We often see some photos going back decades, forty, fifty or even more years, circulating on social media networks. We then immediately start comparing our present to the times those photos were taken to come up with a conclusion that is, unfortunately, always in favor of the past. By this, I am not speaking about Kuwait alone. Unfortunately, this applies to most Arab countries seen in the photos that clearly declare their past superiority to their present. It even goes beyond Arab countries in including some afflicted Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, where photos of the 1950s show a great deal of elegance and beauty Afghans used to enjoy then compared to the daily killings, terrorism and devastation that never knocks any doors. The same applies for Iran and Pakistan as well.

The reason for such regression in favor of the past is very well known to us all, and our governments know it even better than we do. However, no one dares to declare or mention it so that we can start solving problems and try to catch up with the ‘past’. My readers might probably be wondering why I am saying this now. Well, with all self-confidence, I can say that I, as well, do not dare mention the reason, and if I had the guts and actually brought such reasons to public, I might be subjecting both myself and my newspaper to jeopardy!

I believe that such regression will continue and expand further and further to reach societies that are probably experiencing welfare, progress and development at the time being. Optimism in this regard is more like false pregnancy. It is a mere illusion and mirage spread around by people who do not realize the danger in feeling optimistic about bringing a corpse back to life.

We grew richer. Our pockets are overfilled with money, but our minds are almost entirely hollow and empty. We are less aware and appreciative of the values of virtue and beauty. We are clinging more to evil and ugliness. Beauty is no longer appreciated. We actually detest and disrespect it. There is no beauty in souls or minds as those minds are more concerned with destruction rather than with construction. We have substituted love with hatred and repulsion. We have been enviously fighting each other and boasting about all the blood we have been shedding, as if we came to this life to kill and be killed. Don’t be too optimistic.

— Translated by Kuwait Times

By Saleh Al-Shayeji