By Rana Jarbou
In the Fall of 2006 post the July war in Lebanon, the March 14 alliance came out with an “I love life” campaign on Lebanon’s billboards with a common slogan that says “we want to live”. The March 8th alliance came out countering the slogans. In a photo, the billboard looks almost identical to March 14th’s “we want to live”, except the words “with dignity” are added as a response from March 8th.
For years I have been having an endless debate with numerous people about what drives and motivates people. As the political cliché goes and as some would try to convince me, “it’s the economy, stupid,” while I tend to counter by saying “it’s the dignity, stupid.”
Both statements are correct, both can be supported with data, and both told in an out-smarting manner. In a sense, poverty also means being stripped of dignity. Maybe it’s all about semantics and perspective, ultimately requiring us to define ‘dignity’ individually versus universally. While I would be keen to list the empirical evidence to back my romantic views, I am more willing to admit or acknowledge my naiveté. And so I would prefer to keep this simple.
Dignity has long been the elephant in the Arab room, always hidden behind the veil of controversy, culture, extremism, strategic location and interests, and balance of power. These vindications do not fair well in the post-Bouazizi era. It is not to suggest that dignity was not valued before the Tunisian Jasmine Revolution. It is perhaps that dignity was given a higher price after the breaking of the fear factor.
Bouazzizi has become a hero and paved the way for change in the Arab world, when all he has done was self-immolation. Martyrdom is not a religious phenomenon, it is rather a universal one that symbolizes one’s desire to live a dignified life. To accept death in one’s plight for a cause demonstrates the refusal to live otherwise. Some people might not understand this phenomenon as they value their life. At the same time, because some value their life, they are willing to risk it. It seems circular and opinionated but addressing this very specific aspect can elucidate how economists don’t realize that ‘risk’ and ‘value’ are not limited to economic terms. All human beings risk what they value. Some value a decent life more than mere survival, hence they risk it.
It might still seem like a case of relativism or social constructionism, but there is an absolute truth to consider. Economic prosperity can enable the survival of an authoritative regime. Dignity on the other hand is a prerequisite for freedom, which is nonexistent in an authoritative regime. No skyscrapers, economic cities, state-of-the-art technology or formula one race can conceal the lack of freedom. At the same time, oppression, censorship and harsh sentencing cannot keep dissent at bay. Ultimately, the dichotomy of carrots and sticks is an obvious implication to the lack of dignity.
I read a few days ago “Saudi shares surge seven percent after minister’s assurances” with much cynicism. Not to undermine economic indicators and their significance, but I tend to pay more attention to the writing on the wall. Regurgitating numbers does not seem smart after all when there is a denial of inconvenient truths of dignity undermined, which is why I wouldn’t resist referring to such a dismissal as “stupidity”.
Egypt claimed it was not Tunisia, and Libya claimed it was not Tunisia or Egypt. Now the Gulf states are making the same claim suggesting that somehow dignity is measured on a different scale. On January 17, Sultan Al Qassemi, columnist for Emirati newspaper The National wrote “it is the Arab monarchies that are offering young Arabs an opportunity to live in dignity without leaving the region, and hope for a better life.” Perhaps such assessment of ‘dignity’ was not premature more than it was based on economic reports and numbers painting a rosy picture.
The cacophony of discontented voices echoing from Morocco to Oman is not about bread. Simply put, it is an empowering and non-economic reevaluation of dignity.
Saudi-born Rana Jarbou recently embarked upon a calling in artistic expression, leaving behind a background in banking and finance. Jarbou’s latest project had her travel across 11 Arab countries documenting graffiti in an attempt to give voice to society’s silent cries. Her book, “Arabian Walls” will be published later this year.
