Thursday, September 27, 2007

Were you born to resist, or be abused?

Driving seems to bring out the worst in people, they behave like animals that merely function out of their most primitive instinct; Aggression.

It's surprisingly lucid how much negative energy oozes out as we - human beings – carry out daily functions like conversing or problem resolution. The other day at fetar time; I encountered one of those people you cannot fairly describe, but I'll go with semi-educated, pseudo-professional, early 40s gentle man; who shut off his car engine and walked away as he blocked the street with his car, the reason for his "in his mind justified" furry was that he refused to go back on reverse and expected me and another car behind me to do the same instead.

The ACT of shutting off the car's engine and walking away conveys ultimate selfishness and stubbornness that demolish any approach of logic or reason. As a reflex, I was going to respond to his crap by equivalent crap (i.e. leaving my car too in the middle of the street), but I had company who didn't need to experience this.

Driving in Egypt is like surviving in a vicious jungle, Dominant species (lions) get to do what they want without ethical restrains while submissive species (sheep) choose to play it safe, be victimized and endure the frustration. There is no such thing as dual-species that can go both ways; inevitably, one attitude will conquer the other and you are labeled; Predator or prey.

Lions Theory: Follow the modern version of the Darwinism theory; Survival for the most obnoxious. Bring it own punk.

Sheep Theory: Follow the passive adage," When the wind blows, Duck".


It's catastrophic that theories like these are initiated and applied on such normal daily activities like driving.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I totally get what you mean! I wrote a post about this several days ago on my blog too! http://uniquemuslimah.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/you-call-this-driving/

Marwa Rakha said...

I am so in love with that post.

I used to live and work in the same area .. since I started working the maximum driving time back and forth to and from work was a maximum of 15 minutes.

Today I have to cross the bridge - and you know what that means:) I am stuck in traffic daily for over an hour per way. I messed up my mood and I have physical evidence that it ruined my hormones:)

I have developed a condition that I labeled as "territorial driving" - I was caught hitting the rusty body of a microbus with the heel of my shoe out of my window because the driver attempted to invade my territory when we were stuck at a red light.

Amidst lines of black mascara running down my face, curses flying out of my mouth, and howls of scared-out-of-their-wits passengers came an officer who threatended to take my shoe!

Mo'men said...

Unique mulsimah

Lovely post, but I sense you don't drive aslan in Egypt, your comments are addressed from the passenger seat point of view :)


Marwa Rakha

Fellow lion, welcome to the jungle. Don't ruin your expensive shoes on shits for brain microbus drivers, just close your window, raise the volume of your cassette, and let your "driving" do the talking.

But I must admit, the scene of an elegant woman cursing is very intimidating :)

Take care Marwa, seriously..