Darius11 12 #1 July 17, 2008 http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/08/iran-archaeology/del-giudice-text Got this months Nat. Geo. and guess what country they decided to write about Yep Iran Here is a link to the article in case you are interested. I really hope the people who argue with me take the time to read this. Not only will it give you a better idea of who we are, it gives some history of things that have happened. I found it very well written, and the writer was very good at describing such things as taroof which is a cultural thing and very hard to explain Off course all the nuances of a whole country specially one as diverse and big as Iran can not be summed up by an article, but IMHO Natgeop as always has done a good job.I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #2 July 17, 2008 Just got it yesterday but so far have only had a chance to peruse the map. Maybe tonight. NG does great stuff. I really enjoyed the article they did on Pakistan a few months back as well. Very well done and quite timely. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/09/pakistan/don-belt-text.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #3 July 17, 2008 Both of these look great. Thanks for posting them.We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #4 July 17, 2008 Awesome article! Thank you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darius11 12 #5 July 17, 2008 Thank you for taking the time to read it. I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #6 July 17, 2008 Can't wait to read it. Persians are wonderful people with great history. "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #7 July 17, 2008 QuoteNot only will it give you a better idea of who we are, it gives some history of things that have happened. The problem is that who you were is not who you are (according to the article). QuoteThe recorded history of the country itself spans some 2,500 years, culminating in today's Islamic Republic of Iran, formed in 1979 after a revolution inspired in part by conservative clerics cast out the Western-backed shah. It's arguably the world's first modern constitutional theocracy and a grand experiment: Can a country be run effectively by holy men imposing an extreme version of Islam on a people soaked in such a rich Persian past? And you don't know who you are (according to the article) which makes it difficult for others to know who you are. Quote"The ayatollahs and the ordinary people—everyone has to pretend," said a soft-spoken locksmith with a huge mustache named Mister D. "You don't know who is telling the truth; you don't know who is really religious and who isn't." Quote"You never show your intention or your real identity," said a former Iranian political prisoner now living in France. "You're making sure you're not exposing yourself to danger, because throughout our history there has been a lot of danger there." And when others know who you want to be (according to the article) but not who you are they become concerned because they don't know how you intend on becoming what you want to be. Quote"Iran is very big and very ancient," said Youssef Madjidzadeh, a leading Iranian archaeologist, "and it's not easy to change the hearts and identity of the people because of this." Quote"We have a nostalgia to be a superpower again," said Saeed Laylaz, an economic and political analyst in Tehran, "and the country's nuclear ambitions are directly related to this desire." Quote"The borders have moved in over the centuries, but this superpower nostalgia, so in contradiction to reality," he said, "is all because of the history.""That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #8 July 18, 2008 I read the article about Persia. Very interesting read. Thanks again for posting it. Why are the Arabs so afraid of Persians? That's the one question that comes to mind. There was a period of time that I traveled to Memphis frequently. Started using the same taxi company, got to know the owner. A Lebanese fellow. Very nice. Had an interesting story about how he ended up in Memphis. This was right before and after 9/11. Just before 9/11, he was sharing his take on the Middle East situation, and I'm summarizing: - Muslims are required to pray 5 times a day, including prep time. - Christians and Jews go to church once a week. - As a result, Christians and Jews spend more time doing business, making money. - Thus, the wealth gap that seems so prevalent. What do you make of his opinion/experience?We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #9 July 18, 2008 Quote I really enjoyed the article they did on Pakistan... As did I. Thanks for posting this.We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #10 July 18, 2008 QuoteI read the article about Persia. Very interesting read. Thanks again for posting it. Why are the Arabs so afraid of Persians? That's the one question that comes to mind. There was a period of time that I traveled to Memphis frequently. Started using the same taxi company, got to know the owner. A Lebanese fellow. Very nice. Had an interesting story about how he ended up in Memphis. This was right before and after 9/11. Just before 9/11, he was sharing his take on the Middle East situation, and I'm summarizing: - Muslims are required to pray 5 times a day, including prep time. - Christians and Jews go to church once a week. - As a result, Christians and Jews spend more time doing business, making money. - Thus, the wealth gap that seems so prevalent. What do you make of his opinion/experience? Add to that Christian and Jewish women also are productive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darius11 12 #11 July 18, 2008 QuoteWhy are the Arabs so afraid of Persians? That's the one question that comes to mind. Short answer is events that happens in the past. Most Iranians are Sheya Muslims which means they pray 3 times a day and Ali is considered the first Imam while the Sunnie Muslims believe he is the 4th. Even before that the Arabs were viewed as barbaric and nomads and Iran viewed it self as cultured and civilized. There is some real racism that still very much exist today. Iranian most of them do not like Arabs and still view them as classless, barbaric people whit nothing but oil. This view is so strong that unlike my self most Iranians are in agreement with Israel and its tactics. They don’t even try to defend what they do they simply hate the Arabs. The Iranian government does not represent what the majority of the people think. Oh almost forgot this. On the Arab side they view us as Najes (which means dirty in religious terms) mainly because we are not Sunni. QuoteMuslims are required to pray 5 times a day, including prep time. - Christians and Jews go to church once a week. - As a result, Christians and Jews spend more time doing business, making money. - Thus, the wealth gap that seems so prevalent. What do you make of his opinion/experience? I don’t agree. I think some aspects have to do with culture but the main issue is we have is oil. Because we have oil there is no force or a since of need for the country to work on having more exports. That combined with corrupt religious leaders who are also political leaders is the main problem for Iran.I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #12 July 18, 2008 Thanks for the reply, Darius. BTW - the Muslim/Christian/Jewish observation from my Lebanese friend was more in the context of Palestine.We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
