I always thought
that the Arabic word “Laghlagha”, from which the slang word “Loghligha”
originated, is not a standard classical word, as we used to –and still– call
the repeated loud gibberish as “Loghligha”. Later I knew it is a
standard classical word that means –if it has to do with talking– ambiguity and
obscurity. It also means, if it has to do with food, that it is well-mixed with
butter. Thus, one can describe the repeated gibberish that starts after
accomplishing any big project,… a speech for a high-rank official,… a law,… or a
constitution, as “Loghligha”; meaning that it is nothing more than a
reaction for somebody who waits for others’ actions to attack them, and if you went
into a debate with him regarding such thing, you will hear nothing but
ambiguous and obscure words; meaning illogical not-understood contradicting
talk!
I have been
travelling for two weeks. I was watching from a distance our Egyptian reality and
thinking about it. I do not deny that feeling of serenity that goes slowly and
steadily in some of us, including me, when we watch such achievements; of them
was the huge Rod el-Farag high road that came to work in the past few
days.
Of these
achievements as well is enriching the positive communication with the African
nations… visits of European officials to Cairo… not to mention the president’s
visit to the United States… Such feeling of serenity should be completed by
addressing another aspect of our Egyptian reality, that aspect that one always has
in his mind, soul and thinking when we are abroad; it is the collective social aspect
that includes people’s way of life and behavior, also people’s relation to the
streets, facilities, buildings, work and even enjoyment!... meaning, in
general, all that has to do with building the character of a normal
human-being. That has been already announced as the main point of focus in the
second presidential term. Some of its phases have already begun, specially what
deals with the health of the coming generations of children, teenagers and
youth. Also, on the side of developing the educational process, there are
positive details to tell
However, still
the issue which I believe is pivotal, is the Egyptian collective behavior regarding
all life aspects, starting from kitchen sink and bathroom sewage opening and
not ending by public gardens, walls, yards and courses of rail ways… not to
mention traffic lights and crossing the streets and squares… cars’ movement at
the tunnels’ entrances and bridges’ elevated entrances… also in the streets of
the most elite new neighborhoods in Tagamo’a starting from the first settlement
to the fifth one!
We do not
hear, not now or even before, a single “Loghligha” regarding such
important issue from those experts of attacking all the positive actions that
is being accomplished and picking every word said by the president; those who
cease not to attack and pretend to have the ability to understand, analyze and
expect what is coming!
Working hard
on amending humans’ behavior goes in the heart of the process of building a
normal human being, since we started to notice that the degree of education,
level of materialistic wealth, job nature, or even all that could be a possible
reason, cannot prevent the citizen from committing a negative behavior… I can
give you quick examples for such thing; those living in the gated communities
or “compounds” in New Cairo and its likes of modern population communities inhabited
by people capable of having few-millions-worth houses… most of them do not
hesitate to drive their cars in the opposite direction in a stubborn way… You can
see one driving his latest model sportive car as if he is riding a motorcycle
like the delivery guy who wants to cut the distance short, even if it is a
matter of 100 or 200 meters long stretch, to make it to the U-turn of the right
direction… just like driving a Tok-tok in the lowest-level alleys in the
poor neighborhoods!... Like cars rushing at the tunnels’ entrances and bridges’
elevated entrances to the sheer right crossing all connected lines and cutting
the speed bumps to step in the way of those who line properly at the tunnels’
entrances and bridges’ elevated entrances… then you find some of them posing
the front of their car against that of the one who committed to doing the right
thing for all the traffic to stop… you can even see them looking at you in
challenge or even give you a careless sign with their hand… and sometimes curse
at you!
Add to this
the courses of rail ways that turned into trash dumps extending for hundreds of
kilometers… destroying roads with water and cars’ washing substances… staining
the walls of rail ways courses, schools, public buildings and facilities in
many places with ugly drawings and wording… some of them are sometimes obscene…
and some others require psychology and psychiatry academics to give
explanations for!... There are also some behaviors that became like addiction;
like throwing burning cigarette butts from cars and houses’ windows… also,
empty cigarettes’ packets… snacks’ packs… bananas and oranges’ peels… and
things like this.
It happened
once that I decided to react to such bad behavior. I opened my car’s door in
then-called-Raba’a el-‘Adawiya traffic point to talk to someone who threw
an empty Marlboro packet along with another one containing some food in the
clean street. The response was really tough and obscene as the guy said “it’s
not your God-damn business… is it your f**king mother’s street?”!... I was
about to go into a physical conflict, but the traffic light turned red and he
continued by making obscene hand gestures!
Yes… we are –
actually, that started tens of years ago – in desperate need of adopting a
decisive plan to amend the society behavior… we should have an open
conversation over this… we will ask all experts of “Loghligha” to
contribute – even with mere words – to establishing a new Egyptian perception…
for our Egypt to be void-of-ugliness.
Translated into
English by: Dalia Elnaggar
This article was published in Al Ahram newspaper on April 18, 2019.
To see the original article, go to:
#ahmed_ahmad_elgammal #Egypt #fighting_ugliness
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