Cultural Blindness

Gad Saad was born in Lebanon and fled to Canada with his family when he was 11. He understands Arab mentality.

In an article he refers to a “suicidal empathy” and he is working on a book that tentatively will have that title.

In the book he will argue that empathy must be regulated (emphasis added):

“Western leaders tend to ‘exhibit compassion in an orgiastic manner’ and expect other nations to reciprocate that empathy. But in the Middle East, ‘if they sniff empathy or compassion, it is seen as a vulnerability and you are weak.’

“Saad sees that Islamists use Western naiveté to their advantage… 

 

‘I grew up in that world, I understand that language,’ says Saad

“’What shocks me to no end is when I see all these Western politicians exhibiting this cultural blindness. They project exactly the values that are important in their society, and presume that others will understand them and read them as the same.’

 

“When he discusses this detail of the Middle East with diplomats, they are ‘blown away,’ he says.

“’It’s as if they’re running into a Martian, because literally, their brains can’t comprehend those realities,’ he said.”

 

Living in Canada, he says the he is increasingly feeling unsafe. “I’m not at the point where I’m afraid to leave my house, but there are certainly neighborhoods that you want to avoid. “There are certainly campuses in Montreal that are more problematic to be Jewish in general, and to be a high-profile, outspoken Jewish professor in particular.”

 

Canada is reaching a “tipping point,” Saad believes.