"Eliminate SPAM" wrote in message
...
John Mullen wrote:
"Leslie Swartz" wrote in message
(note: I'm the guy who posted the analogy to the Jenin mythology and
how
the power of "Arab Truth" is stronger than the power of "Western Truth"
mainly because while our truth is based on reason and evidence, arab
truth
is based on faith and culture. Truths based on reason and evidence are
harder to demonstrate than truths basedc on "it sounds right to me and
fits
my assumptions and preferences." That's why it's irrelevant- to you-
whether or not the "evidence" of the "wedding massacre" are in any way
"true" or "false" in a western sense. The pictures are purely
authentic-no
fakery required- in that they represent what they represent- it's just
that
what they represent have nothing whatsoever to do with what the
providers
are *claiming* tehy represent. Nice chatting with you anyways.)

You may not be as naive as I thought, as it seems you do sort-of
understand
the point I was making. I don't buy the 'Arab truth' vs 'Western truth'
dichotomy though. Truth is truth. But in war, perception is reality.

John


John -

I suggest you become more informed on cultural differences worldwide.
There are many ways worldwide of defining 'truth'; many do not depend on
reason and evidence. Mr. Swartz's observation on "Arab Truth" vs.
"Western Truth" is very close to the mark.

I beg to differ.

I've travelled and lived in different parts of the world and found that most
people are pretty much the same. Scottish jerks, Scots who are ok. French
jerks, French people who are ok. African jerks, Africans who are ok. USA,
Germany, Spain... Ad infinitum. Decent people outnumber jerks about 75-25 I
would say, pretty much everywhere you go.

I've also studied human developmental psychology. Children of all cultures
understand 'truth' as a concept very early on, round about the time they
learn how to lie! Only people with certain mental disorders are exempt from
this knowledge. It certainly isn't restricted to any one race or religion!

Trouble is, we also get very good at convincing ourselves of what we want to
believe...

I work worldwide and have to deal with such frequently. One guide I have
used for years is "Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: How to do Business in 60
Countries". Aside from providing useful info on business and personal
customs, it also discusses cultural orientation such as cognitive
styles. Let me quote from their section on Saudi Arabia (since they
don't have an 'Iraq' section):
"Saudis find it difficult to accept any outside information that does
not reflect Islamic values... Generally, a Saudi's faith in Islamic
ideologies shapes the truth, but it is also affected by the immediate
feelings of the participants. Objective facts seldom overrule one's
thinking."

Nice.

I think you will find that all humans' behaviour is shaped by their moral
world view and their immediate feelings more than by 'objective facts'. Not
just people of the Islamic faith or Arabs.

It would be interesting to see if there are any books in Arabic about how to
deal with the irrational Western infidels! They must exist...

Care to apologize to Mr. Swartz?


No. What for?

John