Saturday, April 19, 2008

Two Generations in a Picture

A picture speaks a thousand words. This one may speak even more. It shows two generations of Iranians side by side in a Friday prayer. The older generation, which got us in this mess, is shown shouting empty meaningless slogans with the usual enthusiasm and zeal, screaming from the top of their heads, with fists clenched and raised.

The younger generation however is silent and bemused. They are either laughing amongst themselves or looking at the dinosaurs with amusement.

This should be a lesson to those who want to collaborate with the outdated archaic clerical regime. Just like this older generation, the Islamic Republic is on its way out. Whether by sheer change in demographics or by some violent change, its here for just a brief period. No one can stop time or nature.

14 comments:

Winston said...

And it drives me nuts when some naive westerners think the majority of the Iranian people are with these bloodthirsty Mullahs. Obviously they don't read blogs such as yours and they simply don't care because they are ignorant and moron. This picture is really worth a thousands words.

Anonymous said...

This picture is indeed fantastic. Rarely can you find pictures like this. So precise, symbolic and easy to read. So this is a very good find here. However its almost too good to be true. Im wondering the exact situation of the time it was taken. Perhaps it was organized that the elderly shout first. it is good but im wondering if we are ignoring the context and analyzing it too far.

regardless this is one of the best pictures from the current situation ive seen in a long time.

Anonymous said...

Very good find.

Sohrab said...

Azarmehr,

The IRI can adapt to weather demographic change: it could manage the transition from drawing its support from the older generation to maintaining legitimacy among the younger (under 30s) generation. It could compromise on non-essentials and make concessions to the youth, while still maintaining structural control of the country.

As sad as it makes me to say it, I don't see the IRI just "withering away" on its own. Those very young people, after all, have lived all their lives under IRI (mis-)rule, and the regime has stifled their political imagination to the extent that it must be very hard for them to truly envision an Iran without Mullahs.

In other words, an political movement or party must be present to provide that vision and to guide young people's anger and frustration with the regime into making concrete gains against the regime.

And we may surprised as to what that movement will be inspired by. But we have to be ready to recognize it if and when it emerges.

Anonymous said...

I especially like the fact that the young dress in the colors of Iran's flag look like they are pushing the old hezbollahis out of the picture. This really is a picture that symbolises then truth about Iran today.

Anonymous said...

Winston
I couldn't stop laughing when I saw your entry. Particularly your reference to this blog as source of information about Iran.

You guys are well out of it and don't have the slightest clue about Iran and Iranians.

The photo shows a sports team which participated in one particular Friday prayer and formed an Iranian flag with their shirt colours. They were meant to stand still and keep silent.

I occasionally visit this blog for a good laugh.

C

Anonymous said...

C (See You Next Tuesday?)

Really? So which sport team was that? can you please name it?

In fact they were conscript soldiers forced to attend the Friday prayers, and they were not meant to stay silent at all. Why would the rest of the faithful shout 'Death to America' and the soldiers stay silent?

You can see them laughing and talking amongst themselves and looking at the older crowd with bemusement.

If you could read Persian, you could refer to the original Iranian website - see on the photo - that published the post and find out before inventing stories that support the Islamic Republic.

Anonymous said...

"Well, what do we have here my lord?"

"Fools Gilbert; fools having a fool's conversation."

Anyone who wants to pass judgment on the character of the entire Iranian youth based on a picture is indeed a fool; you only see what you want to see.

The simple truth about the Iranian youth - Iran's largest demographic - has lived under no other government than the Islamic Republic. Their educational curriculum was and still is determined by the Government. Unlike during the Pahlavi years and other Persian monarchs, they public's loyalty is not with the monarch, but with the state. And in this case, the state is not only the source of their intense nationalism, but it also embodies their religion. And like it or not, they are very religious.

Furthermore, the Iranian youth (under 35) - which makes up more than 60% of the population - is extremely unreliable as a progressive political force. The nation, after thirty years of Islamic curriculum and censorship, is not prepared to sustain a democratic government.

These are the consequences of bad governance.

barmakid

Azarmehr said...

Really Barmakid? Which book did you read all that crap?

So how comes we are seeing the biggest conversion to Zoroastrianism amongst the Iranian youth ever? and Tehran saw a less than 20% turnout in the "elections"?

Also what happened to your plans about going to Shiraz and getting the women to burn their scarves at the polling stations?

Anonymous said...

I see you don't like to be proved wrong, so you have not posted my comment.

Your political analysis through reading photos is not your best skill. is it? !!

Get yourself a life you sad retard.

C

Azarmehr said...

Hmm! See the comment at 4.36 and Amir's reply to you.

I see that reading is not your best skill. :)

In fact do you have any skills? But I wouldn't insult retards by calling you one.

So I suffice by simply referring to you as an ass!

Winston said...

LoL....

Anonymous said...

Come on Azermehr. Admit it. You have to be a retard to conclude that Iranian youth are bemused by the older generation based on this photo.

Amir is right. Perhaps they are actually soldiers. Based on this new fact !!, would you now be saying that the Iranian army is bemused by the older generation. LoL
The only person on this blog with some IQ is barmakid. The rest of you are retards. I wont call Azermehr an ass; as I don't wish to insult his relatives.

C U on Tuesday

C

Hidden Author said...

Short of a violent revolution, I don't see the mullahs completely vanishing as a political force. After the Velvet Revolutions that non-violently ended Communist rule in Eastern Europe, many Communists remained in the bureaucracy, many state assets were privatized into the businesses of former party members and the Communist Party was still allowed to nominate candidates to run in elections. Such concessions are indeed inevitable for an orderly, non-violent transfer of power!