Complication of Cultures

A sophisticated expression Gorge Clooney reiterates several times in the recent movie Syriana is “it’s complicated, it’s complicated.” When asked by the ardent CIA agent if enhancing power resources in Iran would inevitably drive the country into secularism, Gorge Clooney, playing the role of a CIA expert in the Middle East for over twenty years and knowing how sophisticated the Iranian culture is, pauses several seconds to answer, “it’s complicated, it’s complicated.” Similarly, when asked by his young son how come remote and explicitly insignificant states such as Pakistan might influence world order, Clooney stares at his impulsive son for seconds and replies “it’s complicated, it’s complicated.”

The movie Syriana presents an insightful proposal in terms of illustrating the multi-dimensionality of world societies. Iranian society, for example, appears quite sophisticated in terms of its multi-levels and various social classes. In addition to the popular religious prototype, other active social phenomena appear also at work. Nightlife, rapacious political interest, normal everyday life pressures appear all as active ingredients and influential components within the larger social pot the world simply labels as Iran.

Likewise, political regimes in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian Gulf, appear ambivalent between the popular corruption motif and a strong reform disposition. The definition and decisions of such regimes become quite complex for both internal and external pressures are always at work.

One of the movie insightful messages is the necessary sophistication of cultures and societies. Whether looking towards the East or the West or even the North or South, one should never submit to the easy and alluring generalized perception of societies, particularly the remote ones. Iran and Iranians, for example, appear to reflect various alternatives other than the dominant religious agenda. Similarly, the Arab’s image becomes larger than the rich Sheikh and seductive harem.

Just like all other cultures, there are always the sincere political reformists, the corrupt and opportunistic figures, the religious fundamentals and fanatics, the reverent believers, and regular people whose worries and concerns hardly exceed their bread and bed. Even those who appear deluded and criminal might be under the plan and agenda of subtle manipulation. Of course this does not justify their crimes. Yet, understanding genuine causes dictating people’s actions and behavior should mature our understanding of the reality.

Such a profound perception of other cultures should open up spaces for mutual understanding between cultures and people with different backgrounds. Instead of receiving people from other cultures as belonging to completely opposite ideologies that do not allow for any kind of interconnection, people could find similarities and areas of interest that make it easy for them to connect.

International dispositions of hate and violence towards the “other” appear to feed upon simplistic generalizations dictating that whatever different is usually antagonistic and hazardous, and hence requires caution and possibly destruction. A sophisticated understanding of cultures and people should decree such generalizations absolutely invalid.

Indeed, recognition of difference should promote tolerance and decrease fanaticism. More importantly, it should add to humans’ pleasure by fulfilling their curiosity for knowledge and search for the unknown. Travel to and discovery of remote cultures, for instance, have been an enchantment through ages.

It’s striking how people allocate considerable portion of their income towards travel and tourism. People wonder how come many westerners still insist on visiting and sometimes living in parts of the world that are claimed dangerous and life threatening for them. People wonder how tourists dare to visit countries whose language, people and culture are completely strange to them. What makes them take the risk!

It is the complexities and multi-dimensionality about other people and cultures that keep impressing and challenging the spectators’ inquisitiveness, and keep inspiring them towards profounder knowledge of other cultures, languages, and histories. From such an appreciative perception, other cultures and people can not be described but as “complicated.”