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Arabs and Westerners: The Widening Gap

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An analysis of the difference in value systems.

By Mohammed Nosseir, August 2, 2015 Email address

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Arabs and Westerners are still living in two different

worlds, without even a bridge to connect them. Part of the
reason is that we function according to two very different
sets of values. All the efforts we have expended in order
to get more attuned to one another have been
unsuccessful.

Ultimately, this all boils down to using completely different

thought processes and behavior patterns.

Acceptance, Denial and Lack of Cooperation

Westerners tend to recognize and accept their faults,

(Credit: ChameleonsEye - believing that progress requires learning from one’s
Shutterstock.com) mistakes.

Conversely, Arabs believe that chances don’t come

twice, and we therefore tend to capitalize on every tiny
Takeaways opportunity that presents itself from someone else’s
misstep and to deny mistakes that could backfire on us.
Arabs believe that Westerners are raised to believe in the concept of coming
chances don’t come
together to achieve success, working in groups to
twice and thus tend to
address their challenges. Meanwhile, Arabs tend to be
capitalize on every tiny
individualistically oriented, working in zigzags and only
opportunity.
reaching out to the people when the need arises.
Tweet Enter search keywords
Additionally, since we Arabs generally believe that only
The West has managed losers make mistakes, our pride often prevents us from
to regulate power
acknowledging our faults. In our minds, conceding errors
rationally by applying
would categorize us as an inferior society.
liberal democracy.
Tweet Rational vs. Emotional

The lack of democracy
leaves most Arab
citizens harboring bitter
feelings towards their
governments.
Broadly speaking, Westerners are raised with a rational
mindset that is guided by the principle of “cause and
effect.” Arabs may use the same mechanism, but it is
always heavily culturally influenced by “emotions and
spirituality.”

https://www.theglobalist.com/arabs-westerners-middle-east-us/[5/27/2018 3:50:46 PM]

Arabs and Westerners: The Widening Gap - The Globalist

Tweet
Arabs have their own particular emotional beliefs that are Stephan Richter discusses the U.S.
quite difficult to either validate or challenge. Yet, these presidential election on Germany's ARD-
Contrary to popular Presseclub (August 7, 2016)
belief, Arabs aren’t beliefs continue to constitute the key driving tool of our
really eager to be thought processes. Publisher's welcome
counted among modern Who Is a Globalist?
nations. Therefore, in order for it to be accepted, any message Speaking and interview topics/Expertise
TV appearances
Tweet conveyed to Arabs must be molded emotionally. Radio interviews
English-language op-eds
To grasp the outlook of Power, Prosperity and Government-Citizen Harmony German-language op-eds
another society, we Bio | Hi-res photo
Power and prosperity are two fundamental facts of life.
need to lose the thinking
tools we were raised to The West has managed to regulate power rationally by
use. applying liberal democracy, placing the entire community
in a position that allows it to think about progress and
Tweet
prosperity.

Arabs, however, are still fighting over power, a fact that is

preventing us from achieving genuine prosperity. The
manipulations of corrupt ruling powers constitute an
indisputable obstacle to the realization of true prosperity.

Liberal democracy in the West has succeeded in

harmonizing the relationship between governments and
their citizens. This basically allows the entire society to
share the same set of values, through proper
governmental representation. Will Italy Spell the End of the Euro?
by Daniel Stelter
In the Arab World on the other hand, the lack of
democracy leaves most Arab citizens harboring bitter
feelings toward their governments. US: Headless on China
by Michael J. Brenner
The result is a segmented society where each segment
functions according to a different value system shaped by The Cost of a Human Life, Statistically
its particular viewpoint. Speaking
by Frank Partnoy
Bilateral talks with Western governments tend to result in
agreements with Arab governments or parliaments that
Trump and the Dangerous Politics of
do not represent their people. Humiliation
by Andrés Ortega
Past vs. Future

We Arabs live in our past, which is replete with great Sax and Pakistan
achievements. Being proud of our history, however, often by Richard Byrne
distracts us from thinking about building a better future.
We routinely blame the West for ruining our glorious past.

Meanwhile, Westerners have managed, for better or for

worse, to turn the page of their own dark and self-
destructive history, actively engaging in designing a
better future for themselves.

Bringing these two societies to live together in the

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Arabs and Westerners: The Widening Gap - The Globalist

present, without being influenced by either the drama of

the past or concerns for the future, is quite a challenge.

Envy vs. Contradiction

Westerners believe that Arabs envy their modernity and

democracy. In reality however, Arabs are by nature (and
regardless of their actual social status) quite proud of
themselves.

We enjoy what we have to the maximum and are not

really eager to be counted among these modern nations.
Arabs consider that (by advocating for moral values that
they themselves do not apply to all their citizens equally),
Western nations consistently apply an ethical double
standard.

In conclusion, Arabs and Westerners think, function and

behave according to completely different mechanisms.
To comprehend the outlook of a society that is alien to
us, we need to abandon the thinking tools that we were
raised to use. We need to adopt (or adapt) those of the
other society – in addition to a large dose of sympathy. Pallavi Aiyar

Babies and Bylines in a

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Alexandra Wrage

About Mohammed Nosseir Working to End Secret

Companies
Mohammed Nosseir is an Egyptian liberal politician who advocates for
advancing political participation and economic freedom.
Full bio → | View all posts by Mohammed Nosseir →

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Responses to “Arabs and Westerners: The Widening Gap”

Archived Comments.

On August 3, 2015 at 9:05 am

lex responded with... #

;
;

Two questions:
Where does the Moslem religion fit into this portrait?
Is the solution basically for Arab nations to have strong leaders who
(hopefully) have the best interest of their people at heart and are not corrupt and

https://www.theglobalist.com/arabs-westerners-middle-east-us/[5/27/2018 3:50:46 PM]

Arabs and Westerners: The Widening Gap - The Globalist

will seek to eliminate corruption and favortism? Perhaps that is sort of a variation
of the Chinese model?

On August 3, 2015 at 11:55 am

Ali1727 responded with... #

Ali H. Alyami, CDHR

Excellent comparison. The Arab peoples’ powerlessness accounts for
most of their social,
economic, scientific, religious and academic stagnation. Arabs’ constant
quarrels among themselves, their sense of inferiority and mistrust of the
advanced Western societies can mostly be attributed to the usurpation of their
identity, self-reliance and basic input into decisions that control and affect
all aspects of their lives and livelihood.

The Arab Spring and its ensuing mayhem (a normal consequence of mass
revolutions) is the beginning of empowering the Arab masses. For the first time in
Arab history, the Arab street is focusing on its multitude of home grown failures,
injustices, humiliation at the hands of absolute tyrannical regimes who rose by
and live by the sword. Only when the Arab peoples (especially women) gain their
legitimate rights and feel a sense of belonging can the vast gaps, as eloquently
stated above, between the East and West be narrowed or eliminated.

On August 5, 2015 at 2:18 am

siddhartha1 responded with... #

Three cheers to Mohammed Nossier for this article! I wish India had
politicians with this sort of clarity.

However, outside politics, India has individuals who have offered much more
thorough analyses of such differences – e.g. Vishal Mangalwadi in his Why Are
We Backward and India: The Grand Experiment. Perhaps there are Arab scholars
and writers who have also developed thorough historical and cultural analyses?

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