This entry's title shares the same one as a Minor Threat song by the same name, which I found to be extremely fitting for reflecting on my experiences this weekend. Just as a little bit of music history for the sake of context, Minor Threat emerged out of the early 1980s hardcore punk scene in the greater Washington, D.C.-area pioneering what would be become referred to as the "straight edge movement" and infusing punk rock with intelligence. Instead of dwelling on how crappy life could be like many first wave punk bands did, Ian MacKaye and company minute long songs that revolved around themes of self-empowerment, clean living, and political activism. I can picture anyone reading this entry scratching their heads at the thought of me, someone who is pretty clean-cut and mild mannered, listening to something so cathartic as hardcore punk music. The truth is that it has been a secret passion of my ever since my late high school years, and my love for it has only grown since being at college. There is nothing I can think of that can equal being squished into a basement of a church or other building to hear music played loud and fast, to the point that speakers often are blown by the show's end. Many times when I was at school I would forego partying (and readings) to venture down into Philadelphia to various venues for a night of music. Going to "shows" has become a method of purging my mind of all negative thoughts through a collective experience that consists of shouting along the lyrics to songs right with the band, which is usually situated only a few feet above the floor. Yes, at times it has been dangerous; I have seen my fair share of fights between guys, but that is part of the appeal of hardcore to me. It is compelling, it pushes boundaries and does not care much for what mainstream society's latest trends.
By this point you are probably asking so how does this relate to anything in Egypt? Well, it does in many ways that are not always obvious. Over the past two days I participated in the American University in Cairo's first annual Intercultural Awareness Day event that sought to bring the campus community closer together through small group discussions. The program itself was a workshop facilitated by two German political scientists, Simon and Bjorn, who had decided to quit university teaching to travel the world with their program, PlanPolitik. Beginning with some games aimed at examining how people tend to enter situations with preconceptions and stereotypes, the workshop truly got underway Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I missed the morning session because of a fieldtrip for an Islamic architecture class (pictures in here are from that trip). Arriving after I return this afternoon, I engaged in numerous small group discussions that allowed me to ask questions of Egyptian students about their culture. It was a rare opportunity where I felt very at ease, although it took some courage to move pass the thought of, "Oh, I should not ask them that, that might make me look like an idiot." I found that my questions, such as those concerning the hijaab (Muslim head scarf worn by women) and other cultural practices, were well received and I benefitted from the answers given by other group members. Additionally, each group had to partake in developing skits that would make light of the stereotypes that both Egyptians and non-Egyptians have constructed about each other. For instance, my group played up Egyptians thinking that Americans are so driven by orderliness and become easily stressed out when forced to be patient. On the other hand, we portrayed Egyptians as seeking to rip-off foreigners by charging high prices for various services, like taxis. This exercise revealed how ridiculous these stereotypes are and the need for individuals to combat them through nuturing intercultural dialogue.
Relating this intercultural experience back to my affinity for hardcore punk, I turn to the similarities between these two components of my life. As I had said before, Minor Threat and other bands that would follow in their footsteps, such as Modern Life is War and Have Heart recently, have been proponents of challenging the nonchalant approach to life. Their music, like the workshop this weekend, has served as a positive, driving force in my life and living it with passion. Whereas many young people currently do not seek to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, be it a suburban development or clique of friends, I can honestly say I have taken risks thanks to listening to this music. I do not know exactly how it all started because I am not upset with my family or anything like that, I love them all dearly and am eternally grateful for my upbringing. Therefore, I believe that I first listened to this extreme form of music out of a desire to be different and "out of step" through methods other than dying my hair ridiculous colors. All of that, in my opinion, is frivolous and not a sign of a true rebelious spirit. For example, all the time and money those kids on the boardwalk spent getting piercings/tattoos they could have invested their minds in reading philosophy and other stuff of substance. What I am arguing is that being "punk," whatever that means anyways, should not be confined to a narrow definition and be synonomous with looking like a walking jewelry shop. With that said, my act of being rebelious is rooted in striving to live honestly and pushing myself to explore the world. Very much like the Romantics of the early 19th century, I believe that life experiences are among the best ways to learn and foster positive change. Through activities like the Intercultural Awareness event, I see that it is people like myself, who care little for the mainstream, who are becoming the leaders in trying to heal the wounds inflicted by racism, ethnocentricism, and religious intolerance.
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