I believe that many of our problems, here in Egypt, will be solved if we just adopt a more positive attitude. I usually regard myself as a positive person but sometimes I know that I’m not and that in these times I act negatively though I know that being positive will make a difference. Take for example, when I find someone smoking next to me in a transport, meeting room or wherever. In the transports, I rarely ask the person to put out his cigarette because I’m simply afraid of the consequences (I don’t like to be insulted in the bus). In the meeting room, I don’t do so because I may not want people to get upset and think of me as a silly person (though they’re the one who are being silly). Another example is the terrible problem of taking on and off the underground on rush hours. There are supposed to be gates for getting on and others for getting out. I’ve not once seen anyone following this and the view of people crashing into each other while struggling to get in or out is really sad. I usually get on from the right gate because there are marks on the ground but while getting down I simply forget. I call this a semi-positive attitude because the really positive one would be to tell people about the rule and try to organize them, at least when the carriage isn’t overcrowded and there is a chance to do so. I know that many of you would be now saying that, “we’ve tried this once and people quarreled with us and accused us of getting their way”. Actually this is the core of the problem. It’s difficult to be positive because this requires changing people’s attitude and people always resist change, whether for the better or worse. It is something in our human nature. Anyhow, we should be optimistic :) If we started with the solo positive actions and expanded them whenever there is a good chance (for example when dealing with people with an obvious tendency to change), till this positivity becomes more like a habit and an everyday activity, change will eventually comes.
We can always share experiences about the situations we face daily and how we deal with them to encourage each other as well as to find new and may be better ways to be positive.
You know Moey, I admire your attempt to be positive. I really do. It’s something that I can’t do anymore. Gone are the days when I fought with a whole train wagon! I used to stand up and say what I believe; no I feel that people in Cairo streets are like monsters. I feel really afraid of getting in a conversation of any kind, let alone criticizing attitudes, with anyone I don’t know, especially in the public transport. I admit, this makes me a coward, but I try to be positive by role-modeling, if this counts! I just do the right thing and hoe that people will notice that and follow my lead
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, welcome back :) Second, unfortunately I won't be able to reply to all your comments as I've to deal with some of my delayed tasks from last week :) I just want to tell you that role-modeling indeed counts because it is the least you can do (أضعف الإيمان)and it's a pity that some people doesn't even do this because they believe that their small and individual actions won't change the universe, though it sometimes can. Have you seen the movie "Pay it forward"? You really should.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwHcS-XoYbc