The Arab World

The Hidden Dimension (book)pp. 154-164 | Edward Hall

[Anima Mundi]

There are many implications here. I noted the following:

1. When we watch for "suspicious" behavior, what do we look for? "Suspicious behavior" in this case might mean the person is acting like us.

2. Olfaction is very important. Might it be used as a disorientation weapon? Eggs dropped that rot, skunks, etc.?

3.Isolation might be a good "torture" technique

4. It appears if one moves or backs away it is seen only as weakness and encouragement to take more space

5. Boundaries are set by relationships not lines on maps.

[ThePythonicCow]

bump

[billybudd]

Shoot, I never realized the extent to which our culture is so much superior.

[river rat]

Shame on you, billybud!

All cultures are equal.
Our strength is from our diversity
Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.

< /sarcasm>
All P.C. garbage and pure bullshit.
Semper Fi

[elbucko]

The French Pilot-Philosopher, Antoine De Saint-Exupery, (author of "The Little Prince" though he wrote much more) had extensive contact with the Arab cultures while trying to establish air mail routes for Air France in Algeria and Morroco during the 1920's. He mentions many times such paradoxes between Arab and European cultures. From some of these observations, as well as other cultures, he began to formulate his origin of war as the inability of different cultures to communicate. His writings can be found in his book "Wind, Sand and Stars". He disappeared into the Mediteranian Sea in 1944 while flying a P-38 "Lightening", unarmed reconnaissance plane.

Thanks for the informative post.

[American Preservative]

Very interesting.

Ping.

[Theresa]

5. Boundaries are set by relationships not lines on maps.

So does that mean that if a Jew comes in proximity to an Arab, the Arab reacts negatively not because of any invasion of his "space" but because the person is a Jew.

[patriciaruth]

Barbaric folk indeed.

Wry remark, or are you serious?

A lot of the remarks on the differences in cultures are how us Westerners view Easterners, and vice versa, I suppose. What we think of as friendliness, they think of intrusions on their public privacy space. What we think of as a hideous, cramped coffin, they call a loft. Behaviors they feel are acceptable prompt us to say, "You must be from New York."
A friend's brother-in-law, who is Arab, on coming to our rural town, said that part of it reminded him of Jordan.
Maybe Westerners in the diplomatic corps, maybe President Bush himself, would have much more "luck" dealing with this world than Easterners.

[Robert Lomax]

Fvck the Arabs. Americans and other westerners when they go abroad are expected to be sensitive to the local cultures. They can do the same when they come here.
Semper Fi!

[Savage Beast]

That bit about olfaction is particularly interesting.

I suspect that pheromones play a much more important role in our lives that is generally realized.

Many pheromones are probably unconscious but affect us powerfully anyway. They're probably constantly shifting and changing with our emotions et al.

Many people are not aware of the varied and powerful pheromones that affect sex and sexuality. They probably affect everything else as well.

Many people are in denial about smells. Certain states--depression comes to mind--can have a suppressing effect on smell--and no doubt on pheromones. Some depressed people e.g. say, "I don't have much of a sense of smell."

[ppaul]

[billybudd]

Hahahahahaha! Good stuff!

[Don Joe]

"the zionist propaganda machine is out in force this morning"

And the Jew-baiting propaganda machine is out in farce this morning.

Interesting comment coming from the same agitator who said, "it is totally stupid to trash someones religion" -- while talking about the islamists -- isn't it. Well, maybe not, considering he also said "and who can trust israel - the old gestapo routine works pretty good - beat the hell out of them until they are afraid not to like you - it worked for hitler".

[Don Joe]

"Barbaric folk indeed."

"Wry remark, or are you serious?

"A lot of the remarks on the differences in cultures are how us Westerners view Easterners, and vice versa, I suppose. What we think of as friendliness, they think of intrusions on their public privacy space. What we think of as a hideous, cramped coffin, they call a loft."

And what we think of as rape, they think of as...

Well, maybe some day they'll get around to coming up with a word for that "cultural" triviality, eh?

[meenie]

If there are no boundaries, I can see where the Arabs have failed to get any semblance of prosperity. The ownership of property is the first requirement for any sort of responsibility or incentive.

The socio/communist movement has proven this. The Arabs by their tradition are communal in their society. This explains their extreme envy of the West. We see this envy factor in our country where "soak the rich" is a rallying cry for the left.

[lucyblue]

BUMP