Zerangi

Glorification of the corrupt


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Zerangi
by Taymaz Garadjalou
23-Jul-2008
 

“Zerangi” in Persian can be loosely translated as “cleverness” and to be “zerang” is to be “clever”. Most, if not all the time in Iranian culture and society, a zerang person is seen in a positive light for he or she is intelligent, resourceful and independent/autonomous and is thus what most Iranians strive to be. To be a zerang person can be applied in many situations, both positive and sinister. For example, a person who knows how the American legal system works and is able to work it to his or her advantage is zerang. A person who is resourceful in business and has made something of himself/herself is zerang. However, a person who is able to cleverly cheat his taxes and screw the system and government is also zerang. It does not stop here; a person who is able to wittingly cheat people, companies, businesses, governments of money is zerang and an idol for many Iranians.

In this essay, I wish to focus on the darker side of the culture of zerangi in Iranian society. The reason why I am writing this is because this one aspect of our culture is probably the most destructive phenomenon that our country and society is facing today. It would be quite silly to say that this phenomenon is restricted only to Iran and Iranians, but on the contrary many other cultures and countries share this problem; however, this does not give us a license to ignore the dangers of this trend.

As I initially remarked, zerangi is generally seen in a positive light regardless of it being a good or evil act. Obviously not every single zergan act will be seen in a positive light, but most of it, at least internally or implicitly, is admired by us.

In East Asian countries, especially China and Japan, corruption is (generally) seen as something abominable both outwardly and inwardly. There is no duplicitous approach to it where you outwardly say it’s bad but internally wish you were clever enough to do it. I remember not too long ago, the BBC reported that a Japanese official was caught in a corruption scandal and the shame was so immense that he had to commit suicide. In fact, it seems that despite the heavy Westernization of East Asian society, some of these shreds of honor have still survived. A person who is honest, hardworking and works for the betterment of his society as opposed to himself only is glorified and praised. However, one who is individualistic is looked down upon. This notion is best reflected in my opinion in the famous Japanese expression; “the needle that stands out gets hammered down”. One who is caught in a corruption scandal is so embarrassed that suicide is his only option to regain his family’s honor. Obviously not every single corrupt person is going to commit suicide, but this phenomenon is widespread and the cultural message is clear: the honest is glorified, and the corrupt is dishonored.

Sadly enough, Iranian culture, at least in the past 50 or so years, has become the exact opposite. I remember one time where one of the Iranians here was not only able to cheat the Canadian tax-system, but also cheat his company’s money. Instead of being condemned, various Iranians rushed to be his friend and to learn his clever tactics. He was admired and glorified as zerang and all the women tried to get their husbands to be friends with this Mr. X. I would see wives putting their husbands down and saying “boro az oon X yaad begir, mibini che ghadr zerange?” (Go and learn from Mr. X, can’t you see how clever he is?). One might immediately say that this is the fault of the mullahcracy of Iran, however most of these people have been out of Iran since the early 70s and have not returned to Iran ever since, therefore the problem is much deeper as you will see.

Another trend that is part and parcel the culture of zerangi is the absence of personal-accountability. It is a given that none of the higher echelons of the IRI are held accountable, however I can say that a great bulk of Iranians do not hold themselves as personally accountable either. It is never our fault, it is always “others”. The Mullahs blame Amrikaaa and a bunch of Jews over a 100 miles away, the Marxollahis will blame the Shahollahis, and the Shahollahis will blame the Hezbollahis and Mullahs, but none will hold themselves accountable. I once asked a fellow Iranian on why there is so much corruption in Iran, the reply was “Vell u know, it iz de Akhoonds, u know, like de Rafsanjaniiiii, dey take de money ferom Iraaan, and buy de eye-landz all ovar de vorld”.

This type of talk is wide-spread in Iran and it is dangerous as I will argue. The basic idea is that all of our problems are sourced in Islam and Mullahs. 1400 years ago, we were all cultured, tall, blond, blue-eyed and spoke something similar to German until the Arabs came and screwed us, made us short, dark and hairy. After this, mullahs were created and everything that point on messed up.

The idea is that mullahs come from another planet and have nothing to do with Iran and Iranian culture. Thus the blame is shifted on them and we are all innocent of all their crimes and corruption. As fanciful and ridiculous this sounds, this is the type of mentality many Iranians adhere to. Just how Mullahs ignore internal problems and externalize them to some Arab-Jew conflict 1000 miles away, Iranians in and out of Iran blame our national and cultural problems on them. Yes on many issues they are to blame, but the fact is that Mullahs did not all-of-a-sudden drop off from some Alien ship to brainwash and rule Iran. Mullahs are Iranians just like you and me, except with a turban. Just as an Iranian nurse studied health and wears nurse clothes, an Iranian mullah studied Islamic law and wore a turban and flashy robe. They were born and raised in Iranian culture, speak Farsi, Azeri, Kordi or what not, use our expressions, eat, sleep and die. All in all, Iranian mullahs were produced by Iranians and Iranian culture and are distinct from all other classes of clergy around the world.

Now some may misinterpret me as justifying the acts of the ruling Mullahs – I am not and I believe that in Islam we do not have clerical classes, these are all recent creations and they should go – but this is a discussion for another essay. What I am arguing is that our problems are deeper than this; the problem is cultural. 95% of the people working in the IRI government are people like you and me, lay-people. Mullahs are no different than us; they are part of this culture of zerangi. The problem is not that a Mullah becomes a thief, but it’s the exact opposite; it is a thief who becomes a Mullah. We Iranians, although outwardly criticize corruption, internally glorify it and wish to master it. When we attack Rafsanjani for being a thief and corrupt, we may outwardly oppose him by saying it is wrong, but internally we are jealous of him, we admire him and wish we could take his place. Whenever there is an opportunity to make easy money through corruption we all rush to it. At one point, it was to do it with the British, at another, it was to do it with the Russians and at another, it was to become a Mullah.

My point is this: during the Shah’s time, we blamed all of Iran’s problems and corruption on the Shah. We thought that after the revolution and kicking out the Shah as well as having Mullahs come to power, everything would be ok and all our problems would be solved. The problems however did not change and got worse and now we fantasize about kicking out the Mullahs and bringing the Shah’s son back, or just bringing another order that doesn’t involve turbans. However, the underlying issue is that we do not hold ourselves accountable, we bribe and take bribes, cheat others and the government of money and when we are successful at it our society calls us zerang. When this problem becomes pervasive (as it is now) and the whole government and system collapses, the same zerang people blame the Mullahs.

The problem however is even sadder. Growing up and observing my community, I have also come to notice that those brave and pure Iranians (Muslim, Bahai, Jew, Atheist or what not) who are honest, don’t lie, keep to their word and refuse to cheat and steal in order to make quick money are seen as “saadeh” (naïve) at the best, but generally khol (stupid). However, the corrupt is seen as zerang, someone intelligent, independent and successful (note that the unsuccessful ones are seen as idiots); someone to look up to, learn from and be friends with. If he is criticized and attacked outwardly, it is usually not surprising to find out that the person who is criticizing is just jealous wishes he or she was like him or her.

In conclusion, as long as we don’t face the root of the problem and just merely look at the leaves of the tree, we are NEVER going to solve this problem of corruption and it will keep on getting worse and worse, long after the Mullahs are gone. We need to be personally accountable, the IRI is the tip of the iceberg, the true reform and change lies in our culture. I know that this essay might not be taken positively by some people here and will say “you are a agent ov de mollaz, de perobelem iz de eslam and mollahs, Rafsanjani pay u to write dis kerap”. This however is exactly the problem, as long as we don’t see the core of the issue, as long as we are not personally accountable, as long as we believe in fairy-tales and blame classes and abstract theologies, I don’t see any prospective of Iran getting anything but worse, even after the Mullahs and turbans are gone.


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more from Taymaz Garadjalou
 
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Zerangi be sabke Irani

by Koroush Kabir (not verified) on Sun Jul 27, 2008 09:43 PM PDT

It is so refreshing that we can criticise ourselves.
I have enjoyed your article immensly and I could not agree with you more.
Koroush has warned Iranian that the only we will get defeated is when lies become wide spread.
I hate it so much that my kids know that by telling me a lie I would not speak to them for a day as a punishment.

Unfortunately Iranians are generally liars at best and I think this stems from Islamic influence. Look at the inaccuracies in KOran. Contradictions and unbelievably rigid teaching which is only suited for a desert environment.

Iran can only be Great again once we get rid of the old Islamic teachings and start to think as a human being. God has given us brain to think and not to be a parrot.
Thnaks again for such a great article


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Maryam Hojjat

Honest writing!

by Maryam Hojjat on Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:42 AM PDT

 Thanks for your well written essay.

In my opinion this ugly phenomena happens  to people under despotic governments.  Iranians never experienced freedom & liberty in past 1400 years or longer.  

I personally think Iranians who immigrated to the free world have learned & adapted good ethical values. 

 


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I enjoyed reading your article not at all........

by Lucifercus (not verified) on Sat Jul 26, 2008 08:50 AM PDT

because i use to read neutral and realistic and if possible logical lectures. I can not accept that because i and other poeple in similar situation have left or because i had to left and now because of this reason i am deeply frustrated and angry and my heart is full of hate against Iran and those honorable Iranians wgho live in Iran becuse i can not take part in the life in Iran, which, comparing to life in likewise countries, is more comfortable and secure. The frustration is so strong that one is not even able to enjoy the life in the wes, where one has got assylum or green card. Iranians in Iran love their Mullahs, the mullahs ARE from this World. But if they WERE from another World Iranians would stil love them and thankfull to them. because it were the Mullahs who showed the right way. §0 years are passed by and the greate satan get weaker and weaker. In Politics, in Economics and in Culture. In this year 2008 had SEVEN american bank to give up. and the islamic republic of Iran is getting mightier, richer and has a good number of political friends in the world. They are all copying the Iranian Design to get rid of the claws of the american imperialism. I think better serve oneself with real tool hich work against frustration than writting hatemails and vitolic attacks.


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Glorification of the corrupt

by Lucifercus (not verified) on Sat Jul 26, 2008 08:32 AM PDT

Cindy Sheehan icon of the global anti war movement, says that US leadership has been corrupted by not opposing Bush's polices on the Iraq war and torture.
And now?


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Zerangi, Glorification of the corrupt

by Faribors Maleknasri M.D. (not verified) on Sat Jul 26, 2008 02:07 AM PDT

Can the word ZERANGI be translated as KHAR MARD E RENDI? It tresults: ZERANG = KHAR MARD E REND
In this case it would fit to behaviour of the american Imperialism in the whole world, even by the ones who mean american Imperialism were their friend - I mean the europians.
Up to my opinion it was the KHAR MARD E RENDI of greate satan specially in case of Iran, which made him today not so greate any more and being short before its death. it lays allready in his deathbed snapping last drops of air.Greeting.


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Zerangi is both the cause

by aaa (not verified) on Fri Jul 25, 2008 04:11 PM PDT

Zerangi is both the cause and the effect of not having a civil society. It's like a poison that nips the civil society in the bud. I don't think the cure is to FIRST bring the democracy to Iran and then expect people to stop being so zerang.

Exactly. The root cause of our problems is the legacy of colonization by the Islamic armies; Those who stripped us of our identity and infused an inorganic language/religion/culture into collective consciousness of our nation. As a result, we have become nihilistic without fearing God or each other. This nihilism was a direct effect of being subjugated by a foreign religion and foreign culture.

You don't see this kind of nihilism and lack of fear of God in Arab muslism communities.


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Majid

ما اینیم

Majid
Fri Jul 25, 2008 03:14 PM PDT

ما اینیم داداش

 

آقا گر چه من بچه پیغمبرم، ولی‌ این مقاله ت بد جوری بهم بر خورد.

هم چین با صراحت پته همه مون رو به آب  انداختی که من رفتم تو فکر !

دارم فکر می‌کنم آخرین بار کی‌ بود که من سعی‌ نکردم زرنگ باشم؟؟؟(با تعریف شما) !!!

  .........................................................

فکر کردنم خیلی‌ طول میکشه قربان، دو سه هفته دیگه شاید "یک" مورد یادم اومد 

 

بهم گفتن من وقتی‌ بچه بودم، از یک سینه که شیر میخوردم اون یکی‌ رو با دستم سفت قایم می‌کردم، از همون موقع همه میدونستن که من آدم زرنگی میشم ( حسود، حس قوی تملک،خود خواه، قلدر) .....از بچگی‌ "زرنگ" بودیم داداش ! 

 

 


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Zerangs of the Zerangs (New Iranian Immigrants)

by t (not verified) on Fri Jul 25, 2008 01:48 PM PDT

A great piece. In my opinion the Iranians who've been outside of Iran for 20 years plus have to a large extent changed and are by far more ethical than the recent Iranian immigrants (FOBs "fresh off the boat").

The FOB's are the zerangs of the zerangs and think Westerners are stupid because of the honor system which exists within the Western societies. To make matters worst they think the Iranians who've been here for a while are just as stupid and naive. I think they are trying to catch up and will go to any lenghth (whether ethical or not) to get what they want.


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Where do you all get this 50 years from???

by Amir Khosrow Sheibany (not verified) on Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:36 PM PDT

How did you determine this is a problem we have had for 50 years..? Such character traits develop over several hundreds of years. In our case probably over 500 years. If I could travel back in time to the era of Shah Abbas do you think I would find a country of "Saadeh" and "khols"?


What is significant here is that the current regime ensures that such behavious is strenghthened in society. It is a regime that has come about because of this mentatlity. It is a regime in fact that has brought the very worst in all of us out into the open.


A regime focused on rational and scientific modernity could, and probably did, inhibit the continuation of such a behaviour. Inhibit only though. To reverse the situation takes several generations AND a big shock to the system, like a major war or revolution. Since that is what are going through right now, there is hope for our great grandchildren.


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AmirT

Thanks for writing this,

by AmirT on Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:02 PM PDT

Thanks for writing this, Taymaz. I agree with you wholeheartedly that Iranian zerangi being praised among us is the root of a lot of our society's ills. However, I have a few friendly comments:

I don't know how old you are or what your background is, but it is clear TO ME that this is not a post-revolutionary problem at all. This problem (in various forms) is perhaps way more than 50 years old. The urge to protect yourself and your tribe against the larger world of "outsiders" and taking advantage of them is as old as history. So your emphasis on disproving the mullahs' influence seem a little excessive and unnecessary to me. Nearly 1400 years ago, the prophet of Islam tried (in vain) to uproot the tribalist mentality that was widespread in Arabia (and still is) by calling all the believers "brothers" and equal. (It was not perfect and ideal to be sure, but compared to what was before him, he had made a great progress.) He didn't succeed in erasing the tribal mentality from the minds of Arabs. It's almost the same with us, Iranians, today. We inherit a tribal mentality from our ancestors who were ever-suspicious of the "system" and were therefore aspiring to beat the system. Whoever could cheat the system was lauded and gained the status of a hero. It is the history of our nation: Opposing the system, no matter what it is. What we need is learning to trust the system, but how can we? Of course, we can't, so we better be zerang, or we won't survive.

My other criticism is that you go deep, but perhaps not deep enough. Zerangi is both the cause and the effect of not having a civil society. It's like a poison that nips the civil society in the bud. I don't think the cure is to FIRST bring the democracy to Iran and then expect people to stop being so zerang. It's putting the cart ahead of the horse, you see. Until and unless people, on an individual level, change, there will not be any civil society or democracy in Iran.


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ebi amirhosseini

Dear T.G

by ebi amirhosseini on Thu Jul 24, 2008 06:52 PM PDT

Well written,unbiased article.Thanks for not blaming the problem on ET,Gene,Myth.... like some of us.

Sepaas 


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jamshid

I enjoyed reading your

by jamshid on Thu Jul 24, 2008 04:47 PM PDT

I enjoyed reading your article. I find it true and to the point. This and many other similar ills that inflict Iranians are the reasons why I believe what we need is a "cultural" revolution or awakening.

However, I must point out that I totally disagree with your last sentence: 

"I don’t see any prospective of Iran getting anything but worse, even after the Mullahs and turbans are gone."

I think you are going too far here. We Iranians do have many problems, but still with all our goods and bads, we do deserve a much better form of governemt that the mollahs are giving us.

Contrary to your view, I do see everything getting better once the mollahs are gone.


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Dear Taymaz, thanks for your

by Fatollah (not verified) on Thu Jul 24, 2008 02:30 PM PDT

Dear Taymaz, thanks for your informative article and your observations. I just wanted to add that Zerangi has become a national sport in Iran. And it is a source of pride among Iranians now a days! Zerangi has been part of our culture for some unknown times, but during my fathers days, it was not appropriate to call someone zerang or otherwise! It was simply a vulgar attribute to possess!

ps! the jahels in downtowns were also among the zerangs, so they thought they were ....

cheers Fatollah


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Zerang

by Rubi (not verified) on Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:52 AM PDT

Mr. or Mrs. Anonymouss, believe me Iran has the most Zerangs. I see these zerangies they do often in their everyday life without realizing it. The sad part is that these Zerang people teach their kids to be Zerang also and how to beat the system. I have heard many times when dear hamvatans tell their kids "zerang bash, saret kolah mireh"
Thanks for article, well said!


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Who ever said we were

by Anonymous343534 (not verified) on Thu Jul 24, 2008 09:55 AM PDT

Who ever said we were "blond, blue-eyed and spoke something similar to German"?


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Right on

by RIGHT ON! (not verified) on Thu Jul 24, 2008 07:40 AM PDT

I had been thinking about this topic for a very long time.

A person who is able to get out of work is also called "zerang" a person who is able to cheat on his academics and get high grades is also called "zerang".

Our culture glorifies cheats and lazy people as "zerang".

A person who takes advantage of someone else is also called zerang.

What results is a culture that glorifies opportunists, cheats, and laziness.

Being zerang is a mark of success in our culture. A sad thing to teach our children.

I have family members who rip off people daily, and they are considered zerang because they are able to make money. However, what sad pathetic lives they have internally.

Moral of the story, what goes around, comes around.


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SOOOOOOOOOOOO to the point

by Anonymous123 (not verified) on Thu Jul 24, 2008 06:32 AM PDT

Great article and sooooooooooooooo true of our backward superstitious culture.

In Iranian culture, to cheat the system, to cheat your fellow country men and women, to cheat even your family members, relatives and close friends, you are one ZERANG mutha..... very much envied and admired, otherwise you are a useless HAALOO ...


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Q

Very good piece, Taymaz, thanks for writing

by Q on Thu Jul 24, 2008 02:32 AM PDT

I'm glad you didn't fall into the popular myth that these behaviors are genetic, or the just-as-popular "historical" explanation of why we are the way we are.

I believe there is hope, however. The young in Iran are moving away from all this crap, fast! Used to be that material aquisition, honor and general popularity were the goals of life. Much of this is still true for a lot of Iranian immigrants who live in California, mostly the early 80's upper class that are culturally and politically stuck in the 70's.

But the people inside Iran, especially the young are changing, adopting more pragmatic and humanistic lifestyles.


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Great Article!

by Anonymous1 (not verified) on Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:20 PM PDT

Very nice article! I myself have been confused when I would hear Iranians discussing others as "zerang", but praising them and exalting them on this quality, when in fact, it means you are just a devious and/or sneaky person and a person labeled "sadeh" (innocent/honest) is looked down upon.

Iranians really need to get their priorities straight.

Kudos to you on a smart and educated article!


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Here.. Here.. couldn't agree more

by Amir Khosrow Sheibany (not verified) on Wed Jul 23, 2008 08:03 PM PDT

Now I have a question for you. Do you believe a system of Mardom Salari, that is to say our version of the Greek Demo-Cracy, will alleviate this and some of our other problems (like pervasive lying) by forcing responsibility onto the masses?


As I see it the great and oh so popular Islamic Revolution was in effect an "escape from freedom". A move away from the increasing responsibilities required to manage a modern industrial nation and an attempt to mitigate the risk of the very real prospect of those "saadeh" and "khol" people around the Shah actually establishing roots in Iranian culture.


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ZERRANG

by Anonymouss (not verified) on Wed Jul 23, 2008 06:20 PM PDT

To make a long story short, regardless of race or nationality A zerang, is a person who does not get caught, however once caught he is considered to be a Kolah-bardar and no longer a zerrang. You can find them in any country in the world not just in Iran. U.S.A has one of the most zerrangs and kolah-bardars because of capitalism and envy.


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Tahirih

I agree with you 200% !!!

by Tahirih on Wed Jul 23, 2008 06:01 PM PDT

Moral corruption is the root of all the evil in Iran and between us Iranians here.I remember people who changed their appearances  so quickly and looked devoted to Islam  after the revolution, but they were drinking at home and cursing every thing related to it. they really felt "zerang" to be able to cheat real revolutionaries. But guess who did they cheat ,really!?

We have to change from within, the change has to happen at the personal level before we can have democracy in our country.

Our inside should be the same as our outside to be able to make a better future for young generation in Iran.

 We should have one face inside and outside. we should not kiss the hands and swear at them in our house.

I would like to thank you , for the courage to write this article, I am sure there will be unkind words for you ,but my hat goes off for you. By the way how do you pronounce your name,

Respectfully,

Tahirih


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BRAVO ZULU

by SALTY THE SAILOR (not verified) on Wed Jul 23, 2008 04:44 PM PDT

It's the best piece of analysis I've read in such a long time. So true thanks


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