How Useful Are Iranian Know-It-Alls And Their Advice? Part 2

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How Useful Are Iranian Know-It-Alls And Their Advice? Part 2
by JahanKhalili
16-Oct-2011
 

It is Ironic that the most popular high school major in Iran is named "oloomeh tajrobi" (loosely, "science that is understood through direct experience or investigation").

I never saw Iranian high school students doing any such thing. The entire course of study involved reading books, memorizing what was in them, and regurgitating it in class or on an exam.

The teacher would teach his lesson. Students would absorb it as if a prophet of god was dictating the truth to them.

There was never a single experiment or field trip. The students were of course free to do this on their own time, but none of them ever did.

Nothing prevented them from going out and catching lizards and snakes (of which Iran has plenty), for example, and studying them. No, that's not how things are done in Iran. You have to be instructed about lizards by some important person. You can't learn about them by actually catching one and examining it; that would be a waste of time!

Actually, something did prevent them from doing that; their culture. In Iranian culture, knowledge doesn't come through an individual's own efforts at gathering information about the world through direct experience or observation; it comes from someone else - either in the form of their written opinion (a book), or through their spoken word.

The students had to pass exams, so that's what they learned to do. They studied for grades. Society prepared them to ignore distractions like genuine interests in favor of jumping through hoops and achieving "success". 

Therefore Iranian students were too interested in "studying" to study anything (if that makes sense).

The word "taghlid" ("emulation") is a familiar word in Islam, and one might be mislead into thinking that only religious Muslims do it.

Actually, the irreligious and even atheistic Iranians do it as well.

Yes, the same Iranians who pride themselves on being "Westernized", "enlightened", etc.

They mindlessly repeat the pronouncements of their own favorite authority without question. That favorite authority is sometimes the BBC or Voice of America. Sometimes, its some prestigious human being that they idolize. Sometimes its public opinion. At other times, it is their esteemed golden know-it-all selves.

Knowledge, power - and all other goodies - come from prestige.

If the Shah or an Ayatollah burps, Iranians will report it with such an air of importance that a Tsunami warning would be sidelined. If an important person says something and its absolute garbage, Iranians will quote it as if its the truest most important thing in the universe.

Next down the line are Iranians with degrees, great arbab or kadkhoda, or other forms of big-shot that can be found in Iranian society. Their pronouncements elicit the same fawning worship from their subjects.

All such a person has to do is stand there, and this will produce an impression on the worshipful idiots around him.

Iranians are prestige-worshippers. They care nothing about direct inquiry or investigating what's on this earth. All their concern is for worshipping someone, and belittling someone else.

All their activities besides eating and sleeping revolve around gaining prestige for themselves, or trying to take it from someone else. 

Pictured above is a page from a book which contains information about Iran's mammals.

The book was compiled by a Dr. Esmail Etemad. It is the third volume of the series, پستانداران ایران  

It was published by Iran's "Organization for Preserving Wildlife",

سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست  

It was given to me by the only Iranian I have ever met who had any interest at all in Iranian wildlife. I'd better point out here that he had no respect from other Iranians, who viewed him and his activities as a waste of time - but I have a great deal of respect for him, because it was through him that I was able to see a side of Iran - its wilderness and the Golestan National Park - that no other Iranian ever showed me.

I'm no expert, but just checking the scientific names of all of the species being discussed in the book, I'm having a bit of trouble locating a single species that is named for an Iranian discoverer; once again, it looks as if most or all of Iran's species of bats was discovered and studied by foreigners. I can't seem to find any Iranian names.

And there on the page is a picture of a bat specimen from Iran, but preserved in the British Museum.

Once again, its the evil British Museum, "stealing" Iran's treasures.

No, actually its the British Museum doing the job that Iranians should have done - studying their own country's animals.

Someone has to do it.

.... and if not the unconcerned, too-important, strutting know-it-all Iranians ....

.... why not the exploratory British?

Why didn't Iranians discover and study their own mammals?

Dumb Iranians.

You have no reason to complain if you flunk your own test, and someone else passes it.

You're too stuck up, self-important and arrogant to study your own wildlife - foreigners beat you to it.

... and now you look like idiots.

Deal with it.

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more from JahanKhalili
 
Tiger Lily

JK, thanks, that's sweet and

by Tiger Lily on

'will do. ;)


JahanKhalili

Thanks, Tiger Lily

by JahanKhalili on

.... that seems to be a probable explanation.

Please feel free to share your thoughts further. 


Tiger Lily

JK

by Tiger Lily on

Just to elaborate very slightly and just pointing out one of the points I was trying to make was, to hint at the fact that those examples that you gave in your blog, are different elsewhere because of an ideological prevalence in predispostions within a certain society, as a result of those ideological stances' creations of traditions/psyche, in this case with the emergence of The age of Englightenment e.g. the emergence of the importance of the individual and individualism, coupled with and that of scientifc methodology of questioning, logic, reasoning and exploration. (Even the questioning of the very existence of a unifying or at that of an individual 'god'.)  One of the points, I was trying to make...

I hope the above, makes my previous post, at least a bit clearer.


JahanKhalili

"except curiosity in others business"

by JahanKhalili on

Bravo, Comments!


JahanKhalili

The Age of Englightenment Didn't Reach Iranians?

by JahanKhalili on

Someone should offer therapy to Iranian know-it-alls.

They apparently need the news to be broken to them, somehow. 


Tiger Lily

Very simply put, there is a reason for this and that is:

by Tiger Lily on

The Age of Englightenment.

 

The reasons for which it happened in some countries, almost at a point of serendipity, and not in others, are the source for another discussion, and these re/sources are in contemporary contention of discourse. 


comments

Field trip for Iranians ??!

by comments on

The blog is different; that's why I loved the blog.  It shows that the writer is not hidden himself or addicted to Iran news and politics.

I think the writer sees the world better than many of us see.  That's true most Iranians have never had a chance to experience a real world.  They are only subjected to books and mandatory reading tasks.  They only read the books that they are forced to by their teachers.  Exploration and curiosiy has no ground in Iran except curiosity in others business.  Even in politics I don't see any curiosity.  They all copy and rehearse the news state TV or all they have heard.

Do you know what happens if Iranian students go to a field trip?  I bet except harrassment and rape they are not going to learn any thing from their field trip.  When I was a university undergrad student a professor had a courage to take us to a field trip.  When we returned we all were procecuted because the professor slept with two of our girls classmates.  It was not surprizing since unappropriate flirting was so obvious in the bus.  God knows what else happened there. 

I knew in advance someone in the destination city (Isfahan) so I didn't have to participate in any types of sex scandel.  I had my own plan, which was carefully had planned and I had a wonderful time!  If a govenment or a rulling party do not take care and protect people there will be a disaster.  Our cultural misunderstanding is a different issue.  

"It's not about what we believe. It's more about how we behave and influence." Comments


JahanKhalili

Sorry, I Was Away

by JahanKhalili on

I didn't have time to reply to your usual denials of the truth, because I was busy writing a new blog entry:

//iranian.com/main/blog/jahankhalili/how-useful-are-iranian-know-it-alls-and-their-advice-part-4

Get your truth-denial tricks ready! 


anglophile

Now I know why you are such an awful singer - LOL

by anglophile on

JK, baby, please, I beg you, I plead with you: NEVER leave this site, EVER! You bring us such hard laughters no one ever brought us before -  not in the entire history of IC. :))))) Boy o boy - let me make sure if I got it right: I showed this discussion and blog to an American woman." R O T F L M A O  OK now keep replying with one word per comment to increase your ratings: R O T F L A P M P 

Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Who says pigs

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

Don't sing? Here:  //www.yodelinpig.com/


Dr. Mohandes

Pigs Deliver speeches!!

by Dr. Mohandes on

JK.

Right. She was right on the mark. I Hope she never even tries learning it.

Yeah, Singing aint just anyone's thing. Ya knaw??:)) 


JahanKhalili

Its Yourselves That Are Not Made For It

by JahanKhalili on

You couldn't discover your own ancient history.

You couldn't discover your own flora and fauna.

I showed this discussion and blog to an American woman.

Her comment was "never teach a pig to sing". 


JahanKhalili

"Iranians Have No Problems"

by JahanKhalili on

Hahahahahaha!

Good one! 


anglophile

Iranians have no problem JK - but you have many

by anglophile on

Personally I don't see why we should provide you with the education that has been lost on you.You, kiddo, are not made for it. :)

JahanKhalili

I'm Not Making This Stuff Up

by JahanKhalili on

Nor was I or my friends hallucinating when we saw this stuff.

Instead of worrying about your little reputations, why don't you understand what's going on here?

Its not all about you. 


JahanKhalili

Since I have no interest in glorifying Iranians...

by JahanKhalili on

... I'm more likely to be frank about them.

I have no interest in hiding this stuff - they do. 


JahanKhalili

The Main Problem That Iranians Have With This Stuff

by JahanKhalili on

Is that it makes them look bad.

They frankly aren't interested in what amount of truth there is in it, and what it really says about Iranian culture or Iranians.

That's not even important to them. 


Dr. Mohandes

IFA

by Dr. Mohandes on

It takes a huge level of arrogance to claim that one's personal are absouly and100% true! Come now! WHo says? 

Is it Objectively factual... or Factually objective?

 

ad hominem attacks? are you kidding me? what would you do if someone made the same accusations about you and painted you with a broad brush?

Just because a group of Iranians are chasing unfortunate young women working as prostitues in COsta rica, does that mean all are guilty of the same crime? And this Gentleman take that and runs with it,

Saying mea culpa has no relevance in this context.

 


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

What does IFA

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

mean anyway. What do you imply that non aryan leave Iran or that all Iranians are aryan. What do the Arabs in the south do. Do you consider most Iranians aryan. Is that the same as white I am not sure I get where you are on this.

Anyway I still think you should go to a more appropriate forum. Honestly they welcome these discussions and you actually get real responses. Why not go to where you are wanted. IC for Iranians!


Iranian for Aryans

Fozolie, you're wrong

by Iranian for Aryans on

JK's statements are 100% true. His detractors have been unable to address his objectively factual critiques.

Instead of saying "mea culpa", Iranians use ad hominem attacks against JK.

Iranians, like yourself, promote Iranian consciousness ("Persian not Farsi") while calling JK and myself "KKK" for doing the same for White people.

 


fozolie

The statements in this blog as in your earlier blog

by fozolie on

are simply not correct as I have pointed out to you in your first blog.   It seems the 'slap' in the face is your real objective so it won't be possible to have intelligent debate while you are trying to instigate flame wars.

Mr. Fozolie


Albaloo

Why didn't Iranians discover and study their own mammals?

by Albaloo on

" We do not have mammals in Iran as well as gays !  " 

Said Ahmadinejad.  

 


JahanKhalili

darius

by JahanKhalili on

I understand that you're puzzled.

That's fine.

I'm describing things I've observed.

There are good and bad things about all cultures, nations and peoples.

These are my opinions.

I've wanted to deliver a good slap in the face to many Iranians who think they know everything but who are really so stupid that a cow is Einstein compared to them.

But I also want to show respect to those Iranians I admire.

I'm probably going too far, and exagerating a bit and perhaps being unfair - but I'm also describing real things. 

I'm all open to intelligent discussion.

So far, most of the response has been personal attacks or attempts to dismiss what I'm showing people, without any effort to address them.

But there have been a few intelligent responses, so perhaps this isn't all for nothing. 


default

I am confused...!

by darius on

I don't Know to whom  I should address my question!!

The first man is the man who has a deep conflict with Iranians and  defends  white nationhood ( while he is 50-50)  or

the man who post the the casualties of Iran and Iraq war and praise their bravery of fighting Iraqis?

I have a hard time to digest  a white person admire a non christian , non white who defended a land  that was occupied by bunch of liars and backwards, who Khomeini easily fooled them to accept and go along with his ideas. 

Since , I have no sense of curosity I was wondering  the author to shed a light ,are we dealing with a multiple personality in here.

JK, I do not mean disrespect , your anger and conflict with Iranian doesn't make me angry at all. I am really looking for an answer .

Harche mikhahad del tangat begoo 


JahanKhalili

چقدر ایرانی ها دروغگو هستند

JahanKhalili


خاک تو سرتان. علم یا کشف از کسانی میاد که راستگو باشند، و به حقیقت اهمیت بدهند.  


JahanKhalili

Yeah, Sure

by JahanKhalili on

"Yes there is a prominent Persian scholar who wrote in no uncertain terms on the origin of species and evolutionary chain "

Its up to you to substantiate a claim that no one else seems to know about except yourself. 


JahanKhalili

راستی، بگو ببینم

JahanKhalili


چرا ماشین یا سیاستمدار برای شما سمبل انگلستان هستند؟

تو اصلا از انگلیس چی می فهمی؟

 


anglophile

I am not going to make it easy for you kiddo

by anglophile on

Why should I? You do the running, that is if you can of course. I am not here to educate you. That was your father's job LOL. I can't imagine you having done a day of worthwhile reserach in you life hence you can't even grasp the meaning of research (that PhD wil continue tol elude you for years to come - LOL). Yes there is a prominent Persian scholar who wrote in no uncertain terms on the origin of species and evolutionary chain (not 300  years before Darwin as I originally wrote, but) 600 hundred years in advance of Charlie. This is well documented by the western historians and scholar. No kiddo this the stuff too advanced for you and Hakim to have heard of.     Now go figure kiddo - LOL 

JahanKhalili

خودمونیا

JahanKhalili


این خالی بندیت خیلی خوشمزه بود.

بیا اصلآ ادعا کنیم که ایرونیها این قدر پیشرفته اند که همه دانشمندان دنیا میخاند به ایران بروند، تا کارشان اونجا راه بیوفته. ان وقت خیلی دروغ قشنگتر میشه. 


JahanKhalili

اتفاقاً ایرونیا خیلی‌ زود تر از داروین"

JahanKhalili


... این اکتشافات رو کرده بودن شاهد و مدرکش هم هست غربی‌ها هم خودشون راجع به اون کتاب نوشتن"

پس کو؟ میشه این مدارک بالفرض را به من نشان بدی؟

در کدام تاریخ بود و توسط چه کسی در ایران این مثلا کشف شد؟