Recently I have been checking loads of blogs, mainly of Egyptians.
When I read some of them I feel elated! It is great to have Egyptians that think and even better when they think like me - haha!
Okay seriously, it's a sad truth that the amount of Egyptians that actually use this brain that they possess to make sense of what happens around them and try to learn more and develop analyses for what happens.
I would like to believe I am one of those, despite of my few readings in the issues I care about - my concentration span is really limited, watching a whole movie is an effort.(yes mom, I am working on it wallahee)
So some blogs that have blown me away are Freedom For Egyptians, Egyptian Sand monkey, Manal and Alaa, Snefru and that is only to name a few.
So my quest is to find out, who exactly are those people - their identities are not shown - well with their views it is understandable.
What are the demographic of the Egyptians that give me some hope?
First of all, they blog A LOT! and have good language skills - Arabic or English - which leads me to believe they may be journalists who use blogs as a futile attempt to satisfy their need for Freedom of Speech.
Second of all, quite a number of them write English is really well, and they have a lot of references to the US, and its culture. Which leads me to believe they have lived or experienced the US culture.
This is a good and bad thing - it's awesome that those people chose to direct their energy towards their country and towards making themselves heard. But it's bad since it means that the Egyptian system of education and the Egyptian upbringing does not nurture those minds.
I guess I would be the exception here :)
Third of all, this has been a debate between me and roomie, fellow blogger and fellow AIESECer Nisrin, their age.
They kefaya movement has been driven by people who are in their 40ies on average. Look at them, they are OLD!! Opposition and demonstrators when it comes to Egyptian issues are also in their 40ies on average. Young demonstrators of the AUC, Cairo University and my all time favorite Alexandria University ( Yay for the Faculty of NO Arts) demonstrate about evil United States, poor Iraq and the innocent Palestinians (please note sarcastic tone), but they rarely demonstrate about their own country.
The necessity and rationale and effectiveness of demonstrations are not in question here, but it merely demonstrates the areas of passion for the people.
So Nisrin thinks that those bloggers must be in their mid thirties, to forties to fifties. Professors, or Journalists, or better Journalism Professors.
Though it does make sense - but I am hoping that they are not that old and they are in their early twenties like me, University Students and Fresh graduates who want to change things. Or should I loose complete hope in the youth of today.
I blogged last year about Egyptian Youth in my eyes - University of Doom and Gloom
Wondering how to end this post…
7 comments:
actualy, Kifaya is run by people who are in their 60's and people in their 20's and early 30's, i.e. the people who were not born in the days of Nasser, thus have an understanding of what freedom is, unlike their counterparts in the 40's and 50's, a.k.a. most of our parents. Our parents are the demographic who lived under Nasser and his tyrannic rule, and therefore think Mubarak's age is azah 3osorr el dimocrateyah wal Horreyah. And they are right: compared to Nasser's days, we are living in a utopia of liberty and freedom.
Our parents generation- the nasser generation-screwed Egypt by their passivity, and now they are the ones wondering how things got so bad and why are most of the younger generation isn;t willing to stay here and fix things. Gee..with them as our role models, I wonder why myself?
so the pre-Nasser generation is trying to initiate change.
the Nasser generation can't be bothered
The Mubarak generation wants to get the hell outta here
what about the Sadaat generation?
does that mean our generation is better than our parents in this particular issue?
well, notice how I said early 30's? That's the Sadat generation.
As for your question, how about you conduct a little experiment: Ask your mom and dad if they are willing to openly demand reform and democracy and equal rights in Egypt. Try with your Uncles and Aunts too, and maybe with the parents of some of your friends. Tell me what you find out, will ya?
Sand Monkey, Despite my agreeement with you regarding Nasser, yet the actual leaders of Kefaya and most other groups grew pre Nasser's regime.. (nothing much positive about that, coz they are big time failing in achieving any result) Most of them were in the university in the 1970s and were shaped by the Nasser educational system that at least kept an Egyptian component present in people's minds.. The result of Sadat days is the terribly wahabized youth you find everywhere.. Sadat did not care to take any action to stop the effect of the wahabization due to the huge number of kids, born, educated, or simply influenced by money earned in the gulf and mainly Saudi.. This thing truly infiltrated the society and we ended up having kids in soccer forums (visit www.filgoal.com) so angry coz girls go to the stadium(isn't it enough we are allowing them to go out for education and work?
The other groups of protestors are less than 30 years old, ya3ny started going to schools pre Mubarak...they are also largely influenced by the growth of what is called "globalization" effects.. internet, satelite receivers, and growth in international business in Egypt..
i already asked my parents about what they are willing to do.
my mom thinks there is no hope.
and my dad, despite of his challenigng views, very good backgound and very insightful mind, wouldn't get involved in these "doggy" political affairs.
he does vote - thank god - but more than that, he wouldn't.
i think your views are valid, but being bon in a time is different than growin up in that time.
people who were born in the 30ies grew up before Nassef took over. Those people are now in their 70ies.
but those who grew up in the 50ies and 60ies like my mom and dad, whitnessed nasser in full throttle.
30 year olds grew up in Mubarak's time.
we need to research this more to develop a good standing hypothesis.
I'm famous! I'm famous!...
Thanks for mentioning me. I'm flattered:-)
Youth for Change شباب من أجل التغيير, an effective subsidiary of Kifaya is driven by people in their thirties and below, and they've been manning the protests for the past year.
Post a Comment