An Army Led Civilization.

Reporting and discussing local, national and international news items.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

An Army Led Civilization.

Post by Hafiz »

An Army Led Civilization.

The Cairo International Book Fair used to be something important – 50 or 60 years ago. At that stage Cairo had writers, newspapers, printing companies people in the region read and some standards of culture. Its now a joke overtaken by other cultural and publishing activities in the region and Cairo publishes little, does not have a literary journal and publishers have gone broke.

No one with an international standing comes, no books worth reading are promoted, young people stay away and the government funds the bussing in of school students to fill the hall. Some silly old idiots run it as a fading light of an intelligent past.

However recent developments reveal a radical collapse of mirage standards.

The Army is promoting itself as the communicator of culture in Egypt and showcasing its cultural achievements.

Here is a small part of their expensive stand at the book fair:
Image

Anyone can see that its tackiness and bad taste communicates all you need to know. They should fire the designer now.

For me the issue is the arrogance/hubris/misunderstanding of role. It also shows propaganda aspirations to change opinion. The slogan is “Army and People”. There is a song blaring called “God Protect the Army’s Hands” (does that mean no godly protection for its Navy and Airforce?) The song thanks the army for protection from religious fascism – but not ordinary everyday fascism that is so prevalent in some places I can think of.

Another section is called “October War Heroes” and includes books about the Egyptian army’s accomplishments in the October 1973 war with Israel. There weren’t any accomplishments – except those believed (in a mystical religious sense) in Egypt.

Claimed military achievements include one film actor – 2nd rate and never worked for any 1st rate directors.

The Army also claims credit for one writer – mass produced novels, low class and never even won low rent Egyptian literary prizes.

The entry to the stand has many statues and murals depicting the heroic acts of Egyptian soldiers throughout history (name one in the past 2,500 years).

The bulk of the Army is barely literate kids from poorer backgrounds (if you are rich or near rich you can buy your way out) so the Army's major 'assets' hardly support the Army's claim to contribute to culture. In addition some Middle East media has been graphic about the physical abuse of these poor kids and how they are used on military money making enterprises - hardly cultural just plain mercenary. If the army invested in educating these kids I might be more positive.

The creature managing the ‘display’ said this: ““let them (Egyptians) know about the danger of foreign conspiracies plotted by evil powers and foreign forces targeting the army and state.” (why is it that ranters in 3rd world countries always use general fear mongering and never specify who is the claimed, urgent, threat/enemy - in the West we always identify those who work against us)

There is more to this crazy story so read the measured and uncritical article below.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/origina ... z582JSlXmD

Its more and more like a disorganized version of Uncle Joe’s Russia every day. Maybe its more like Pol Pot’s complete madness.


newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: An Army Led Civilization.

Post by newcastle »

From the Al-Monitor article :
The stand featured officers’ publications in politics, sociology, technology and culture and included more than six sections. An officer was in charge of each section to explain its content to visitors. The sections included books on social sciences, car mechanics, quality control, project success methods, general culture and military magazines ...........
Nothing on their medical skills then? Curative technology? Well....perhaps not. I expect kofta wasn't on the menu at any food outlets either.

There's no doubt that the army has near-religious status in the mindset of most Egyptians. It hardly needs this corny hype.

Two and a half million visitors in the first week! Not bad. A significant percentage of Cairo's literate population I'd have thought.

The ICWA did an article on the 2017 (I think) fair which makes interesting reading .

https://www.icwa.org/at-the-cairo-book-fair/

A few sentences which stuck in my mind :
A few days after visiting the book fair, I met the Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji at the Virginian Café on the Muqattam hill, which overlooks the vast expanse of Cairo and its urban sprawl. In late December, a court ordered an injunction and Ahmed was released from Tora Prison after serving ten months for “disturbing public morality.” He skipped the book fair this year, but was excited to report that next month Merit will publish his new book of short stories.
Next is the Ministry of Interior. The Center for Research of the Police puts out occasional policy reports and periodicals, including one that boasts about the high standards of Egyptian prisons.
That's good to know.
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: An Army Led Civilization.

Post by Hafiz »

Two and a half million. Its only been open a few days. Maybe my friends at the military led government statistical agency , CAPMAS, did these stats. In which case they were 'developed' to meet a 'national purpose' and not based on reality but consistent with all their other statistical tasks. I don't think there are two and a half million literate and why would such a number turn up when bookshops have collapsed in Cairo in the past 40 years and books are scarce and expensive as a result of government policy.

In addition the old secondhand book market in the east of downtown near the Windsor Hotel has shrunk hugely over the past 30 years even though it was a way of getting fairly priced books - including old books.

The evidence of book consumption/book sellers suggests that numbers would be small and my recollection of the reporting on the fair one or two years ago was that it was quiet. I think that the French Embassy/Alliance Francais took the aggressive step of staying out last year (after previously participating) and running their own contemporaneous book 'fair'. They did this as I recall, because the main fair was chaotically planned and not to their 'taste'. I'm less sure of last year that the Goethe Institute stayed away.i'm certain the British Council did not participate. Added together I guess they formed a view about Egyptian culture and books.

I guess I found it interesting that they couldn't even come up with a half competent cultural figure from the Army (the exclusion of the Navy and Airforce I find significant). Its been 70 years and the standing army has been 50,000 to 125,000 and the yearly intake of conscripts averaging, lets say, 100,000-200,000. I'm too lazy to do the average flows - 15 years for career army and 2-3 for conscripts. My rough guess is a minimum of 20,000,000 have passed through in 70 years yet they can't find anyone with cultural talent - maybe any talent - definitely not talent in designing a display space at a book fair. Amazing - it almost leads you to think that a universal IQ test might produce disturbing results.

The Centre for the Research of the Police is interesting. I wonder whether their skills include telling the truth or whether they are like CAPMAS - tell a story to support 'national purpose'. Why would the police researchers be doing published research on prisons. They have no relevant skills or experience - sometimes in some places a solid basis for giving someone a job. Millions of bureaucrats must also tell similar versions of the truth. After 70 years this must have a seriously corrosive effect on personal integrity, trust, self esteem and morality.
User avatar
Major Thom
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2885
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:45 am
Has thanked: 187 times
Been thanked: 375 times
Gender:
Contact:
Cyprus

Re: An Army Led Civilization.

Post by Major Thom »

Oh Dear, it certainly leads the way to ruin!!
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post