
Iran’s ‘Generation Normal’ - pmcpinto
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/b110ec2e-04b0-11e5-95ad-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3blsvzkKF
======
emilsedgh
Foreign reporters visiting Iran are usually in an echo chamber.

They visit Tehran and a few other big cities. Live in best parts of those
towns and hang out with people who are educated and pro western and quite
exposed to other cultures.

Iranian middle class (and specially the younger generation which are the
majority) are pro western, quite progressive and modern.

But they don't represent the whole population of Iran.

Unfortunately this echo chamber sometimes even blinds ourselves as well.

Source: Iranian living in Tehran.

~~~
hitekker
One of the most interesting moments involving Westerners wishing to be misled
about the dire straits of another nation/culture occurs in this thread:
[http://www.quora.com/Does-the-average-Pakistani-support-
the-...](http://www.quora.com/Does-the-average-Pakistani-support-the-Taliban)

The answer I'd like for you to read is not the one with 4.7k upvotes. It's the
one below it with just 62.

The most popular answer implies, very nicely and agreeably, that all cultures
are equal, and that any problems are the result of poor governance and or some
faceless structure/entity. The one right below it states that, while it's true
that environment plays a large role in oppression, fundamentally it is the
people who perpetuate such an environment.

It is very comfortable to rest at one extreme or the other (as the OP's
article goes to show). I, for one, think it is better to follow what the man
who wrote the 62-upvote post says, despite the mental discomfort it causes:

"A lot of work has to be done to cleanse one's mind from years of propaganda
and brain washing against the "Western World, Israel, and India". But it's not
going to happen by pretending that everything is okay."

------
__z
There is a facebook page called My Stealthy Freedom that is for Iranian women
to send in pictures of themselves without the mandatory hijab. Please go there
and read some of the women's stories.
[https://www.facebook.com/StealthyFreedom/](https://www.facebook.com/StealthyFreedom/)

------
kiliancs
Maybe not directly related but I recently attended a local event for the
#EducationIsNotACrime global campaing [1] about how the largest religious
minority in Iran is prevented from teaching and accessing higher education. In
the event they projected an impacting documentary [2] that explained how they
are organizing themselves in a secret university with help from teachers in
many other countries in order to continue their education.

[1] [http://educationisnotacrime.me/](http://educationisnotacrime.me/)

[2]
[http://film.educationisnotacrime.me/](http://film.educationisnotacrime.me/)

------
dataker
'Normal' was fairly biased, as it mostly refers to an average western
individual.

Nothing wrong with it, but why not avoid the negative aspects of it? Why not
fostering your own culture?

~~~
guard-of-terra
Their culture failed them by bringing islamists in power, might as well
discard it.

P. S. Mine failed me either so I know what I'm talking about.

~~~
digi_owl
that did not happen without meddling from the west...

~~~
guard-of-terra
Sure but it's not the west that took hit. They can meddle with you and get
away with it. Too bad. Go complain to your god. Go burn some flags.

"You should not blame the west, you should become the west".

~~~
digi_owl
I truly love how you assume i am Iranian just because i brought that up...

------
rayiner
The point about revolutions setting you back are fantastic.

~~~
halflings
Well, depends on who "you" refers to. That revolution wasn't entirely for the
own good of the Iranian people [1]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat#United_States_role)

------
omegaworks
>Remember, she tells me, most Iranians’ priority is economic wellbeing.
Political freedom is the concern of a minority.

The great tragedy of modern society.

~~~
navait
You can't eat freedom.

~~~
guard-of-terra
Without freedom it's not up to you to decide whether you eat tomorrow or not.
You can hope that they continue to feed you "in exchange" for your freedom.
Until they have better idea.

~~~
Balgair
This is usually why revolutions occur during times of famine. When they can't
even feed your kids, then you have no choice but to seek 'radical' options.

~~~
guard-of-terra
It's a a sad truth that a single famine or economic depression can turn your
whole life to risk-aversion and only valuing physical security.

You'll effectively ruin your life, next gen life, probably more. You survived
but you died inside, like a zombie apocalypse.

~~~
Balgair
Thats the opposite of what I said; that a famine causes you to loose risk
aversion and thoughts of security. You go for whatever you can see as best,
regardless of the consequences.

------
throwaway_coz
Yup, posting under throwaway because I don't want the downvotes.

Here's my take from interacting with Iranians(ones that grew up in Iran or
maybe didn't go to college in the US): they have a chip on their shoulder
about western influence and a scarily misogynistic stance( note though, they
are, by and large, not religious). Sure, they dress like westerner/hipsters
but they still have a weird mix of superiority/inferiority complex.

Am I saying Iranian people are bad/evil? No. I am saying that being
brainwashed from a young age, being taught to think and act a certain way
doesn't change overnight or even a generation. This generation is, if they are
anything more than acting out the normal teenager rebelliousness, going to be
the same as the last in all aspects that matter.

And, acting like this isn't the case isn't going to make the problem go away.

Also, since when is being westernized normal?

~~~
guard-of-terra
"since when is being westernized normal"

You are either western or you are "mumbo-jumbo" aboriginal wildling. There is
no third way.

"Westernized" is denigrating btw. What you should be is 'civilized'. We've got
only one civilization worth its name today.

~~~
throwaway_coz
"westernized" is supposed to be denigrating. Thats what I call people who wear
hipster clothes but are still misogynistic bastards :) Being westernized means
eating your big mac but acting in a backward manner.

Now, being civilized is different than being westernized.

Why? Because roots are important and the melting pot of globalization needs to
melt more than one direction and in more facets than just cuisine :)

Oh yeah, what "is the one civilization worth its name today"?

~~~
guard-of-terra
You're a very enlightened person indeed, I sincerely wonder why all the
downvotes.

~~~
throwaway_coz
Sarcasm? Can't tell, but I agree.

Regardless, enlightenment is not a function of downvotes or upvotes[0]. It's
definitely not thinking everyone is equal/good/civilized/uncivilized/whatever:
that's political correctness.

[0] I bet most of the downvoters haven't interacted in any way with cultures
other than their own. They've _maybe_ met a few american-iranian kids and
decided that's a close enough approximation of actual Iranians. It's not.

------
guard-of-terra
"She tells me she sometimes wonders whether it was wise to get married in the
first place. Many of her friends in Chalus are unmarried and don’t feel the
need to start families. “Marriage just means more restrictions.”"

By the way I think that not having family/children is an ultimate way to bring
vengeance to their parents who failed them. They want grandchildren but
they're not getting any. Too bad.

If you don't eagerly feel that you are bringing children to a good healthy
society: don't.

