Liberating Arab Consciousness Is More Difficult Than Liberating Palestine
Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 9
When examining the state of the Arab world over the past few decades and reflecting on the prevailing discourse from the 1950s to the present, one cannot escape the conclusion that freeing Arab consciousness is more challenging than liberating Palestine itself. Arab consciousness remains ensnared in events that occurred over 50 years ago, and despite dramatic global changes, it continues to think along those outdated lines. Meanwhile, the world has evolved significantly, yet the Arab mind remains captive to historical moments that will never return.
Once again, we see the rhetoric of defeat reemerging from one crisis to another. The calls to open borders, tear down boundaries, and rally the masses are old narratives making a comeback. What is particularly concerning is the applause that greets these appeals—a dangerous approval both in speech and action, as though six decades of failures have not taught us anything.
Faced with the Palestinian cause, Arab consciousness finds itself paralyzed. Instead of unifying the Arab population, this just cause has only served to highlight deep divisions. Some attempt to morph idealistic dreams into political reality, acting as if Arabs have the luxury of choice amid a world governed by its own stringent laws, regulations, and overarching strategies. Politics is the art of logic and should reflect actual realities, untainted by empty slogans and unrealistic aspirations.
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How, then, can we win the battle for awareness? Combating media misinformation is crucial. This effort marks the first necessary step toward halting the deception facing the Arab public, which is no longer a coherent entity but rather a mosaic of isolated and fragmented islands. Without a profound analysis of Arab political discourse, solutions remain elusive, leaving us unaware of the true problem. This undertaking is vital for safeguarding a generation of young Arabs who deserve a prominent place on the future’s global map.
Political discourse analysis, as defined by political media concepts, involves studying the language and methods used in political messaging to uncover how it seeks to influence public opinion, shape political identity, or legitimize policies. Through this meticulous examination, we can identify underlying flaws not only in the message and its sender but also in its recipient. Words alone are insufficient to alter the realities of time and place.
Success is not built on stirring speeches but rather on circumstances, alliances, and diplomacy. When [Charles] De Gaulle spoke of occupied France, his strength lay not just in his broadcasts but in the allies that supported his continuation, victory, and transformative efforts. France shared a unified dream and a fervent desire to reclaim its reality. The international community played a pivotal role in restoring Europe’s balance of power and halting the Nazis’ expansion from overwhelming the East and West. This collective willpower was instrumental in driving the geopolitical changes worldwide.
Without such concerted efforts, small schemes flounder, and dreams crash into the wall of reality. Many Arab theorists luxuriate in their freedom to choose. Stirring speeches and calls for struggle are easy from the comfort of a warm home in a secure city. Yet the real mobilizers are not found in those safe havens; they are the ones queuing for bread, searching for water, or the children awaiting aid from above. Life once thrived in the city before it was snatched away by those who remain ignorant of its true value. —Sultan Al-Saad Al-Qahtani (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
