i like this post…though i’d like more links to pertinent information. but i’m just as ignorant about the contributions to ‘culture’ (whatever that means) from arabic nations. i think i’m going to eslite tomorrow to pick up a historical book of some sort; if it’s good, i’ll post about it.
I have always admired Arab art and architecture, and their use of geometrics in both.
While not discussing the positive aspects of Arab culture, I wanted to share the following excerpts from an article by Jonah Goldberg, that asks “what’s wrong with the Arab world today?”:
[quote=“Jonah Goldberg”] The Arab world is a basket case, economically and politically (morality we can debate another day). One handy statistic: If you subtract oil, the total exports of the Arab world
Completely off topic Tiger. I hope we can return to the topic.
OK.
Originally, four species of the horse inhabited our planet: Equus prezewalskii, the steppe horse of Central Asia; Equus tarpanus, the dun-colored horse of Russia; Equus robustus, the slow, cold-blooded horse of Europe; and Equus agillis, the hot-blooded horse of Arabia and Africa. All modern horse breeds developed from a blending of these four species. Only one species, Equus agilis, better known as the Arabian horse, exists in its pure state today. For this reason, the Arabian horse is a breed as well as a distinct sub-species of horse.
Nobody knows when exactly the breed appeared on earth, but it may have been more than 40,000 years ago. This fine animal is, IMO, a valuable and positive contribution from the Arabs. Anyone who has ever raised or worked with horses will know that this is a fine animal and the Arabs were wise to maintain and preserve this breed in its original purity.
My sis used to have an Arab gelding. Fucking amazing creature – so smart you could ride it at full gallop without using the reins.
one point of clarification: it’s not helpful to lump all ‘arabs’ into a big lump, just as it isn’t helpful to lump all ‘asians’ together or all ‘europeans’. the economic analysis may be accurate or inaccurate, but lumping all the geographical and regional differences in the middle east region (is there another term for the region that isn’t western-centered?) as an arab problem i would say isn’t accurate to the current situation. each state in the region has a different form of government, with differing views of how to govern its people and promote its economy.
one point of clarification: it’s not helpful to lump all ‘arabs’ into a big lump, just as it isn’t helpful to lump all ‘asians’ together or all ‘europeans’. the economic analysis may be accurate or inaccurate, but lumping all the geographical and regional differences in the middle east region (is there another term for the region that isn’t western-centered?) as an arab problem I would say isn’t accurate to the current situation. each state in the region has a different form of government, with differing views of how to govern its people and promote its economy.[/quote]
Note to Mods: As MT correctly indicated, my post to which embryopoet responds is off topic to this thread. Could this off-shoot thread be moved, perhaps?
embryopoet,
I think it is acceptable to lump the Arabs together for the purpose of the article, as that lumping together was part of the point of the article… i.e., contrasting the Arab world with the western world (which is also comprised of many different nations with different types and styles of governments). You asked for another term that would not be western-centered… and that term is “Arab world”.
And for the record, the economic analysis is accurate.
It has nothing to contribute. Zero interest = zero reward for waiting or for saving. An ideal zero interest world would be one where all wants can already be immediately and costlessly satisfied and that will be the same for all points into the future.
Hands up anyone who thinks this characterises anywhere in the world?
No?
Anyone think its a reasonable approximation of the Arab world?
No?
So, how many people think that the Arab world can drag itself up out of poverty by forcibly abandoning the principle of interest?
Oh, and I read this bit:
Dunno exactly what Zakat is, but it sounds like they are trying to keep savings to a minimum. Low savings means low investment, means the capital stock grows only slowly which means a low growth rate.
On second thoughts, I wasn’t being very positive was I?
While admittedly a lot of the Arab “knowledge” came from Greco-Roman and lived on through Byzantine or was passed on from Hindu India, the Arabs/Muslims did manage to conquer a vast area of the world (assuming that conquering is good now that the shoe is on the other foot) so there must have been something of worth to support such power and extension.
I cannot think of anything off hand myself, but would welcome hearing from others about the contributions. Can anyone give me a definition of Arab architecture in simple terms.
Finally, I do recall reading somewhere that Maimonides was the greatest physician of his time in the 1100s or something like that in what was then one of the centers of the world Cairo. Originally from Spain or something though I think he was Jewish. Can anybody help me out with this? And does it discount the accomplishment if he was a Jewish doctor living in an Arab city? I mean discount the accomplishment from an Arab point of view?
Sorry Fred, don’t mean to snub you, but IYBF got me looking into Zakat, an obligatory charitable contribution that muslims give at the breaking of the fast of ramadan. Despite IYBF’s scepticism, it seems like a good thing to me. Speaking of which, did anyone see that Discovery program on ramadan in indonesia I think? It was very moving. The people they followed seemed very kind, gentle and spiritual, and the fasting, prayer and other aspects of ramadan came across as very special. I was actually a little envious that I don’t participate in all that.
It has nothing to contribute. [/quote]
imyourbiggestfan, you didn’t read what I wrote very carefully. I wrote Islamic banking “has potential to make a great contribution to developing an alternative economic system”.
Obviously the present economic system would never accept zero interest. What I am talking about is when the world realises the insanity of the present economic system which is destroying the Earth and begins to develop alternative economies on a wide scale then Islamic banking will make a significant contribution. I am talking about the steady-state economics of Herman Daly or the “Small is Beautiful” economics of E.F. Schumacher not the “greed is good” current economic system.
While all the dead people and blown up cities in Iraq is sad enough, stories like this just rip out my heart. Like the destruction of the giant Buddha statues in Afghanistan. (And before some pro-war yahoo makes snide remarks just read the story. All I’m saying is that it’s tragic.)
Pillagers Strip Iraqi Museum of Its Treasure
By JOHN F. BURNS
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 12