Comments on: Reasons Arabs Live a Double Life

By: Mona

Mona — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:36:31 +0000

@Amoor – thanks for your opinion and insight in to the matter. You do have some great advice for people who think that living a double life is the only way. I think there is a limit to everything, and you need to be careful and more carefree as well.

By: Amoor

Amoor — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:59:21 +0000

Hey all..
Im not gonna take sides or anything..
I will share personal experience though. I was brought up in a middle eastern country. In an american school. So… american school in a middle eastern country.. With compounds, american friends double morals double life. It worked great for a while.. Then i travelled. To Canada. And the double life disappeared. Became a single life with single standards that were just ME. Party animal, do my work then have as much fun as i coulf. I moved alone for college. I got used to it quickly since it wasnt any different than what i was used to in the american part of town i lived in before.. However, after a few years, i realised how much i missed the Arab life. The cleanliness of it all.. The rules, respect to elders and so on.. There are a lot of things wring with Arab culture. But there are also a lot of things that are great. Family love. Care for one another. Unconditional help for no thought of reimbursement. Western culture is more effecient. More free. More fun. More do whatever you want. But if you want to live a truelly effective life. (as opposed to fun, effecient, do and get everything you want) Something with principles you could look back on in 10 years and that would leave a legacy.. then I think arab culture is great for that. A mix of both is ideal. Western thought, quickness, freedom but with Arab principles. Im not against dating. But you should chose your dates as ones you have possible of having a future with. Im not against partying, but you should party with people only after you know them well enough to trust them with your self. Its all about living free AND right. And thx 4 the listen.

By: Malika Lika

Malika Lika — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:53:00 +0000

Ahmad I love how you are trying to make sound like she is taking side with the “westerners”….LOL I live as that, and I, will admit to you about living this double life. And that is exactly what I have called it in the past. You could like to believe it doesn’t happen, but truth is, ahmad, that it has happened with almost 80% of my friends.

By: Mona

Mona — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:56:49 +0000

It should work now.

By: Mona

Mona — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:55:48 +0000

The contact me form screwed up cause i upgraded the plugin. Give me few minutes.

By: Nabil

Nabil — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:05:09 +0000

Hi Mona,

I love your site. Almost everything you say is true. There are not many Arabs where I live. One would think it is a good thing, but it is not! I am an alien amongst the few that live here. Double life, double faced, double moral, double everything. It’s sickening.

Btw, since I am a programmer like you, I know you have a bit pride in your work. Fix the ‘Contact me’-form!

By: Idris

Idris — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:55:15 +0000

Thanks Mona for a great post.

For God’s sake ! I am a 27 year old Arab living in the US and I do live a double life. In my family’s view, I have a different image. However, outside, I am who I really want to be. Free, open minded to all the possibilities, and just myself.

Its just that way it is

By: Nasser

Nasser — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:24:41 +0000

Hi,
This is too old . Still, the topic is continuing to hurt many, Arab-Arab and Western-Arab alike. Enough big talk, I am a Saudi man (I can hear some one screaming “women oppressor” but let’s leave stereotyping at the door) I have lived in Canada for sometime and the life style of young Arab in the west isn’t news to me. I sympathize with you, the things u fight against are terrifying, may God guide us all to the righteous way. (sympathize; not feeling sorry as you can handle it with God help)

The base point in your talk Mona is the conflict around the lifestyle sought for you by your elders and the one you think is correct, given your western culture. I wouldn’t want to be brought up in such a conflict, but here we are, people need to live. Things they think is correct Vs things you think are…. what is the solution … a free zone … some principles all would have to agree with … principles that are culture neutral,only if we knew how to apply them ….. that is religion ….. trust me, ISLAM is not equal to Arabic culture and vice-versa if you look at western Muslims who live by Islam with no Arabic culture impurities they are most likely living a happy proud life ….. Put Islam in your elders faces and you won’t loose, keep in mind that I am not referring to Saudi-Islam nor Palestinian-Islam and no other cultural attached Islam …. I am referring to the pure, cultural neutral, good for all times and lifestyles Islam …. this will work …. just try it, I can hear you say “yeah right, it’s easy to say it for a person like you” but let’s look at it from another point of view, it’s not easy already for you to live the double life you are living, why not trying another not easy but less harder way (may sound gibberish to you, it does so to me when I read it back but think about it )

God bliss you Mona ….. keep powerful (woosh that was long, a record for me )

By: Mona

Mona — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:48:37 +0000

Thank you Brad for your words.. I don’t mind telling the truth about life and things that go on within my culture..

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:38:51 +0000

Very brave website, very brave writing. I admire your courage. I am a tv producer who has been to Ramallah and made a film for the BBC about girls who desperately want to break free from their oppressive lives, and I have to say that, as an impartial observer, I was shocked at the way women are deemed to be second class citizens. Arabic society, it seems to me, is no place for women, and any woman who speaks out against the multitude of injustices that exist in Islamic culture, like the very brave host of this site, Mona, is truly unique. Power to you Mona. xxx