Book launch: Cultural narcissism can be fatal, writers warn

Mubarik Ali’s Tehzeebi Nargasiat launched at seminar

LAHORE: Cultural narcissism can be dangerous for decaying societies, speakers at a book launch at Alhamra Arts Council said on Saturday.

They were discussing historian Mobarak Haider’s book: Tehzeebi Nargasiat. The ceremony was moderated by Sajjad Saleem.

“This book gives us a methodology to understand the behaviour of Muslims through psychology. We must fight the darkness in our society,” said writer Arshad Mehmood. “We are enchanted by barbarism. We should abstain from inculcating false pride in our youth. We should teach them to love humanity,” he said.

Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Executive Director Peter Jacob said the metaphor was an interesting one.

“I am surprised at the way it has secured its place in our society. It is being used in essays, books and columns…even some politicians use it,” Jacob said. “Our people do not read much. The speech the defence minister delivered the other day clearly shows that we remain narcissists,” he said.



Sajid Shahbaz Khan, the University of Central Punjab Islamic Studies Department head, said that the book chronicled the changes taking place in the society. “As a people we do not try to solve a problem until it has reached the crisis stage. The author I believe should have given a moderate dose to treat the disease,” he said.

Critic Saeedur Rehman said: “I believe every civilisation, not just ours, constructs an artificial cultural narrative. I disagree with the way the writer has criticised oriental knowledge.

I feel that taking Western contributions to knowledge too seriously will be equally problematic.”

Rehman said the way Europe forcefully tried to root its history in ancient Greece, from Socrates to the Industrial revolution, was a farce.

“The reality is that the West only used Greek knowledge for its development. Greeks have faced discrimination in Europe. A derogatory term is used nowadays for Greek workers in European countries,” he said.

Rehman said that local solutions were needed for the society’s problems. “We should use teachings of the likes of Sufi poet Shah Hussain instead of looking towards the West for a treatment of this disease,” he said.

He said the author had sought to explain Muslim civilisation using theories coined by Sigmund Freud. “I feel this is not the right way to study a society.

Slavoj Zizek has quoted Freud as saying that the Slovenian people were not analyzable (using Freudian psychoanalysis). If psychoanalysis does not work even in the West, how can it work beyond that?” he asked.

Dr Mobarak Haider’ said: “If somebody can assure me that our civilisation is going in the right direction, then they can also tell me that I have been harsh in my estimation. What we see is a diseased civilisation begging for life but at the same time pushing the surgeon away. There is no way a mild dose will save this civilisation. It is time for a surgical procedure,” he said.

Mubarik said his work required a lot of effort. “It is like moving against gravity,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th,  2015.

An earlier version of the story wrongly mentioned Dr Mobarak Haider as Dr Mubarik Ali