Extreme Inferiority, Misconceptions, and Generalizations?

When I linked to the AP story on the use of Bluetooth technology few days ago, I did not think that Saudi media would pay attention to it, because we often read similar stories in the Western media, and as I said, the story told nothing new.

However, today, I read this story in the printed edition of al-Hayat newspaper, which reports the reaction of some Saudis to the AP story. All the people interviewed criticized the American media because they think it misrepresents Saudis, and gives the wrong image about them. “The officials of the United States are responsible for the media errors on the government and people Saudi Arabia,” Saud Salim, a webmaster who graduated from an American university, said.

He blames the American Department of State in particular, for what he called “double scales.” Huh? He blames the American government, while he, in the same time, admits that American media is “free.” I think this is weird.

“The reporter does not indicate that people like Reem -if he actually had met her- exists in other countries, including his own country,” So’ad Abdul-Aziz, a university student, said. I don’t understand. The story was about Saudi Arabia. Why would the reporter ever consider mentioning other countries? This student does not seem to believe that the reporter has talked to a girl called Reem, and she doubts the reporter’s intentions.

The story refers to the AP reporter as a man, while the reporter is actually a woman, and her last name suggests that she comes from an Arabic origin.

Manal Mohammed thinks the American media represents Saudis with extreme inferiority, includes many misconceptions, and generalizes some individual’s acts about a whole society. She says the likes of Reem and Abdullah exist, but thinks they are a minority. “How many are they? 1000? 2000? Or even 100,000? The population of Saudi Arabia is about 20m, and this report tries to give the impression that all the 20m are like Reem and Abdullah,” she said.

I’m not in a position where I can make a statement about how many people out there who are like Reem and Abdullah, because that would also be a generalization. I don’t even use Bluetooth, because my phone is not equipped with this technology. But I reread the story, and I could not get the attempt to give that certain impression she was talking about. What about you? Have any of you got that impression? Do you think that American media is biased when it comes to Saudi Arabia? Or let me be more specific: Do you think this story was unfair to Saudis?

4 thoughts on “Extreme Inferiority, Misconceptions, and Generalizations?

  1. What we need to be concerned about is not whether Reem exists in America or any other western country.

    According to the western culture, if someone wanted to have sex with Reem, they would approach her and ask her for her number, and take it from there. That is their culture and that is how they operate.

    The issue here is, if we want to accept that people like Reem exist in saudi, dubia, bahrain, Kuwait etc or not. I can tell you 100% they do.

    Leave bluetooth aside, even today pen and paper has become a disaster in the hands of our youth. Unfortunately they under the demand, seeking of ‘freedom'(their understanding of it) are on a self destruction course.

    I have seen it with my eyes, girls walking down shopping malls dropping their numbers in the pocket of guys. So forget about bluetooth. Thats even to advanced for our Shuyukh to understand.

    So yes they do exist, and the reason they exist is 3;

    1. Boredom, whether because of unemployment, or because of too much time (servants do everything) etc.

    2. Taking the Religion Islam, for granted, everything is just motions, they do not understand the true meaning of the Religion.

    3. American/Westner culture via satellite TV.

    In most cases it is the three put together, the satellite TV just teaches them what other things they can do. Drink, sex, cars and drugs.

    If you guys, the blogger community want to achieve freedom, and progress in the kingdom. You ought to first educate yourself, about your religion, and the type of freedoms that allows you. Secondly you need to fix the faults in your saudi system by way of religion.

    Trying to change a system, by what one or 100 people experience in their visits over seas, is not sufficient to sanction those types of changes.

    We need to be realistic. We need to see what is destroying the society and stop blaming the system for it.

    Ok the system doesnt allow us to do things, but it doesnt stop us from being good. It does make accessibility hard, but it doesnt shut it off.

    That does not give us any right to ask for western ways in the land of the Holy Prophet SAW.

  2. While I landed the hotplate, my uncle stated, now you will know what freedom is because we are Indians and enjoyed enough. Now I am here successfully completing 9th year but I couldn’t find any difficulty to leave. What we need to keep documents like Iqama and other driving IDs etc. that’s all. Except Iqama, nothing more I should keep then? Peaceful situation make everything easy to run. We can plan about coming days. What’s extra freedom? Strikes or prohibited matter like drugs/drinks/sexual affairs or whatelse? In India, freedom is in extreme passion due to that peace lifted… Struck lives due to vast face of strike for nothing just destroy public and private properties.
    Freedom of expression… Many times I thought about freedom of expression while some Saudi goons played around. yuths in dammam shown somewhat something expates reserved. I taught if it’s India, I would ‘wish’ my ‘freedom of expression’ but patients makes easy to escape. leaving peacefully by ignoring freedom guys.
    In India freedom of expression on high tide.. too enough.., just allege/achieve anything against enemy by fetch hot issues n bold themselves but no one can’t cross money that is power and freedom of expression. If would like to eliminate any big cheese, there are ways to do so how could be deprived men!. that’s the so called freedom. In India or any so called freedom country, money is freedom.

  3. the basic problem i felt is neither the religion nor the increasing influance of western culture.nothing else;only money,surplus money in the society.
    this may sound strange and funny.
    but the truth is always like that.

    i have seen people wasting money every where in your country.the money gives us lot of spare time.becuase,u dont need to wash your cloths or your car.you dont need to cook your meals.people feel ushamed of doing the basic things.for every small things you have servents or other means if you have money to pay.you dont understand the value of work.work is worship.be a true muslim ,you can solve this issue

    if you dont have money to pay,you have to do it yourself.your mind and body is engaged then.if you fear about your future while you are growing up and you feel nothing will come into your life with out hard work you start to learn how to study well.then you are engaged.u have no time to think about the unnecessary things in your life.if u fear that you will loose your job,if you are not working competently,you will be engaged in your duty with your full concentration.you never get bored in work place.work culture is very important.be a true muslim u can solve this issue

    money is wasted every where.i have seen people ordering lot of food in restaurant and wasting.(there are millions around the world starving to death).i have seen people shopping unnecessarily in malls.i have seen people buy branded jeans costing 1500 riyal in rashid mall,kobar.the profit to the manufacturer may be 1200 riyal.they fool us very easily.A single man driving a huge expensive car proudly that can carry atleast 12 people.where does that money go..?wastage of feul and money.they fool us again.
    they give us all the junky foods we become eventually diabatic or obase.then they give expensive medicine and traetment equipments.you had a very good traditional food system which kept your ancestors healthy and happy.we r being fooled again and again.they are very successful to convience you this all unneceesary things are very essential in your life.be a simple muslim,u can solve this issue.

    i have heared a funny thing from my arab friend that wieves force their husbend to spend all the money they earns,because,if he has money balance in his hand he will get married again.she doesnt want that.thats why,she spent as much as she can.if faith is not there in relatioship,planning for life toghether is not there.if there is no planning your life spoiled and next generation also spaoiled.
    one of my arab friend and his wife is working for last 10 years and they still stay in a rented house.some time he borrow money from me.i draw nearly half the amount what he draws and my wife is not working.i have my own two storied house and an old ambasadar(indian make) car back home which i earned from my 7 year work in india.i sent money to my mother monthly.
    sex with love and caring is the most beutiful thing in the life.the only creature in the world who do the sex for pleasure is human being.all the other creature do it in a sesonal manner aimed for reproduction.if there is no love in sex,it become mechanical.you feel as if u miss some thing in it.you start to think that verity will make it more funny.the search for verity cause all the problems.you get bored that soon.you search for new things again.still you are un happy.sex dont gives pleausure.your mind gives you.all depend on your perception.
    western world face this poblem.
    they now end up with child sex(what a pity).

    after all uncertanty and hardship in our life takes us near to allah,the almighty always.if every thing is simple and easy in your life,there is tendancy to go away from him.we become lazy.

  4. What fabulous assessments by Yus Kodhini and Haris Badrudeen !!! They have both hit the nail on its head.
    Western standards and thoughts have corrupted the Saudi youth and all Arab youth. Now they are after western ideals, the frightening thought that there would not be Muslims praying in the mosques at a future time is indeed a reality when you see the events happenings in Arab nations today.
    Do not waste your youth. Do not feel restless and do not waste the time spoiling your health and doing unwanted and alien things. Alien to your culture and your lives and your religion. Islam is supreme it gives all the answers. It is all conquering. Of course there are people misusing Islam for their own warped purposes. BUt you just what is correct for you. Let the wrong doers continue their sins.
    I pity you guys and gals. You are reaching out for the impossible, you are reaching out for something that is not compatible for you as a human being from this part of the world.
    Come to other countries, especially Asian countries and see how Muslims live there inspite of so many things available and open to them. See their dedication see how they lead their young lives. Young is young, youth is youth wherever you are.
    Have you heard about Westerners who are coming to Asian countries and embracing religions like Buddhism and Hinduism ? Why, since they are the enlightened ones, they are still lost to Islam but they understood that the western lifestyle is all crap and life is too precious to waste on that!! So wake up all you guys and gals, wake up Islam is so very close to you embrace it and shake the laziness out of your lives and see a better world , a better life. May Allah bring peace and happiness to all of you. I will pray and ask dua for all of you.

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