Like most people on the planet, I was touched by the recent earthquake in Japan. At the same time I was impressed by the Japanese resiliance and inordinate restraint in the face of a tragedy which has taken the lives of almost 20,000 people. What amazed me even most was their passiveness and their almost fatalistic approach to what happened. Hundreds of thousands have lost loved ones but yet them seemed as cool as a cucumber compared to how Iranians and Middle Eastern people deal with tragedy.
Indeed, I remember the images of the Bam earthquake: The wailing, the scorching of faces, the unbearable screams and supplications to God and answers from the Almighty Why? Why? Why? It reminded me what Cherry Mosteshar said in her novel: Iranians are Euphoric when they are happy and apocalyptic when they are sad. Are the Japanese indifferent and insensitive or are Iranians emotionally unhinged?
Death and tragedy are part of our every day vernacular even though it is innocent:
ghorbunet beram, vay khoda margam bede, khak tu saret!, az khastegi mordam, az khande mordam, fadat besham, az gorosnegi mordam,.
Let’s face it: As Iranians we are the greatest drama queens and masters of exaggeration but perish the thought when tragedy really strikes amd we have something to cry about.
