Growing up, I was one of five Persian kids in my high school and I took pride in it. I liked being known as the “Persian girl” and most importantly, I loved the uniqueness that it automatically added to my image when people realized I could speak a different language (granted they had no idea where Iran was… but of course,that was irrelevant at the time).
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Then suddenly, there was a new Persian boy campus. He would introduce himself as, “Hi, my name is Fer-had (Farhad) and I’m Persian.” Umm ok… no one asked, but that’s cool. His conversation topics included, “My family is from I-RAN” and “Oh yeah, I-RAN is so cool, everyone there is my homie.” Here was the catch: He couldn’t speak Farsi and he had never been to Iran, yet he acted like he was THE Iranian representation for the town.
I think its great that we have pride for our culture. God knows, I do- I am PROUD to be Iranian and I will never let anyone try to convince me that its something to be ashamed of (BECAUSE IT ISN’T), but do we really have to go so overboard with it? Is it necessary for us to over exaggerate our beliefs and shove it in other people’s faces? Join our “prideful” co-hosts tonight as they discuss “Persian Pride” and the effects of being ethnocentric in our society in a “Lite” version of Iranican Live.
Iranian Live Talk Show airs on RadioJavan.com every other Wed @ 7PM, every other Fri at 9AM on Radio Bamdad Sacramento, and is available for podcast on Iranican.com.
11 comments
Salam!!!
avalaan ke perspolis proud!!!! ( be mozoe barnamaton rabt dare )
man kamelan ba elnaz movafegham! dge ziad nabayad toye har chizi eghragh kard
ma bayad ye olghoye khob baraye kasae bashim ke irano iraniharo dorost nemishnasan va ba in hame eghragh baes nashim ke bardashte nadorost azamon beshe.
Tnx for ur great show!
asheegheetoooonaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam haaaavaaaartaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :**** kiiissss kiiiiissssss 4 all of U…… :*****
havarta?
kheili khoob kari kardin iman ro avordin, love you Imaaaaaaan
Asking people to watch ur show up and down Cali from San Diego, OC, to Fresno. Absolutely awesome. I’ve struggled with fellow Persians over this topic practically my entire life. “een farhang irani ke enghad behesh eftekhar mikonin…chiye!?” in response “man be tamadon va tarikhe panj hezar saalam eftekhar mikonam” mishe messal bezanin!? Va kam kam gir mikonan. Hatta az sangi ke avaleen human rights dar donya sabt shadaro kam pish miyaad messal bezanan, not to mention that it was a British archeologist that broke the cuniform code and translated it. I ask the few that can come up with this example, “een sangi ke enghad keshvarhaye dige, UN, va hatta amerika, va khode shoma moghades midoonin, ke dar keshvaretoon azash amoozeshi nemidan… chi midoonin?!… Cyrus chi neveshte?! “no clue!”
The defense is weak, holds no ground for being superior in today’s time. Other defenses including respect, hospitality, kindness, cleanliness… all fall short and by far there is another culture/country doing it better. Our parents revolted without thought of consequences, or who may attack us when weakend; they took away our future, and they continue to prejudiously judge others, and teach us that by some intangible imaginary attribute we are better than the world. Instead of teaching us what we have in common and ways to build on those commonalities. Anyway, the steam from my head is fogging up the windows. Love your show, the education value and it’s rarity is truly priceless… keep it up!!!
Pouria jan, thank you for your note!
I feel like I really rambled on and on, at the same time tying to keep it short lol; delam por bood. Id like to suggest that this topic to include atleast a part2. Much to be said here.
That’s a good suggestion, if you have subtopics we didn’t get to, let us know about them. Thanks again!
The discussion established the background on the debt of ethnocentrism existing deep within our culture and was an excellent opener for subtopics. In my discussions regarding the issue I’ve had to respond to the following as an example:
What exactly makes Persians “TODAY” superior to other cultures?
-“we’re hygienically cleaner bc we wash our behind.”
Defense: not only do u touch feces directly but according to WHO to effectively clean your fingers and under your nails with this exposure washing with an antibacterial soap and brushing under warm water for at least 15 minutes is required. According to the FDA the average person spends washing their hands an average of 10 seconds during which most bacteria are not killed. I can go on and on and site source after source. Washing your behind with high pressure water without touching feces is cleaner such that has always been practiced by Europeans and Asians by use of a bidet. But this is not how Persians do it nor do they wash their hands properly and most still use soap bars that are not antibacterial. For the love of god, using a aftabe is not sanitary nor does it make you clean. You will shake far more hands than sparkling anuses… hopefully! Using toilet paper may not leave you with a sparkling shiny behind but will provide a barrier reducing the chance of direct contact to feces. Reducing far more prevalent diseases such as ecoli, shigella, and giardia seen daily in clinics in Iran. The argument regarding hygiene superiority fails as we all know that the most fundamental hygienic act someone can make and has full control over is to “shower.” And we all know American’s shower daily or atleast far more often than the average super persian in Iran.
-“Respect, Hospitality and mehmoon navazi”
This sub-topic often gains strength only from with-in familial surroundings in that the encounters are not with complete strangers with-in that culture. After 15 years of being in the US I traveled to Iran in 1999, 2004, and 2007. From the caspian sea to bandar abbas. I’ve also traveled all over Mexico by the same method. I experienced a remarkable contrast with respect to acceptance into strangers homes, trust, and hospitality. Getting into this topic would require a 7 page article.
*The above summary of the two suggested subtopics are an example past monthly group discussions we have in Fresno, CA. Our diverse group includes doctors, lawyers, caterers, taxi drivers, and various students with representation of several age groups.
My next topic to suggest at our upcoming meeting this Saturday is “should we as the generation that was not involved with the revolution of 1979 hold our parents accountable/responsible for such a an act that changed the path of a nation and our future?”
Sorry got long again and already noticed a couple of typos. *Depth not debt! lol
Thank you Pouria for sharing your thoughts. You’ve given me some real ammo for the time I face such ignorance. I’ve faced the issue of personal hygiene and the example of washing your ass as representation of farhange irani va tamiz boodan as well. I know the above is only a fraction of such discussion and I would like to express to iranican that I also have a very high interest in exploring this topic farther. This was very good but only scratched the surface.