When you look at various blogospheres of different nations, much of the differences tend to center on politics, ideology and socio-economic status. In the Arab blogosphere this is even more apparent and differences tend to represent polarities.
I didn’t notice this until recently but the Jordanian blogosphere, all be it small and representing a small country with a small population, is pretty diverse culturally. Most can be categorized as: Arab, Jordanian, Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, Circassian, Armenian, Iraqi, Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese and Moroccan; one or two of the above, or a mix of all of the above (some how) and other attributes not mentioned.
I mention this because as an Arab, when I think of all of those categories under one roof or in one single environment, it’s hard for me not to imagine cultural conflict.
And I mention this because some might say that Arab bloggers tend to only represent higher socio-economic (elitist if you will) stratum of their country. But there’s something to be said about the spirit of one’s country; something that tends to be embedded in everyone regardless of wealth or lack thereof. And Jordan being the crucible I feel it is in the Arab world manages to support a spirit that lets everyone get along.
This is something that becomes emphasized once you’re on the World Wide Web and the world feels that much more smaller.
And I admit, it is comforting. In some strange way it is a comforting feeling when I see various Jordanian bloggers celebrating their various origins, be they religious, ethnic and/or cultural. It’s even more comforting when you get the sense that everyone (or the majority at least) has a similar vision for Jordan.
So there’s something to be said about that.
This post was a small attempt at doing so.
We are not supposed to flow at the same wavelength. Such a heterogeneity might be good in certain context and not in others.
However, this problem of identity, per se, emerges every now and then not only in Jordan. Considering its special demography makes it more evident in Jordan.
Elitist is not related (directly) to socioeconomic factors only, but possibly to the loyalties, affiliations, affinities, education level or aspirations of certain groups.
And with that you will see that the full spectrum is yet to be painted across the blogosphere in general.
But I do share your comfort that diversity is being celebrated in so many ways. True there are many kinks and knots here and there but at the end of the day I believe the result is getting closer and closer towards a position where a more focused join approach is taken towards the challenges of the future than focus on the destructive differences that attribute absolutely nothing to the progress of us all as a nation
Thanks, and Well said Nas..
//off topic
Can you check your RSS feed? There seems to be something wrong with it
Hippo: to flow in a certain wavelength is to be in agreement with everyone and how they think. this is not what i meant in the post. i am talking of a higher sense of community regardless of the many differences that make every person unique unto themselves.
Qwaider: “Elitist is not related (directly) to socioeconomic factors only, but possibly to the loyalties, affiliations, affinities, education level or aspirations of certain groups.” — those are pretty much considered socioeconomic factors.
i dont believe there’s anything wrong with the feed
I’m so comforting I know 🙂
Moey: you’re the scotch tape that binds us all 😀
Nicely done, Nas. I think these reasons are why the J blogosphere is so compelling for me (among many others). It is a microcosm of hope for a changed future.
I must say, though, that with being the ‘elite’ and connected, I feel God has given you all a huge task, and that is to change your world. He has blessed you all with skill, talent, resources, education and a bi/tri-cultural/generational world-view. Young bloggers, don’t waste this opportunity living fluffy, dissapated (sp?) lives. Rise to the challenge in your sphere of influence.
Moey, lol, scotch tape.
Nas, there was a problem yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t read the ‘shame’ post unless from another link.Seems fixed now, it looked like a wordpress problem (as if I would know!).
kinzi: i agree with what you said and i hope to live up to that task in my own way 🙂
Sorry Nas, with all due respect. I don’t want to get into too much definitions here, but Socioeconomics is social impacts of economic activity or vice versa. So in the article when you associated it with wealth, you were dead on.
Anyway, I have a lot to agree with you in this article than semantics..
Qwaider, I understand but when we talk about “elitism” we generally speak of people who are well off financially. tribes in kerak may hold some form of power in the country but are not considered elitists.
I think that the late historian Arthur Schlesinger wrote a similar view About America & its multicultaralism.Despite his love for liberalism he wasn’t in favor of an America akin of a melting pot.He was in favor of having every ethnic group celebrate their cultural similarities/differences in their own way while at the same time enjoy being American citizens with all the rights and obligations that come with it.If you ask me I happen to think that it is a healthy state of affairs.
Salaam ‘Alaikum
I think Jordanian society is general more diverse than people think it is. But I wanted to add another category of Jordan bloggers, and those are the Americans, Brits, and others from Europe and NA who live and blog here.
wa 3aleikom al salam ummzaid
i second that, except i was focusing on those who are more on the citizen side of things as a metaphor for the diversity of the larger society.
thanks for the comment! 🙂