Just another chapter from Ali Baba and the forty peeves.
Egyptian intellectuals slammed calls to ban the Arabian Nights tale hundreds of years after its emergence in the literary scene under the pretext of immorality and warned of the ‘bedouinization’ of Egyptian culture.
A recent republication of the centuries-old classic triggered controversy as a group of Egyptian lawyers called to ban the new version on the basis of depiction of sexuality and use of offensive language.
I know what you’re thinking – “Egypt has intellectuals?”
“For example, the sexual relationship between the slave and the princess reveals how the marginalized are objectified and how in a repressive society the bodies of the members of royalty become a dream for the frustrated working class.”
Through the relationship he has with his mistress, Diab explains, the slave finds a means to conquer to the ruling class that oppresses him and his people.
Apparently they do!
“For example, the sexual relationship between the slave and the princess reveals how the marginalized are objectified and how in a repressive society the bodies of the members of royalty become a dream for the frustrated working class.”
That sounds suspiciously like some Marxist gender-studies graduate in Canada.
How boring.
Thought experiment: A world dominated by puritan jihadist Islamic weirdos vs. a world dominated by power-grievance-obsessed, marxiologist deconstructionist weirdos. Discuss!
(The wonderful Camille Paglia wrote that she’d started reading “marginalized” as “margarinized” back in the early ’90s.)
Hopefully, they ban the Koran next…..
Ah yes, bedouinization – a new word. The article
does indicate the extent of the departure of
present-day radical Islam from historical norms.
Perhaps the strongest of such is the placing of women
out of sight of men in mosques during prayers, for which
there is apparently no historical precedent.
explains all the Nobel Science prizes out of that neck of the woods.
Not.
“and warned of the ‘bedouinization’ of Egyptian culture.”
Which is why, in Egypt, Muslims read the Koran in Egyptian instead of Arabic, or not.
I think the Egyptian culture has already been “bedouinized” long ago.
If there are any real Egyptians left, the Copts are it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copt
When I read this article where Diab, a sociology professor rejects the rejection of the Arabian Nights – I see an expression of the ideological conflict in the Islamic states.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/05/05/107772.html
“Diab described the complaint filed with the Prosecutor General as a manifestation of the deterioration of the culture of literature in a society that takes advantage of religion.
“The text has nothing against Islam. We are facing a group of imposters who claim they are defending Islam and are trying to make apostates of others.”
That is, you have an Islamic ideology that is insisting that it be embedded in religion, and a 7th c extremist or bedouin interpretation of religion..versus a view of Islamic SOCIETY that is civic, not religious, and open to interpretation.
Now, I may find Diab’s interpretation of the slave and princess interaction a typical Marxist perspective, but, it is a CIVIC interpretation. Not a view informed by fanatic religious dogma. That’s the fight in the Islamic states: those two views.
I would have assumed there were intellectuals in Egypt, however I am listening to them about as much as I listen to Canadian intellectuals.
you will note that the version being protested is a bowdlerized version “without immoral words or illustrations” not even the full complete or original telling of the tale!
You will note that the individuals protesting have never read a book other than the koran.
And that they most likely only memorized without ever understanding anything therein.
As for those who are rebuffing the ignorant boobooins…. could there be hope for civilization in Egypt?
…more proof the pyramids were built by aliens…
Get a grip folks….
It does help to know a bit about the religion and the culture.
This is just a push back against a relatively new austere version of Sunnism…
This is a pushback against the Wahibi interpretations that emerged from the deep desert with the Saudi conquerers of Arabia post WW1.
The defeated Hashemite rulers of Mecca, retreated North headed for Damascus….the Brits fearing instability with this crowd moving into the French Mandate Syria….talked Abdullah into settling at Amman and becoming King of TransJordan.
It is a similar situation to the British rejection of the Puritans….a vague anology.
Wahibism is Bedouin culture….very in tents (pun).
Eygyptian culture ended with the Greek Potolomy, one of Alexander’s Macedonian Generals, after the death of Alexander. Then came the Romans and then the Arab Conquest.
Oz
[….If there are any real Egyptians left, the Copts are it.] Probably.
I have noticed most gypos, I have met, go to great lengths to specify they are Eygptian—not arab….BTW they are not offended to be referred to as gypos.
Racialy they are likely distinct—evidence the Mameluks….occupiers of Jerusalem just prior to the First Crusade…later defeated by Napolean Bonoparte.
Al&Moh: potless in Egypt.
“Everybody is going crazy. My friends are telling me they can’t focus at work.””
Egypt: home of the worlds’s first & oldest Pyramid Scheme, socialism.
…-
“Drug smokers in Egypt suffer hashish shortage after crackdown
Millions of Egyptians — some of the world’s most enthusiastic consumers of hashish — are suffering withdrawal pangs after an unprecedented shortage of their favourite narcotic.
A sudden fall in supply of the concentrated form of marijuana has sent prices spiralling, and left smokers searching for alternative highs.
“This is very weird for Egypt. I’ve never seen it like this,” said Yasser, a former police officer-turned-hash dealer.
“My supplier told me he doesn’t know what’s going on. Everybody is going crazy. My friends are telling me they can’t focus at work.””
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7116342.ece
“Egypt has intellectuals?”
Posted by Kate at May 5, 2010 4:01 PM
Yup. You pick them out the same way you pick out ours…they refuse to acknowledge who the bad guys are.
Black Mamba wrote: “(The wonderful Camille Paglia wrote that she’d started reading “marginalized” as “margarinized” back in the early ’90s.)”
As did I, assuming it referred to people who were too poor to buy butter.
Isn’t that the objective? Bed-oinizing your lust bunny?
How’s that Midnight at the Oasis song go;
“Midnight at the oasis
Take your camel to bed …”
Roseberry; or weren’t planning on eating it…;)
sasquatch, you continue to know a lot (experience + smarts)
In the game of sex, I always go to bedouin…
Erik Larsen
[….sasquatch, you continue to know a lot (experience + smarts)]
Too bad it hasn’t made me rich….
Ideology is not as powerful as such things as race or nationalism.
Russian Communists were Russians first, communists second—-same for the rest of ’em.
The problem with the “sandbox” is that there is little or no tradition of nationalism. Until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire during WW1….identity was religion first–city second–.
T. E. Lawrence harnessed Arab resentment against the Turks—-but found it was like herding cats.
As time passes cultural differences are manifesting….Arabs distrust Persians/Iranians….urban arabs are resentful of Bedouin arrogance…..Afghans are suspicious of ALL non-Afghans….
Tribalism prevents strong nationalism—Pan Islamic unity is a myth……