Here's a concept: Intro

Civilization. Culture. What are they?

I think they are basically just protocols really. Ways for people to deal with other people, interact with each other, communicate with each other.

The more we interact with each other, the more sophisticated our protocols (and therefore our culture and civilization) become.

Now to say that western Europe is the height of cultural advancement and civil development is stating the obvious. Of all modern cultures and civilization on earth the Europeans have had the most interactions (between themselves and then through colonization through out the world). The Chinese have been around longer but they were kind of on hold for quite a few centuries after the European invented cheap mass producible paper and the printing press.

Now as an Arab I am sorry to say that we are lagging tremendously. Our concepts and understanding of ideals and values are still stuck in the 16th century (I think) and I believe this might be one of our main stumbling blocks in trying to sort out our current cultural coma and I have identified the concepts that I think need to be "fleshed out" by our societies.

THE CONCEPTS

Love
Liberty
Truth

That's it really. I know it sounds so clichéd to the average westerner and to the average easterner sound's like American propaganda but I really believe that it's because our people do not understand these ideals that they have nothing to aim for.

With the recent "freedom of press" movements across the Arab world it won't be long methinks before freedom of expression starts getting touted around. It is only after these two freedom are granted/won that I believe we'll be able to lift ourselves out of the mud.