Grief: Iranian style

Grief: Iranian style
by Simorgh5555
10-Apr-2011
 

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.  

 

Balatarin
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more from Simorgh5555
 
Truthseeker9

.

by Truthseeker9 on Fri Aug 05, 2011 09:02 AM PDT

.

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Rastin

Good observation

by Rastin on Mon Jul 11, 2011 03:45 PM PDT

 - and I hope you decide to join us again at some point, Simorgh. 

 

Parsis Victor


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comments

I agree with apocalyptic

by comments on Tue Apr 12, 2011 06:55 AM PDT

I agree with apocalyptic view!  Unfortunately, they have to cry, otherwise they are viewed as emotionless by their relative/friends.  I believe they cry for personal reasons, and their own difficulties rather than the grief itself.  Frankly, I think that is a way to entertain themselves.  For example, people come to her and plead to stop crying and giving lots of support. 

Did they cry for all Japaneese pregnant women and children the same as they cried for the 90 years old neighbor while attending the funeral?


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afshinazad

Iranian like to be # 1 in world

by afshinazad on Mon Apr 11, 2011 02:52 PM PDT

We Iranian, doesn't matter from which part of Iran we are or what we pray for, we have one thing in common and that is how to kill ourselves for death of loved ones and there is nothing wrong with that, but we overdo it so much that anyone from western or developed countries think we are crazy. whether we care about our loved one more than Japanese or not, whether we are emotional or not, just the people in third world will do these type of things in general and I thing being part of the third world makes you wonder, do we do anything right or is there anything that we don't overdo it. we like to be in spot light every time whether we grief or pray or dance or name it. we are number one! 


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Anahid Hojjati

Interesting blog.

by Anahid Hojjati on Mon Apr 11, 2011 02:08 PM PDT

.


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ComraidsConcubine

ey vai ke gofti

by ComraidsConcubine on Mon Apr 11, 2011 01:46 PM PDT

 When I was Dirty Angel I did a blog about dead popped Iranian worshipping and of course all hell broke loose. It's a display, a disgusting display of competitive of "deep feelings", which would be sort of on the  fine path if the same amount of howling and whaling and whining would be done for live, living people.

 

It all goes back to poverty. 


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salman farsi

I disagree

by salman farsi on Mon Apr 11, 2011 04:42 AM PDT

The author of the blog skips over the fact that Japanese religious belief system places much less value on life in general and human life in particular.

Japanese committed some of the most inhuman of atrocities before and during the WWII on their defeated opponents and the inhabitants of the countries they conquered. They admired and respected their equally brutal ally (Germans) and foe (Americans). Nothing can and should justify of the despicable act of dropping two atomic bombs on Japan by America but Japanses diginfied calm and later acceptance of Americans as their saviours betrayed a much deeper sense than pride. They valued pride much more than life. This can explain why the frist suicide bombing in modern warfare was initiated by Japanse, not to mention the Emperor's personal biological warfare experiments that was it not for MacArthur's intervention could see him put on trial as a war criminal.

Do I need to say more?

 For an Islamic democracy 


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Maryam Hojjat

Excellent Observation

by Maryam Hojjat on Mon Apr 11, 2011 02:17 AM PDT

Yes, I admit we are very emotional and at time very irrational.  That is one of the reason we got into trap of Akhoond Khomeini 32 yrs ago.


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CaspianShark

Grief

by CaspianShark on Sun Apr 10, 2011 08:45 PM PDT

It comes from many tragedies throuout history of Iran, mostly the Arab and Mangols invasion. And don't forget the difference between the religion (?) of Islam that was shoved to us 1400 years ago and all other religions that they don't teach their Molas how to make people cry or hit their own head for someone who died a 1000 years ago!


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yolanda

.......

by yolanda on Sun Apr 10, 2011 03:45 PM PDT

There is a cultural difference between Japanese and iranians.......no doubt about it...........Japanese seem more emotionless and stoic!

It is hard to say which one is better.......it is just very different! We just need to get used to it!

It is very hard to change someone's culture!


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