Post by David on Nov 16, 2005 14:33:38 GMT -5
This is from an actual site on Arabic culture:
Honor is the highest value in the Arab culture. You see this first in the greetings, which are numerous and many times flowery. "Isalamu alakum", "God's peace be upon you" is returned by "alakum issalam", "and upon you peace". Beyond the greetings there is usually an exchange of compliments. Sometimes the men make a game out of flattering each other. Friends are considered a persons greatest asset.
Arabs are generally soft spoken and kind, but are somewhat easily offended. And once offended, it can be nearly impossible to reconcile the differences. When a man enters a crowded room he will normally shake hands with every person in the room, lest he offend someone. Those being greeted must not only shake hands but stand up also.
Personal honor is closely related to family honor. The men are responsible for offering protection for family and clan members and dealing out retribution for wrongs.
Decisions westerners usually consider "individual choices" are usually made by the family - who you'll marry, where and if you'll go to college, practice of religion.
Penalties for violating the rules vary from place to place and family to family. One person may receive no punishment at all while another may be killed. In some cases the govt. gets involved and puts them in jail, or deports them, in the case of a foreigner. But usually it is the duty of family (the men) to regain the family honor inflicting a beating or even killing the person.
Loss of honor on a national level is a harder matter to settle. You can go to war, but that's usually not practical, especially if your enemy is stronger. So, you settle for trading insults and threats. Do you ever make peace with your enemy? Well, it's been know to happen.
meate.org/MillerPages/honor.htm
Honor is the highest value in the Arab culture. You see this first in the greetings, which are numerous and many times flowery. "Isalamu alakum", "God's peace be upon you" is returned by "alakum issalam", "and upon you peace". Beyond the greetings there is usually an exchange of compliments. Sometimes the men make a game out of flattering each other. Friends are considered a persons greatest asset.
Arabs are generally soft spoken and kind, but are somewhat easily offended. And once offended, it can be nearly impossible to reconcile the differences. When a man enters a crowded room he will normally shake hands with every person in the room, lest he offend someone. Those being greeted must not only shake hands but stand up also.
Personal honor is closely related to family honor. The men are responsible for offering protection for family and clan members and dealing out retribution for wrongs.
Decisions westerners usually consider "individual choices" are usually made by the family - who you'll marry, where and if you'll go to college, practice of religion.
Penalties for violating the rules vary from place to place and family to family. One person may receive no punishment at all while another may be killed. In some cases the govt. gets involved and puts them in jail, or deports them, in the case of a foreigner. But usually it is the duty of family (the men) to regain the family honor inflicting a beating or even killing the person.
Loss of honor on a national level is a harder matter to settle. You can go to war, but that's usually not practical, especially if your enemy is stronger. So, you settle for trading insults and threats. Do you ever make peace with your enemy? Well, it's been know to happen.
meate.org/MillerPages/honor.htm