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Ostaad,

I have seen a couple of alternative translations but "Westixification" is by far the most used and it has a ring to it, so I agree, it should stay.

Oh, hahaha, how about an alternate translation by Dabashi: Pestiferous Westation? Or something along those lines...

but seriously...

I think if I really want to understand the theory of the time, maybe I should start with Shariati??? (btw did you know that Javid's aunt translated that book into English and when he was a kid he used to sell them on the streets of Abadan?  Well..no, why would you know, unless you'd read that particular blog of his months ago..but anyway, go figure...)

As regards that that particular version of the Jews and Free Masons..Hellenization..that's a new one on me.

Thanks for the link.

r.

rosie is roxy is roshan, thanks for pointing out...

the correct translation of Jalal Aleh Ahmad's well read work, which for my generation in the 70's in Tehran and being a daaneshjou, was a must read to gain enough intellectual fuel about the Western influence on Iran's society, all with the goal of being able to talk to and impress more girls at daneshgah and Tehran's "terriaas" after class.  The grand prize was to be invited to some parties and going to "te dansaan", later called disco. Later I found the whole book pure crap, to put it very mildly.

Also, may I add, his name name was Jalah Aleh Ahamd, and the "Aleh" is pronounced "aaleh", not Jalal Ali Ahmad as appears in the article.

Regarding, "Westoxiation" as was common among the believer then, the term refers to a whole movement and Keirkegard had something to do with. For example, Ahmad Ashraf says, "The term gharbzadegi ("plagued by the West" or "westoxication")
was coined by Fardid, who claimed that Freemasons and Jews are engaged
in a great conspiracy to "hellenize" the entire world". He says a whole lot more here:

//iranian.com/May96/Opinion/Conspiracy.ht...

PS - I'm OK with "Westoxificatin". 

Shah Gholam

Shah Gholam
the new mouth piece of IR , Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah joined together to beat and maim Iranian freedom fighters.
your bull is old and tired and no one is believing you anymore

Delusiona Shah Gholam,  

Delusiona Shah Gholam,

This Jalal Ahmad type ideology is rejected by Iranians. This garbage of a culture he and his alikes created are in the museum. That ideology led to the brainwashing of some people and contributed to the miserable status Iran is in now.

They confused rejecting modernism with rejecting the West. They build a psychological wall around Iran which led to its isolation.

The good news is as we speak, Iranians have realized how much BS that culture and hat argument contains. Iranians are strongly pro U.S and pro West and pro Modernism. They want to be friends of the West because of their shared values of human rights and social liberalism.

 “Blame the west game” won’t work anymore for your Fascist IRI regime!

Hi

a few points, if I may.

As I know you know, the translation of Ahmad's groundbreaking book Gharbzadegi is "Westoxification". I know it was just a typo but I want to clarify it for others who read this feed who may not be aware of it. In actuality, it further highlights the points made in the article you chose.

Ahmad and this theory of his to me are such a paradox. He had French and English schooling which obviously taught him a Western critique, he was a member of Tudeh for some time wich obviously taught him a Marxist (i.e. Western) critique, and he was a great supporter of Mossadeq.

In my opinion if Mossadeq had seen what happened with the Islamic Revolution of '79 and beyond, he would've had a cow.

A large component of Ahmad's theory had to do with a critique of the impact of Western technology on Iran. He believed a return to handicrafts and other more indigenous economci forms was more appropriate to Iran.

In my view, in the Cyber-age this kind of critique of the technology is no longer valid. Further, we can see that IRI is as into Western technology as anyone else. They want nuclear technology, spyware and malls, all of it. All. They do not want to train legions of rug weavers.

So I have issues with the paradox of Ahmad himself as well as the relevance of "Westoxification" as a theory today.

_____________________________

Moving on, it is interesting to note that the Chinese press (official and unofficial-which also means official) immediately called major fraud when the election results were announced. Moreso and with more conviction than the major Western press. Apparently (according to Asia Times) they had a field day making fun of Ahmadinejad. And they oughtta know about rigging.

You may argue that China is western now for various reasons and that is true, but the fact still remains that China is also China. In addition, the Chinese leadership is as pragmatic as it gets, they couldn't care less what system runs any country, as long as they can trade with it and maintain geopolitical stability. China was doing just fine trading under the hardliners and the hardliners also guaranteed regional stability in numerous ways.

They called fraud because they saw fraud. If they saw US, British or Israeli intervention they would've called that too.

We also have to remember that there are many individuals and sectors of the ulama who question the results of the election and/or severely decry the treatment of the protesters without mentioning foreign influence and they can  hardly be said to be "Westoxified".

As has been so sadly demonstrated by the recent events, the IRI theocracy maintains its power through a goonocracy of its own devise, which is the Basij, who are called "paramilitary" but are basically a bunch of trigger-happy vigilantes whose guns happen to be government-provided. This is indefensible by any standards, Western, Eastern, neither East nor West, any and all and it is something which must be born in mind when discussing the governmental system of IRI and its if you will philosophical orientation. Goonocracy certainly is 'neither East nor West'.

It is simply repugnant by any standards which could possibly be called human at all...