Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Communication Breakdown

One of the most daunting problems I have to deal with since my return to Lebanon is to no surprise, People. It's not about the way they dress, nor their system of beliefs, nor their hopes , dreams or the lack thereof.
I am highly shocked , to say the least, at the failure of a lot of lebanese I met so far to communicate with each other in a proper civilized manner. The context of this problem goes beyond political or religious discussions and actually extends to everyday conversations, whether at work , home or any other gathering place.
I am starting to see the same pattern repeating itself over and over. Its a general tendency to crush, intimidate, or insult the person at the other end of the communication line.
After a long and painful observation period , I have come to the conclusion that this collective behaviour is nothing but a manifestation of the low-self esteem and inferiority complex that haunts most lebanese.
Proving someone else to be wrong, or putting them into a corner seems to be the most favourite method of "feeling better about one's self". So they thrive to outsmart each other in every single sentence, even claim to understand something they actually know nothing about, and eventually offer to give you lessons about the subject.
This obsession with the "I" thats obviously predominant in this society, is actually an indicator of a highly dysfunctional society, to the point of Paranoia....
Hopefully , my stay in this psych ward will not start to affect my own mental sanity.

7 comments:

viola' said...

indeed!

Liliane said...

This is so true, bass el 7amdellah this is not the only collective mis-behaviour we have! Nevertheless, you made a really good point. Insecurity and inferiority complexe, to what exactly? living in war, afraid of accomplishing, not have a lot of chances and opportunities, being dissed by the whole world, if not, looked at in this sympathatic or pitiful way...

Kio said...

what was that proverb?
you don’t have to put away your neighbor in an asylum to prove your sanity

something of the sort actually.

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_z. said...

where are you mate?

ella said...

"bingo"

Anonymous said...

that is so true ! =D people in Lebanon do not communicate from the first place, they just talk to prove the other wrong, not to learn or understand, a good communication insist on having a goal they want to achieve, and doing some compromises, as letting go of some ideas, to adopt new ideas.
the majority of the Lebanese are so defensive as well, they always think am attacking them, when i am not, so they reply in a way to explain themselves and their actions... i am defensive myself.
which i think it is a problem.
and the role of parents, play a big part, because the communication first starts at home... so they need to raise their children teaching them how to communicate right, with one another!
thank you