While reading Baghdad without a Map, I couldn’t help but be shocked by the mixture of old traditions with modern ways of life. In chapter four, Persian Gulf: The Strait of Hoummos, Tony Horwitz described the city of Abu Dhabi as an incredible combination of new technology with traditional ways of life. In this city, the roads are filled with white Mercedes being driven by men in white robes. It seems unusual for these two images to go together, because when I think white Mercedes I think modern, however; the fact that the man is wearing a white robe seems to contradict this idea of modernization. The fact that Tony Horwitz saw a camel race advertised in the Emirates News also seems to contradict itself. The fact that there is a camel race seems to be a tradition of the past, but it is being advertised in modern ways. How are they able to do this? The answer is oil. It brings money and money brings technology and arguably “western ways” of life. During the oil boom, this tiny nation was the richest in the world. With their new found wealth the people discarded their camels and tents for villas and expensive cars. In a world where they claim to “prevent westernization” and constantly blame the USA for trying to westernize them, they have westernized their own country. The amazing thing is although they westernized themselves in some aspects of life, they kept many of the old traditions. Confused on how they were able to do this, I searched online and came across this cartoon. This cartoon, although very stereotypical, demonstrates this idea of combining the old with the new.
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/vsh0486l.jpg
MLD
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MLD brings up some really interesting points regarding oil and the Middle-East. I agree that oil indeed does bring money to many countries in the Middle-East; however, I am not sure that this is the entire cause for many of the western traditions being performed in these countries. Countries in the Persian Gulf have professions much like American profession, like doctors for example. Many people have made their money through work. It is most likely that the government officials are the people who make the money from oil distribution. Also, it is possible that many of the expensive items we have here such as cars are less expensive overseas. Though many Middle-Easterners dislike America, it is very likely that there are people who envy the United States and want to own things we have. I do agree with MLD that it is amazing how with so many western-integrated traditions, the Middle-Eastern countries have managed to keep most of their own traditions. This shows dedication, I think, to their country and their religion. They have managed to keep what is most important to them, while trying new traditions to go along with their old ones.
EJ
MLD brings up some points that I couldn’t agree more with. I was shocked by the old traditions with modern ways of life. I was confused about how a person who is “old-fashioned” is driving a white Mercedes, a sign of modernization, showing how these two images contradict each other. Also, I agree that the oil brings them money and brings them technology. I disagree, however, with the fact that it brings them “western ways” of life. This does not show that they are at all modernizing; they are just doing what they have always done. They are businessmen; the Middle-East uses their resources to make money. The money could help urge them to modernize because now they have the resources, and backing to do so. I agree with the fact that the Middle East countries do blame countries like America for trying to modernize them. They are in some ways modernizing, but just enough so they do not have to completely agree with the U.S. In my views, the Middle-East wants to be something different while trying to survive. These two things are not easily done in the modernization of the world. The Middle East will continue to struggle until they completely give in to the fact that in order to be successful, they need to “go with the flow.”
-C.W.
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