SEGHAYER On a very hot afternoon recently, my mobile phone rang. The display showed the number of an old friend whom I hadn't heard from for a while. I hesitated to answer, but then I decided to talk to him anyway. After exchanging pleasantries, he said, “I would like to meet with you this evening, if you are not busy.” “Sure! But what for?” I asked. He maintained that I would find out when we met. That evening as I sat down across from him, he addressed me in an angry voice. “What have you done recently?” he asked. “About what? “Well, I came across some of your articles in which I noticed you were only portraying the negative aspects of Saudis and Saudi society.” “This,” he continued, “in itself is fine, if you were to choose an appropriate outlet, the right platform.” “Can you be a bit more specific?” I asked. “You could have chosen the local press to point out some of the negative aspects of our country and society instead of publishing in a paper with an international readership,” he replied. “It is more effective to use the local press for a better exchange of ideas, which I assume is your eventual aim. Non-Saudis are the last people with whom you should be discussing local issues, let alone elucidating our social deficiencies.” “Your point is well taken and legitimate, too,” I responded in a calm tone. “However, let us look at this issue from a different angle and a wider perspective.” I was not surprised to hear the man's reaction to my articles. I would attribute it to two main reasons. The first has something to do with the peculiarities characteristic of Arabs, in general, and Saudis, in particular, who always like to keep their family matters within the fences of their houses, so to speak. To them, in no way should outsiders or strangers be involved in, and much less informed about, their own affairs. You can, in my perspective, apply this notion confidently to the larger society. The second reason involves the way we praise ourselves all the time, no matter what, instead of looking closely at our defects and shortcomings. We always like to hear that we are the best country in the world and that there is nothing wrong with our lifestyle, customs, or behavior. Local and international readers alike, I argued with my friend, know for a fact that the shortcomings of a society are all about human nature. Thus, no country can escape from having some unpleasant social features. No one on the planet can claim that their country is perfect and their society is ideal. I am, therefore, very much willing to discuss some of the negative aspects of our country and it makes no difference whether I publish in the local press or a paper with international readership as long as my intention is to raise the awareness of my own people to our failings and to highlight some unpleasant aspects of our lifestyle, so that we can work together to correct them. By so doing, we may be able to create a better living environment for all Saudi citizens and expatriates who are here to help us build our lovely country. — The writer is a Saudi academic who can be reached at [email protected] __
