The Sweet Story of Ants in the Lonely Forest …
Some day, a new massage surprised the forest habitants: “the sky is going to stick to the earth!” Hearing this news, all animals including lion, cow, leopard, all predators, rodents, reptiles, and birds, everything creature in the forest headed toward a huge mountain to be saved at the time of the incident. Elephant as the biggest and most powerful, was also escaping with his family. While walking, he saw some ants struggling on their back! Looking ridiculously at them, the elephant asked one of them: “What are you doing? everyone is escaping, can’t you see? Rise up and come along with us to the top of the mountain if you want to be safe at the time of the incident!”
One who was younger said: “Definitely we know exactly why we trying. We are on our back to push our feet against the sky and prevent the forests destroyed?”
The elephant laughed loudly and said: “All stronger animals are fleeing to the mountains, and then you, with these frail hands and foots want to prevent the incident, alone! I’m sure; you will be destroyed!”
Ant looked at the elephant and said: “Yes, you are right. But it is the only thing we can do, except running away!”
Cultural Management and We
Management either theoretical or practical has many aspects and levels ranging from economical and political affairs (governance science), management of household chores (household science) to individual management. “Management in culture” or cultural management of the community is one of these areas that its results –if any and of course be considered- have been found as one of the main empowering factors and infrastructures in cultural, economical, social, military and even law sectors of the county. Ignoring this point which is the reason for all failures, we would be faced by the lost loop of all infrastructures and possibilities.
On one hand, the cultural management of the community has always some trustees who do theoretical planning and practical measures according their own considerations; and on the other hand, elements of society, whether of law (including civil entities) or real, follow the trustees’ outputs based on their own understanding and interest in the government. Of course, their methods would be considered by trustees as being out of social desirability and a kind of disobedience. In the best situation, they behave passively toward acceptance, removing the obstacles and publish it; if it doesn’t turn to contrast.
However, historical evidence show that at least in the last 150 years ago, nothing known as cultural management hasn’t been lost in the chain of social rights and needs of Iranian people. It has been remained undefined from the first day!
Many claimants and Don Quixotes in this field created different tools for guiding and controlling it. Unfortunately, these concerns were far from structured studies provided based on effective and real parameters that originate from true science of anthropology!
This situation is common in every dimension, from religious lessons (the real one, not the manipulated) to the sociological results (the very Iranian sociology, not a mere translation of West and East beliefs); from the facts and laws of nations to real origin of generations; from wise attention to astute enemies to considering the ignorant friends and…..
The Main Question…..
In order to cover desirable and useful applications and avoid more confusion and misleading, we should know that how the community’s cultural management must be lead and by whom?
Recognition of strengths and weaknesses as well as continuous study of opportunities and environmental threads of main facts (not putting illusions as basic) in the cultural dimension, and portraying a desirable position, on one hand; organizing up-to-date and dynamic strategies and projects for pre-determined wishes and ideals besides proper architecture of thought, operation and promotional units based on people units and governmental potentials, is the simplest pattern derived from management knowledge in the filed of culture – a dimension which has been our main reason for failures from the soldiers’ success in the war to high rate of road accidents, or long queues for giving blood to Bam earthquake’s victims and changing the pattern of Aids distribution – from drug injections to unhealthy relations…..
A question from governing men and women, the Ministry of Information to IRIB and a long list of other councils and cultural institutions
Amid all those highfalutin projects, have you ever looked –even partially- at the cultural consequences of your concerns and non-concerns in the managerial sections?
We can forget about policy making, planning and leading cultural development-centered programs! Why are the minimums ignored too? Today’s Iran hasn’t any defined structure for deal with cultural traps put by ignorant internals and astute foreigners! So if there is a decisive affair to pay attention to different aspects (that is undoubtedly necessary but its sufficiency is not clear), what are these discouraging statistics- from Iran’s seventh rate in using cosmetics in the world and pioneering the professional leaders of fashion to criticizing yesterday’s filmmakers on today’s productions, which is not too unreasonable!!!!
How it is possible that we can witness Voice of America and BBC Persian canals in some limited areas of the city, but blessings of Farsi 1 are never ever limited- the canal which is pioneer in developing and promoting ethical corruption or its most familiar word: “forbidden affairs”!??
- Unethical affairs based on Ethical Dialogues, may attract everyone as well as many religious and traditional families who wish to watch lovable stories from clear receivers, but their conscious and unconscious mind would be affected by new definitions of intimates, neighbors and friends and classmates and ... ! Alas....
- Unethical affairs based on Ethical Images
Ethical images of men’s and women’s desirable nudity! Images as attractive as Sudoku tables that increase the viewers’ eagerness, without being blamed for because watching a family serial is non-blamable in all around the world! Alas again and again and again....
- Unethical affairs based on Promoting Inductive Laws
Followed by these dialogues and endless images redistributed over and over, considering any moment of a housewives’, factory owners’, religious and nonreligious people lives alike, many new strong regulations and laws will be inspired that its misunderstanding would be impossible! Alas again....
Let Alone the Raid, a New Season is Coming…..
How should warnings be useful, when the 70s cultural raid has been passed and it’s turn to witness yield? Thank to some trustees’ ignorance or their unwise considerations, we are still acceptable for foreigners’ attractive but worthless packages, ignoring our unattractive but valuable ones. This trend is common in all aspects, from pistachio to glass, from Hijab to nudity, from rosewater to wine, from ignorant IRIB to dear Farsi 1. Of course the list goes on and on. Every carpet has been exchanged for matting! And we are still wondering to find Jam-e-Jam.
Of course we’ve done much: we have step analysis, definitely useful parasite waves and relations police. But hope we had done our best to aim better target...
And may we remind ourselves the truth of “planting, maintaining and harvesting”, for not being surprised for the lack of unplanted product! Or don’t say alas, when weeds were knee-deep taking the steps and blossoms down, without any power to omit them…..
I wish a social science researcher or a cultural specialist has written this article. But as we saw in the above story, the best choice is doing our best, leaving the rest to the experts. However, Asr-e-Modiriat belongs to experts and has always been willing to hear comments from them…..