة من جديد، نركض ونتوقف ونسترق السمع، نتوتر حينما نرى ضوئين في وقتِ واحد فلا نعلم في أي اتجاه نركض؟ أتشعرين بذلك اللهاث الذي يثقل من أرواحنا فنمضي في حياتنا نركض بخطىًَ بطيئة متثاقلة؟

أعرف أنك تعرفين

ثم هل تعرفين كيف يغمرنا الضوء فجأة، دون ترتيب سابق، دون تخطيط؟ أتعلمين كيف يتبدل اللهاث بالراحة، البرد بالدفء؟ الماضي بالمستقبل؟ هل تدركين معى الإدراك، الإدراك بأن رحلة البحث قد انتهت وانتهت آلامها؟

أرجو أن تكوني قد أدركت ما أدركته

لقد حانت لحظتي، لحظة أن يغمرني الضوء، وقد أدركت أن هذا الضوء باقٍ للأبد

هل تشعرين بالضوء يغمرك مثلي؟

To friends...

Welcome back to my idle ranting.... it's been a while!

This column is dedicated to my friends... inspired by someone which I hope that I can eventually call my friend.

What do you find interesting? Some people like stamp collection... some people like to go out or go to movies, some others are into pottery. While I have many interests, my biggest interest is connecting with beautiful people. By beautiful people I mean beautiful souls... people who in different ways exemplify (to me) what it means to be human. This interest stems from a need to believe in the hope of a better tomorrow, a hope that is inspired, in essence, by beautiful people. My continuous quest for defining my own humanity is another motive.

The bottom line is... I am proud of the friends I have. If you're my friend and you're reading this, I just want to say thank you. The fact that we're friends means that, in my eyes, you're beautiful in one, if not many, ways.

Sometimes the beautiful soul I see is only superficial... scratching the surface unhides everything that is intended to be hidden. Other times it takes time to unravel the beauty of a soul because it's been buried under layers of societal conditioning. It takes time for me to really know... even though over the years I've developed an eye for beautiful souls. Rarely has my instinct failed me. In the end, my friends all have a common thread... while defining it may be difficult (my friends are extremely diverse), you can see it clearly when I introduce them to each other, which I frequently do.

While I can judge at first glance (or at least I think I can), I never really know until I'm close enough. There is no real time frame that dictates how quickly the relationship develops. Sometimes circumstances catalyze things, like my relationship with a good friend of mine who's been with me through the good and bad of this very last year - even though we've only known each other for about a year or so. The point is, we don't call each other friends until we really know each other.

I may never know everything about my friend. They may not know everything about me. But at least in one facet of humanity we're perfectly transparent to each other. What it amounts to in the end is that I can say that I really know this person. Before then, we can't really be friends. In the end, there would no need to ever define limits and boundaries. I must be able to touch my friend's soul in some way, and they should be able to touch mine. This is my measure of true friendship.

To all my friends, thank you so much for the opportunity you've given me to experience your humanity.

To friends to be - now you know what it takes for us to be friends.

مصر على الخريطة النووية - استر يا رب

أبشروا يا شعب مصر المتعاص في القهر والظلم... لقد قررت حكومتنا الرشيدة القيام بإنشاء مفاعل نووي!

ألف مبروك – بللو الشربات يا ولاد!

طبعاً أنا مقتنع تماماً أن تصريحات الرئيس مبارك التي وردت بالمسرحية الهزلية المسماة بمؤتمر الحزب الوطني هي تصريحات للاستهلاك المحلي فقط، محاولة بائسة لإرضاء الجماهير المتعطشة لقائد حقيقي، وسبب يقيني بأن هذه التصريحات للاستهلاك المحلي فقط أن اللجنة الوزارية التي سوف يعهد إليها بمتابعة المشروع لم تفرغ بعد من مشروع الأستيكة القومي والذي بدأته في الخطة الخمسية قبل الماضية، وبالرغم من ذلك، فإن فكرة أن تقدم حكومتنا الغراء على مثل هذا المشروع يصيبني بالرعب نظراً لتاريخ حكومتنا الطويل في مشاريع خدمة المواطنين وأذكر منها:

- مشروع تلوث ماء النيل

- مشروع تلوث الهواء

- مشروع حوادث العبارات

- مشروع حوادث القطارات

- مشروع نقص الرعاية الصحية

- مشروع إستيراد المبيدات المسرطنة

طبعاًُ أنا لا أقصد التشكيك في نزاهة الحكومة، والتي أعلم أنها توصلت إلى إستحالة خدمة السبعين مليون مصري فقررت التخلص من نصف السكان لضمان معيشة طيبة للنصف الباقي على قيد الحياة، وأعلم أن مشروع المفاعل النووي هو مشروع طموح الهدف منه الإسراع بتحقيق الهدف المذكور، ولذلك فإنني أحيي حكومتنا على مجهوداتها، ولكن كل ما أخشاه هو الآتي:

- أن يتم إدارة المشروع بصورة غير محكمة تؤدي إلى إمتداد مفعول المشروع إلى النصف الثاني من السكان

- أن أكون شخصياً – حسب تخطيط الحكومة – من نصف السكان الذي سوف يتم التخلص منه

وعليه فإني أطالب الحكومة بالشفافية في إعلان أسماء المواطنين الذي تم اختيارهم للاستشهاد في سبيل رفاهية إخوانهم في الوطن، وتقديم الضمانات الكافية التي تطمئن الفئة المختارة أنه لن تمتد آثار كارثة المفاعل النووي لهم!

وأود أن أشدد على أنه إذا لم تقدم الحكومة الضمانات والبيانات المطلوبة في مهلة قدرها أسبوع، فإنني سوف أقوم بقيادة حركة قومية لمناهضة مشروع المفاعل النووي الحكومي، وسوف أحصل على تأييد الحكومات الخارجية والمنظمات الدولية الخارجية من خلال تسريب معلومات ملفقة عن تصنيع قنبلة نووية مصرية على غرار الإشاعات التي تم على إثرها غزو العراق، وسوف تنضم لي جميع القوى والتيارات الشعبية والقيادات السياسية وأهمهم المناضل شعبان عبد الرحيم والذي سوف يقود المظاهرات بهتافه:

الحكومة خلاص نويتها
هتصفي نص الناس
النووي حيخش بيتنا
والغلابة هتحتاس

قال نووي قال!

حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل!

Final Entries to the Amr Rakha Exhibition for 2006

Since I am nont in a very happy mood, I will include these late entries without comment. The facial portrait is the work of Tamer Adel my long-time protege, and the second belongs to Noha the ex-executive manager of my company Expressions.

This concludes the exhibition - see you next year!

The Rest of the Gang

Although not a distinct submission to the Exhibition, this expansion on the "Managing Gawab" theme was a necessary addition to the current collection:

Getting more interesting by the minute!

And the Entries Keep Pouring In

Seems like I've opened up Pandora's Box! More and more entries to the "Amr in the Eyes of Others" Exhibition. What is most interesting about these entries is the stark contrast between the perceptions, evidence of a long-suspected multiple personality disorder residing within the psyche of Amr Rakha.

The latest entries are quite contrasting, so I decided to exhibit them side by side:

On the top is another entry by Mr. Yaqeen Husam, who postulates a resemblance between Amr Rakha and Zakaria Moussaoui, convicted 9/11 terrorist. I am not sure if I agree with the physical resemblance, but the metaphorical insinuation is outrageous. To the bottom stands the contrast to Mr. Husam's atrocious submission, Mrs. Nesrine Samara's depiction of Amr. The teddy bear rendering, also in Word Art, is more towards Amr's true nature (or so he likes to think).

Keep them coming!

Addendum to the "Amr in the Eyes of Others" Exhibition

On basis of popular demand, I am now entertaining the request of other amateur artists who would like to participate in the exhibition with late entries. If you would like to participate, please send to arakha@gawab.com. The pre-requisite is that you must already know me - in any sense of the word.

A

This is the latest entry, submitted by Mr. Kareem Nasser, one of Amr Rakha's long-time friends. Currently residing in Belgium, Mr. Nasser's memories of Amr are well exhibited by his chosen artistic representation:

A

Send your submissions today!

The First International "Amr in the Eyes of Others" Gallery - June 2006

I am proud to announce the first "Amr in the Eyes of Others" Picture Gallery. I am intrigued by the fact that I have provided interesting material for amateur artists of different schools to depict me. The purpose of this exhibition is not to commemorate me, but to applaud the efforts of the many who have attempted to poke fun at me using art as their weapon.

Here We Go!

Amr and the Freemasons

This depiction of Amr Rakha, circa 2000, attempts to address the possibility of my being part of some freemason order (because I say so much nonesense) by revealing my freemason ID card.

The Circles

A recurring theme in Amr Rakha art, this 2000 Microsoft-Word art rendering of Amr Rakha focuses on the circular aspects of his physique.
















Rounded Slopes

This 2005 caricature by amateur comic artist Mohamed Mohie focuses on frontal upper-abdominal curvatures, which were (and somewhat still remain) one of the most prominent aspects of Amr Rakha's physique.














Amr in the Eyes of Expressions

Developed in Micrsoft Word Art by Expressions' Art team, this depiction of Amr Rakha is tell-tale of the management style applied in his own company, Expressions.














Experimental Photography

This 2006 photograph taken by Mr. Yaqeen Husam, one of Amr Rakha's close friends, depicts what Mr. Husam finds most interesting about Amr Rakha's character.


Managing Gawab

This most recent 2006 depiction captured by Mr. Ibrahim Khalil, staff member working under Amr Rakha's management at Gawab, provides a contrast to the previous rendering of Expressions' staff, tell-tale of a varied management style applied at Gawab.


Remains only one hand-drawn portrait to be added to the collection, but this is more or less it! Please vote for the one you like the most and tell me if you agree with my perception of others' perceptions!

Black is White

Only when all is lost
When nothing else can be lost
Only when we own the pain
That everthing else can be gained

Only when the sun won't rise
Will the sun truly rise and shine
Everything and nothing become one
Only when we cross that line

Let go
Of your Soul
Let go
Of it all

Only when we realize
The true worth of what we seek
Only then do we recognize
The oneness of the pit and peek

Creations made for our lives
Illusions for us to follow
Cannabis to bring us comfort
And promises of a better tomorrow

So have you asked yourself
If you ever had it all
Would you then see the green?
I've asked myself'
And those deluded souls
But that green was never seen

Let go
Of your Soul
Let go
Of it all

Open the iron gates
That imprison your very soul
Don't fear the blood you see
For freedom has its toll

And when the gates are open
Don't fear what lies ahead
For outside the iron gates
Is your soul's deathbed

I beseech you just to linger
For just a little longer
For if you've yet not seen
Your soul's deathbed is green!

Don't run inside again
Let go and you will soar
Nothing is now everything
What you thought was less is more

Let go
Of your soul
Let go
Of it all

Let the fools continue to seek
And expend their last humanity
While you and I my friend
Savor the warmth of reality

For nothing is ever ours
For us to try to own
For when the sherade is over
We go to our beds alone

Let go
Of your soul
Let go
Of it all

I am Immortal

Kill me… kill me
Never will you still me

Stab me… stab me
Never will you have me

Liberate your soul
With empty words
It's all in all
Nothing but words

Believe yourself
Applaud yourself
Take a bow
And cheer yourself

Your victory
Is in your mind
The crowd that cheers
Is an imagined sound

Look at me straight
If you think you can
Don't shield your eyes
Just look and stare

So you think can
Assassinate me
I die and live
Eternally

For the likes of me
And the likes of you
And the life we live
Is far from true

Forever you will
Remain in jail
Your mind is a wall
So weep and wail

And while you stay
Tied to earth
I soar and fly
And point in mirth

I am free
And I can fly
And I can soar
And I will soar

Stab me… stab me
Never will you have me

Stab me… stab me
Stab me and free me

Take a Left at the Next Intersection

You know those times in your life when you come to an intersection?

A major decision that will change your life one way or the other? A marriage, major career move, a decision to travel?

I must admit, I don't like those moments very much, and I must also admit that I am not very good at intersections. This is something I learned about myself a long time ago. It's not that I don't know how to make a decision. SWOT analysis works for everything (well perhaps not that formal, but you know what I mean). I am very rational when it comes to my actions, and in the end I make the optimum decision based on the circumstances.

But I still hate that moment of intersection..

I stand there, not sure whether to take the right turn or left turn. I look for superstitious signs. I tried to enlist the experiences of those who went down similar roads, but in the end, no two roads or experiences are the same. They are at least different simply in the manner in which people themselves are different. I listen to others even though I know I cannot rely on what they tell me quite too much. I seek the advice of people who know me well. I do all this quickly, sum things up, and the decision and its general reprecussions become somewhat clear.

At that point, the thing to do is to take the step in the direction chosen. My body moves, but my heart, soul and mind linger at the intersection for a while longer. As my body, heart, soul and mind re-unite, my steps in the chosen direction become much stronger and surer. But occasionally, I would take a quick glance over my shoulders, just to see if I could a glimpse of the other road. As I walk further down the road, the intersection becomes lost in my memory.

The intersection used to be a burden on my soul until recently. After all, wrenching body from soul is not a nice occurance. I say until recently because I've just learned something in the past few months which has made the intersection a bit easier. I used to think it's impossible to turn back. Off course, the less backwards motion you do, the further ahead you go in life. But just in case you do take a wrong turn (and I've taken a couple), you can bask in the luxury of knowledge that no matter how far ahead up any road, it's never late to turn back.

In fact, not turning back when you know you should is basically betraying yourself, which is sometimes fine because we have obligations which may make turning back impossible. But that's life, a series of trade-offs. But the point is, if you can afford to go back then you definitely should, because there is a "rope and ladder" effect where if you go back to the right intersection, you may actually find a ladder that takes you to the 99 spot in less time and with less effort than the road you where taking. Don't try to second-guess fate, and go with what you feel is right at any given moment in life, no matter what the consequences are.

And, by the way, if you're not sure, take a left at that next intersection :).

Towards A Lighter Blog Entry

Guys - can anyone guess who the guy in the photo is?

(hint: he's a good friend of mine)

Comment on the blog for your entries or send to arakha@gawab.com

Creating A Dialogue…

So I spent last night with a few friends – members of what I like to think of as Egypt's intelligentsia. A discussion started regarding Amr Khaled's conference in Denmark held for the purpose of "creating a dialogue". The fervent discussion that ensued ended with an abrupt decision to close the topic because it was getting too loud. For me, it was reminiscent of scenes from Al-Jazeera Channel, where arguing guests would almost turn the host into a fight-breaker. Or perhaps a scene that all of us see on the streets everyday – a minor car accident can turn into a heated altercation because, magically, both sides have the right of way!

While civil laws exist to determine who's at fault when something like a car accident takes place, issues that fall under the realm of "public opinion" are a totally different issue. However, the mechanism of resolving differences is not what I am trying to discuss here. What I find very discerning is that the mechanism we do choose most of the time is to argue until our discussions become quite heated. Just ask yourself how many times you had a rational discussion with someone on an issue on which you differed completely? How many people do you know with whom you can have such a discussion? Why do we, as a people, choose to argue instead of rationalize?

There are many possible answers to that question, and some would attribute it to "the way we are" as a people – hot-blooded and emotional. Accepting such an explanation is simply bowing down to a societal deficiency that must be addressed suitably. Personally, I believe that it's part of the way we're brought up – part of the influence of our influencing micro-society. We see people around us arguing everywhere so we learn to argue as well and it becomes part of us as we grow into our adulthood. As we grow up, no one takes the time to explain the purpose or the concept of a discussion. Most people go into discussions without the least intent of actually listening in a manner that would allow what is being said to change their opinions. We enter discussions for the purpose of expressing our own opinions with as much evidence (right or wrong!) as possible, sometimes with the unconscious motive to enforce our own beliefs and opinions. When ego is mixed with self-righteousness, the ear and connecting channels to the mind become a very obsolete feature in our physiology. If both sides of the discussion have no real intention to listen, it only makes sense that discussions should turn into arguments and even fights, at which point any chance of resolving differences is lost.

This eventually translates into an inability to communicate, something that hurts our society on all levels. The real reason why we would stay behind as a society is that people who care to make a difference cannot communicate to agree on a mechanism for change. People in the west have a twisted image of us as a people partially due to our inability to communicate to them who we really are – the resultant being incidents such as the Danish Cartoons. As our inability to communicate rationally becomes more deeply embedded in our psyche, our chances to regain our society diminish.

What to do? Start with yourself (the same goes to me – guilty as all!) Learn to listen. When you do, others will eventually be forced to do the same!

Clipart Courtesy of Purdue University.

Questions...

Everytime I go to downtown Cairo, I get a bit nostalgic. I try to imagine that part of Cairo 50 years ago when it was still shining... and I can't help but wonder what happened to us? When you're downtown the next time, try to imagine the streets without the crowd of cars and people and pollution. Try to imagine the buildings in brand new form, the streets clean, and the air crisp and fresh. For me, this transformation exemplifies what has happened to us as a people.

I can't help but wonder about the so many things I always wonder about. I have so many unanswered questions - and what's worse, I have so many people who feel they're already found the answers.

Why can't we agree, as a people, to bring about positive change?

Why do we accept, as a people, to be humiliated every day in a thousand ways, the least of which the pollution in our air and water?

Why is that the death of thousands in a ship wreck has become something for us to get angry about for a few hours (or even a couple of days) and then forget about completely and go on with our everyday lives as if nothing has happened? (I, too, am guilty).

Why is it ok for us to remain oppressed by a regime that has been refuted by the intelligentia after turning the majority of the country into followers?

Have we become insensitive to oppression? Was that the plan from the start? To get the majority of a nation to get used to being oppressed such that it becomes a fact of life?

Why are we not calling for our rights with enough force to be heard?

When can we get our country back - get our society back?

When will we retain the respect of the world in a manner that prevents abuse and disrespect of our sacred symbols?

When will we accept our responsibility as a people towards others who have been placed in the line of fire while we sleep safely in our homes? When will we be men (in the philosophical sense) to accept our responsibility towards our daughters, sisters and mothers who get raped everyday in those places of the world?

When will we wake up from the opium being fed to us from every direction?

What will it take? What will it take?

I have asked before what can we do - the best reply I got was to shut up and forget about it.

I don't want to remain a cynicist, but when that's the only response I get - I have to remain a cynicist.

I call again upon those who want to make a difference... what can we do for this society?

My Thoughts on Thoughts…

As I write this particular post, I feel depressed and lonely. With me is a good friend who I am sure cannot help but feel the same…

A week ago, I was sitting at my favorite hang-out, Cilantro Zamalek branch. The place is too small and so you inadvertently become partner to each and every person's conversation. I was sitting next to a group of two girls and two guys. The conversation that ensued was intolerable to me… I did something against my nature – I actually interfered. It went as follows:

Tarek: Sometimes I start to think about why Allah created us

Islam: Don't think. You shouldn't think about these things. Some things you must take for granted. If you start asking questions, you have no idea where you mind will lead you. You should not ask.

Tarek: But Allah created us with a mind to think…

Islam (interrupting): To think about useful things… not about these things. Why don't you focus on thinking about things which may be more useful to your life?

I don't quite remember the point at which I interfered. I know why I did… This seems to have become a common occurrence for me: people calling for others or me to stop thinking. One person told me it was a sense of romanticism that is not very useful. Another told me that the mind seduces you into the wrong direction and that you should control what you think. Yet another fine young lady told me that I bring myself useless headaches. There is a consensus: we should narrow our framework of acceptable thoughts.

Now had this come from people who were of mediocre education, I would have let it pass. But these reactions have come from people who are well-educated, who belong to Egypt's social and cultural elite – some of them even had their share of education abroad. Everyone seems protective of the framework in which they found themselves, and the thought of the sanctity of this framework being violated is very disturbing to them.

I claim to have a deep respect for other people's ideological and spiritual choices. To take this respect to another dimension, I also respect the depth at which people choose to reach in their ideological and spiritual wanderings. I am very happy for all those who have found their framework and no longer feel the need to pose any questions. This is indeed a blessing. But unless members of this group have answers to my questions, they should respect my choice to continue to question. It is conceivable that I choose to have much less of my beliefs as off-limits for my mind. In the end, any form of spiritualism requires a leap of faith, but I can choose to make my leap of faith narrower.

The dear friend of mine sitting with me introduced me to a great thinker: Ibn Ata'a Al-Sakandary. Why do I choose to think? I believe he has the answer. Ibn Ata'a once said:

إرادتك التجريد مع إقامة الله لك في الأسباب من الشهوة الخفية

This roughly translates to: "Your choice to fail the means provided to you by Allah answers an internal desire". What does this mean: it means that each of us has a role, and failing this role can only take place due to a lack of courage. It is the role of some to think… and out of those many who think, some will come up with original thoughts that will change this world (not me off course). This is how the greatest ideas in the world (including the world of Islam) came to existence.

For those who have found all the answers they need: hope to join you soon. For those who haven't: keep trying and never let anything stop you. Do not fail your courage.

Made to Last...

Eternity is made to last
For a soul burdened with sorrow
The weight of future and past
Leave no hope for a better tomorrow

Like the excruciating blade of the sun
And the scorching heat of the sand
The past and present are one
A soul in no man's land

Like the raging storms of a sea
The waters rising and churning
Echoing the fury and frenzy
The turmoil of a soul in agony

When past and present unite
To doom all that's at stake
The soothing hand of the present
Is the only possible escape

Salvation for the desert walker
Is an oasis appearing from afar
Be it mirage or reality
The walker's step will be drawn

The soul caught in turmoil
Carried by the tumults of the sea
Needs no more than an isle
To bring the soul solidity

The oasis
The present
The isle
Salvation