Even though the generation I belong to has not experienced any colonial or religious wars, the political and religious culture is filled with ideas of colonization, occupation, and division as if the Arab world is still under the oppression of colonial invaders who plunder the wealth of nations, reminiscent of the 19th century or the era of the Crusades.
It is easy to fall prey to this discourse, as nationalists and Islamists have dominated the culture and filled it with such beliefs and ideas. Thanks to critical readings by enlightened realist authors, one can break free from this trap and understand the misconceptions inherent in these ideological struggle narratives.
One would expect these ideas to diminish with significant global changes, but the opposite has occurred; they have intensified in recent times.
It’s ironic to find young people in their early twenties passionately discussing concepts like colonialism and imperialism, using the very terminology we used to hear from Baathists and Nasserists, as if time has stood still.
I recently witnessed a conversation with a young Kuwaiti who was discussing Western conspiracy plans and ideas of division.
The Kuwaiti youth's arguments were made despite the fact that his country had been occupied by an oppressive force and subsequently liberated with the assistance of Western “colonial” powers.
What we are witnessing now, and what sustains the resurgence and flourishing of these ideas, is their reintroduction by academically accomplished figures, some of whom reside in the West.
These figures excel in their respective fields but are haunted by ideas they acquired in their youth, which have become ingrained in their conscience. They now actively promote these ideas, gaining credibility from their scholarly stature.
I previously wrote about the intellectual George Saliba, who stated in an interview that colonialism still lingers in people's minds (for how long? 50 years, 100 years, or indefinitely!).
Recently, a historian emerged who also renewed the promotion of such detrimental ideas.
Despite all that can be said about the past disadvantages of colonialism, it has entirely ended in some Arab countries over half a century ago.
It has become a distant relic of the past and cannot be mentally recycled in the minds of the rising generations, nor can it be blamed for all the problems many Arab nations currently face.
What does the dispute between Sudan’s Burhan and Hemedti have to do with colonial invasions?
Even though Houthis in Yemen chant “curse the US and the Jews” every day, Yemenis are grappling with a challenging fate due to their political and economic issues.
More so, Libya is divided by its own sons, rather than being an application of imagined imperialistic plans. All these facts are completely ignored, and blame is cast on others who ceased to exist decades ago.
Another point to consider is that many countries, such as Singapore, India, and Japan, experienced colonialism and even occupation for longer periods, yet they have made remarkable strides, ceasing to rummage through the discarded past and recycling it and distributing it to their own people, much like repurposing discarded items into useful ones.
Nevertheless, academic Wael Hallaq claimed that it’s amusing to watch the Indians, who were once colonized by Britain, attempt in the later stages of their history to mimic the West and its customs in a comedic and caricatured manner.
But is it really a cause for laughter when the Prime Minister of Britain has Indian roots, and the head of the giant corporation “Google” also has Indian heritage, along with many prominent figures in business, finance, and science tracing their roots back to the same origins?
If they are a source of amusement and have achieved all this success, wouldn’t it be wiser to emulate them rather than belittle them? In fact, their success is specifically due to the very thing that Hallaq finds laughable, which is that they have transcended the past they are trying to cement and have learned from their old adversaries the customs that have made them excel in their own homeland.
The flaw in this line of thinking is that it resurrects a cultural relic that should have been buried long ago. Its problem is that it mentally and emotionally isolates upcoming generations in a rapidly changing world interconnected in ways unprecedented, based on development and scientific competition, not nostalgia.
What's even more dangerous is that it doesn’t rely on facts but rather revolves around them, creating convoluted explanations to resurrect a defeated psyche desperately searching for justification for its present failures by blaming imaginary enemies who no longer exist.
The title of this article is directed at the proponents of these recurring theories. It’s important for them to provide a specific timeline so that we can then blame and hold ourselves accountable!
