Some commentators remarked that the defects I cited exist in other
societies. My response was that in highlighting certain negative
aspects of the Arab mind-set I was in no way suggesting that they were
exclusive to Arab societies. Indeed, the idea never crossed my mind,
for to believe that is to believe that these defects derive from the
organic makeup of the Arab mind, that Arabs are somehow genetically
programmed to think in a certain way, which is, of course, patently
absurd. What I believe, rather, is that these defects developed over
time as a result of historical, political, cultural and societal
conditions which, if they had existed in any other society, would have
produced the same defects, albeit to different degrees. There is no
such thing as a defective thought process determined by ethnicity; the
defects I mention are all acquired, not inborn.

My writings on this subject have been published in more than one book
in the Arabic language. This chapter includes the English translation
of much, if not all, of what I have written on the defects in the Arab
mind-set.

These defects are mainly the result of internal factors, of our
historical experience, our political, economic, social and cultural
circumstances and of the most prominent features of Arab reality
today, namely, despotism, bad governance and a sharp decline in the
educational and cultural climate. Although there is no denying that
external factors contributed to the problem, I do not believe they
brought it about. The truth is that these defects are a product of our
own societies, not of external factors.

I have written many books and articles over the last ten years about
the defects in the Arab mind-set, all of which are cultural defects
stemming from three main sources. The first is the repressive climate
that prevails throughout Arab societies, the second a backward
educational system that lags far behind modern educational systems and
the third a mass-media apparatus operated by those responsible for the
climate of political repression to serve their interests. The
following are the most obvious defects from which the contemporary
Arab mind-set suffers:

1. A lack of intellectual hospitality;

2. It is steeped in a culture that encourages conformity and
discourages diversity;

3. Limited tolerance for the Other;

4. Limited tolerance for criticism and the virtual absence of
self-criticism;

5. The adoption of stands not on the basis of their coherence,
validity or intrinsic value but on the basis of tribal or religious
affiliations;

6. Deep feelings of inequality with others in terms of results
and achievements makes for a sense of inadequacy that is sublimated
into an exaggerated and unfounded pride;

7. A tendency to indulge in excessive self-praise and to glorify
past achievements as a way of escaping our dismal reality;

8. The prevalence of what I call the ‘big-talk culture’, in which
overblown rhetoric is used to compensate for the appalling lack of
concrete achievements;

9. A lack of objectivity and the growth of individualism;

10. An unhealthy nostalgia for and escape into the past;

11. An aversion to the notion of compromise, which is deemed to be
a form of capitulation and defeat;

12. Lack of respect for women;

13. A tendency to unquestioningly accept stereotypes at face value;

14. Setting great store by the conspiracy theory and believing
that the Arabs are always the victims of heinous plots hatched against
them by their enemies;

15. An ill-defined sense of national identity: is it Arab, Muslim,
Asian, African or Mediterranean?

16. The spread of the personality cult phenomenon in Arab
societies, where the relationship with the ruler is based not on
mutual respect and accountability but on the excessive adulation, not
to say deification, of the ruler;

17. The prevalence of an insular culture that knows next to
nothing about the outside world and the real balance of power by which
it is governed, let alone the science or culture of others;

18. A lack of appreciation for the value of the bond that links
the human species together, which is their common humanity. For most
people in the region, the only bonds that count are either tribal,
sectarian or nationalistic, although humanity is the most exalted
common denominator of all;

19. The spread of a mentality of fanaticism due to a number of
factors, the most important being the tribalism that dominates the
Arab mind-set to varying degrees;

20. Finally, the Arab mind-set is not overly concerned with the
notion of freedom for the simple reason that the Arabs have enjoyed
only limited doses of political rights and civil liberties.

The twenty defects listed above are by no means exhaustive; I have no
doubt that any Middle East expert can come up with many more. However,
all these defects are acquired, which means they are amenable to
reform. Moreover, they can all be found, albeit to different degrees,
in other societies. As I mentioned, they stem from the prevailing
climate of political despotism and outdated educational and
information systems designed and operated to serve the interests of a
power structure intent on maintaining its iron grip.

These defects will continue to grow unless radical changes are
introduced to all three areas. The political system must be overhauled
with a view to providing a wider margin of freedom and allowing people
a greater say in determining the shape of their present and future.
The educational systems in force must be reorganized from the ground
up, their philosophy, curricula and methods brought into line with the
requirements of the age. Last but not least, the media must be removed
from under the thumb of government and allowed to function in complete
political and economic freedom as a credible forum for the
dissemination of culture, ideas and information.