The Dark World Of Seduction

The Developed v the Underdeveloped Countries, Human failure, Totalitarianism, Intercultural relations and Human Rights

What connects us as human? Are we equal? Are we as individuals and nations “compassionate”?

The priorities for the children of Darfur, Palestine, Iraq and Uganda, range between, food, physical survival, shelter and safety. Lots of them have to deal with death, suffering, and insecurity from the first days of their lives.

Priorities for the children of Sweden, USA, Canada and Japan range between eating healthy, getting into good schools, have good marks perhaps. Most of them feel safe, satisfied and may be happy.

We all know that. We all watch TV, surf the internet and get lot of news. Most of us in both parts developed and under developed do not care. We are selfish, we want more things, bigger cars or better shoes, bigger houses, lot of males want bigger sexual organs, and lot of women wants bigger breasts. We always want more.

Governments in democratic developed countries focus on the country itself. They want to provide better services for their citizens, more prosperity, and more stability. Governments do not necessarily want bigger organs, they want to be reelected. That is good.

Governments in Undemocratic underdeveloped countries want more weapons, more battles, more oppression and the most important element is to continue governing. No Elections, organ size and permanent erection are of extreme importance, they call it “governance forever”. That is where I come from. That is not good.

So why should Sweden spend money on thirty three young “leaders” from the underdeveloped undemocratic Middle East and North Africa? What interest does it have? And why?
In reality it’s not only Sweden, but most developed democratic countries are running programs related to social change. What do they want?

Do they want to destroy/change and/or conspire against Islam? Do they want to change us? Do they want to democratize us? If so why? They are still doing business as usual, trade is going on, Oil is flowing, what the hell do they want?

I have asked, I truly did, the people I met gave simple answers and they have the best intentions. Public diplomacy, intercultural exchange, building bridges etc… that is not clear enough. No?

I think the answer is a bit wider, it ranges between immigration, integration, exported Islamic terrorism (Madrid, London, USA) and the need to understand each other better and of course trade, business and tourism.

An additional important element is the “voters”; the people of these countries occasionally ask their governments what they are doing to improve the situation in the MENA. Media is powerful and people do not like to see children and women slaughtered too frequently.

Focusing on this program in particular “Young Leaders Visitors Program hosted and organized by the Swedish Institute” I think I have a good valid answer.

Since the Euro-Mediterranean partnership initiative started, EU as an entity and individual states started to be more active in MENA focusing on civil society, development, media, legislations, human rights and of course trade.

Europe has realized that their neighbors “US” could be part of the solution for so many problems. Partnership with the Middle East cannot be built only with the regimes it has also to reach the civil society and the society in large. Whether it works or not that is another matter.

No conspiracy involved. No destruction, no hidden intentions, they are starving to build real bridges with the real people. They want mutual understanding and comprehension. They want to do some good. Whether they achieve it or not that is also another matter.

Sweden in particular has excellent intentions when it comes to Human Rights. They want to positively contribute. And the YLVP is a small contribution from lots of other programs they are funding and supporting in the region.

Governments and public institutions are run by individuals. The Swedish Institute and in particular the YLVP program personnel happen to be exceptional. Now whether the programs and the exceptional people manage to make a difference that is also another issue.

The real issue here is “US”. And on that matter I will be having more to say.

Grisselhamn, Javerria Rizsvi Kabani, Asa Silfverberg, Roger Sjogren,
Mark Comerford, phobia, drama and success

Grisselhamn is a piece of “heaven” as described in The Quran. Green forests, tulips, water, rivers, peace and seduction. So much beauty can only be considered a crime.

The Swedish Institute has among their staff first and second generation immigrants. They are Swedish by nationality and cosmopolitan by culture. Staying in Sweden for three weeks makes one realize that most people in the country are like this. Sweden even does not have a serious integration program for immigrants and government officials argue that preserving the cultural identity of immigrants is a wealth element for the country.

YLVP Program’s director Javerria Kabani, a lady who is highly motivated by the cause of human rights and radiates positive energy. She seems to be happy, satisfied, good-hearted and passionate about what she does. Javerria made me wonder about her pain.

Asa Silfverberg tends to use the three terms “Hush”, “silence” and “now listen to me” frequently. She is charming when she laughs. She knows a lot about team building, very task and goal oriented. Asa is someone whom you can dangerously fall in love with.

She reminded me of the famous Lucy phrase “How dare you Hush me, do not Hush me!”

Roger Sjogren is the standing man. I rarely saw him sitting during the three weeks I spent in Sweden. Even while the YLVP participants were making their project presentations he was standing up biting his nails. He is a good dancer and feelings oriented.

Mark Comerford is still living in the era of rationing. In Mark’s case he rations his words. The man generated debates in the group when he first opened his mouth. He is Irish. That means he swears a lot and he defiantly has an Irish story behind him. In three weeks I failed to know the details of the story, but I know it is a story of a good man. The Irish have a reputation of having a way with words, Mark exemplifies that tradition.

Asa, Javerria, Roger and Mark are the four facilitators who worked on our group dynamics, social media comprehension, conflict creation and solution. I like them; I enjoyed my time and felt that I learnt new things.

The lecture by Fredrik Haren was for lack of a better phrase “exceptionally stimulating”. Let me say, it was as intellectually solid as the content of his book, a series of pages as blank as his ideas about creativity.

I think arrogance sometimes accompany successful sellers. His book the “The Idea Book” is defiantly over rated. The activity following the lecture was much longer than it should. But hey I felt as if I were back to primary school. The feeling was good. The boxed meal that day contributed to the feeling, I really enjoyed that. Was it Fredrik’s idea?!

The hotel was surrounded by forests, water, birds, seagulls, and love was starting to flourish between us, lot of love.

The sun shyly sets around midnight. It was never seriously dark while I was in Grisselhamn. It is a better version of heaven than the one described in The Quran and way better than the one described in the old and new testaments.

In that hotel I had a night mare. I felt I was possessed by another being, a complex one.

Suddenly in that reincarnated body I was Bacchus the Roman God of physical intoxication, I was desired and wanted by most women and men in Grisselhamn. One of those men almost achieved his vicious and evil desires.

The night mare became more horrific as I saw Mars the god of war son of Juno and Jupiter invading the hotel bar, spreading his ears and eyes inside our rooms trying to capture our souls and sacrifice them on the cold stones alters. While the souls moaned “Wissam, Wissam, Wissam.”

The nightmare became unbearably horrific when I woke up to the realization that I have to face one more drama session. In Sweden they call them Reflection sessions.

In Grisselhamn blindfolded we succeeded in making a square, swallow a nightmare, form teams, act as a group, understand more than impose and compromise rather than dictate. But we did not find consensus.