In The New Life, Brought to you by oil MLD remarks on how she believes that in the city of Abu Dubai there was a strange mixture of both western culture and traditional Islamic culture. I think that Islamic people are not against material wealth, like nice cars, clean white robes, or nice houses. The idea Muslims dislike about westernization is not that in the west we have money, the part of westernization Muslims dislike is that they have to change their culture to become modern and westernized. Islamic people don’t want to change their fashion, beliefs on women, or their traditional Islamic views. That is why they reject westernization, not because they do not want to have money. I don’t think Islamic people mind changing their economic standings to better their standard of living. Islamic people who profited from the oil industry are not westernizing, I think that they are simply continuing their traditional way of life, but in luxury. Instead of riding camels they drive Mercedes, but their true culture remains unchanged and non-westernized. Also I don’t think the cartoon really symbolizes a merging of new and old Islamic cultures. I believe it shows that Muslims are turning their back on religion (Mecca in the picture), and are focusing on oil. Instead of praying in the direction of Mecca, they are facing and praying toward the oil Riggs. The cartoon illustrates Muslims turning their back on religion and embracing the wealth of oil much more than it describes Muslims combining new and old cultures.
D.P.S.