quote:
They were arrested following a request of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
I don’t mean to denigrate anyone else’s culture, but living under the fear of doing something “wrong” eventually results in rebellion, with the rebellious (progressive) elements being eradicated, leaving only those who toe the line – that leaves me feeling a great sense of loss and sadness for our species. Even though many live in fear of change, it’s in the nature of humans to progress and evolve, something that many cultures, like in the example, fight against tooth and nail with every means of punishment at their disposal. I can see the enforcement of these strict draconian rules causing an even more drastic cultural upheaval than just allowing a bit of personal freedom…..
I probably shouldn’t speak, as I was raised in a place where personal freedom for both sexes is one of the hallmarks of the culture. So I can’t understand, or come to intellectual or emotional grips with accepting that, as a woman, I am some spawn of the devil meant only to entice good men to their spiritual downfall – my life meant only for procreation and to serve men. No doubt this is an extreme caricature of life in repressive countries, and mayhap it isn’t as black and white (or negative) as I imagine it to be….. but from recent reading in GU, I fear that my imagination doesn’t even come close to life under repressive regimes – whether religious, governmental or cultural tradition.
I am optimistic though – eventually some of the repressive old ways will die, because they don’t serve the emotional, spiritual, physical, or mental needs of the majority of the people. I see trying to hold back the tidal wave of change as an exercise in futility. It shall be more and more difficult to MAKE others do what Prevention of Vice squads (of every ilk and in every country) think they should do…..