Sunset Chill at Square – Movenpick (Source: RagMag)
People have been asking me to comment on recent incidents, such as the video showing few army men assaulting an unarmed civilian in Saida, Fadl Shaker bragging about killing army men (or Hezbollah I am not sure) and lately the incident that took place between MP Nadim Gemayel’s bodyguards and the Nasawiya members.
To be honest, I have a lot to say but I haven’t done so because I am disgusted by the way most Lebanese are reacting to every single thing that happened. It feels like everyone’s gone crazy and is ready to start the next civil war. Even the slightest accident is taken out of proportion and turned into a drama. For instance, news reported few days ago that a bus full of Syrians was assaulted by few thugs on its way to a studio in Jisr el Wati; Few minutes later, I started hearing people comparing that bus to the Ain el Remmaneh bus in 1975 that ignited the civil war!
I understand that the situation is critical and things are tense in few areas but we need to exercise some self-control and stop exaggerating and dramatizing everything. Unfortunately, the Lebanese Media is playing a destructive role and adding more fuel to the fire, an issue that I will get back to in a different post.
Some people might argue that people need to know about what’s happening and I agree but we need to do so more responsibly and in a mature way, and more importantly try to listen to everyone’s story and get the whole image before expressing our anger. What saddens me the most is that people refuse to even dialogue lately and end up screaming and yelling and cursing, whether online or on TV shows.
Let’s express our frustration by partying in night clubs and rooftops and try to chill a bit and avoid our country more problems. It doesn’t mean we should forget about other issues but we can tackle them in a more objective and rational way. All this negativity will not help resolve anything but on the contrary make things worse.
I’ve gone through phases in my life where I was upset of everything that’s been happening in Lebanon and I wanted to change things and demonstrate etc .. and I can assure you the way you look at things is very different when you sit back and look at the bigger image. It helps you be more objective and efficient in promoting your thoughts or causes or whatever you are fighting for. It also helps you reach out to a bigger number of people and get your message through more easily.
On a last note, I just want to emphasize again that I am not trying to take things lightly and ignore how bad the situation is, but I am asking everyone to act more calmly and responsibly. As the Lebanese proverb says “Ba33id 3an el char wou ghaneelo”.
PS: This post is not directed at any side or group or individual.
Totally agree on the over dramatizing going on in Lebanon, but the problem is they do that while still partying on rooftops, so I don’t think that would be the answer… If people did less partying, less drama, less following blindly, they’d be in a better position to make rational decisions and get themselves out of the gutter.
Most Lebanese can’t afford night clubs or rooftops or even have time to chill. They never have, which also could be a problem.
Maybe what is required is more citizenship than chilling, as the previous commentator noted.
I agree Habib, few people realize that alongside the complex political factors which were sweeping Lebanon, the class struggle between the “haves” and “have nots” was one of the major factors that led to the Lebanese war. There was so much in your face exuberance and conspicuous consumption to put a fuel on the divide. It is also interesting that Najib himself compiled how exorbitantly expensive it is to spend a day at the beach for a Lebanese family, but eventually now is telling us to switch from beaches to swanky rooftop bars (probably the same budget of the whole beach day would be spent on a couple of cocktails… During happy hour!).
Tarek,
There are nights, clubs, restaurants, beaches and rooftops suited to all budgets and if you had read my beach day spending post well, you would have noticed I disagreed with the proposed figures.
Thanks for the clarification.
Totally appreciate your self-restraint, although it is very tempting to criticize these days, to cuss right and left, and maybe, to incite people.
The best quote for the current situation in the medias is:
“Give me media with no conscience; I will give you people who are unconscious.”
I’m sure there must be cheap nightclubs and bars to go to..
No
Excellent post, my thoughts exactly. As volatile as the region is at the moment, the media is doing a terrible job in defusing the anger. On the contrary; more talk shows, more talk about the civil war, bloodshed, everything is being blown out of proportion, and all they are really doing is adding fuel to the fire.
We need a whole different approach, a new perspective on media, something more objective and not politically affiliated with any party. Sadly, due to the political bankruptcy that this solution might cause, it’s in nobody’s interest, thus the political bickering and dispute will never cease to exist.
Shame…
Yeah the News is definitely not helping in any way.
I mean they throw any bit of information they hear without first validating anything.
Recent events have had many examples of that.
Excellent, excellent post! It will be hard, though; the Lebanese are a passionate people. At the same time, they are also smart. May rationality carry the day.