ETHIOPIA :- A NATION LEFT BEHIND! PART I

This is the first of many blogs, I plan to post!

After much soul searching, I reached to this conclusion. That most of us, Ethiopians, live in severe denial of the stance of our country Ethiopia in the sight of the world. Once again this is not an attempt to solve a generation old question “why Ethiopia is a world apart”, but it is an attempt to question some of our thinking patterns.

Growing up, as over three fourth of an un-fortunate citizens of this country, we learn the make believe story that we crammed from our public school and half slumber society. All of a sudden we grew up and found ourselves facing with the harsh reality with an un-true self image of being an Ethiopia, and what Ethiopia embodies to us.

My first awakening came on my arrival to America in the late 90’s. I was amazed with not only the very complex roads and infrastructures, but also how green the country was. Wow….! I was made to believe that Ethiopia was/is the most greenish nation on the planet earth. Since then, my questioning mind never rested but questioned ideas like “Ethiopia, was the only nation chosen by God, with so many divine promises. Ethiopia was the only nation that has so much natural resources, wild animals and diverse tribal existence. We are actually not black, but we are brown people with special culture, tradition and history. We are the nation that was never been colonized in the face of the 19^th century, we are the land that was filled with hero’s like Tewodros. We are a unique nation that deserves the attention of the whole world.”

But, reality as harsh as it always is, explicitly announces Ethiopia as a nation that heavily relies on begging to survive on the face of the earth. A nation full of citizens where ‘pride has more important place than winning a daily bread’, a nation full of citizens who chose to live in the past glory they have never seen, but have no future plan that they don’t think they will exist tomorrow.’

I had to face this ruthless reality before I started peeling off the garbage that has been build generations ago. Garbage that buried the truth so deep, that we made to believe what doesn’t represent the truth as the truth.

Are we really who we say we are? Or rather, are we really who we ‘think’ we are?

I will keep peeling off the garbage of our thought pattern…. Hang on write back.

Selam Qwou. Teyakiw

“MY WAY OR THE HIGH WAY… PART II” of ETHIOPIAN’S APPROACH!

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The story goes like this:

A peasant raised a dog, this dog used cause all kinds of troubles. This peasant repeatedly warned the dog, but the dog did not cease its misbehaving and its mischievous acts.

One day this exasperated peasant took the dog to the weekly market, and then he started yelling … “Mad dog, Mad dog … Watch out!”. The crowd started to throw stones at this mischievous dog……

The peasant got his revenge… and the story of the dog foiled down sadly….

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Selam All,

Some of the comments I have received after the last ‘my way or the highway’ blog implied that it is a worthy/healthy thing to self-examine. I agree with you. As Socrates once said ‘The unexamined life is not worth living. ... Wisdom begins in wonder. ... There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.' “

Then I don’t see why some of you readers think, shining a light up-on my Ethiopian way of thinking, my brain wiring and my expression in the world would be wrong?

And then again, I asked my self the job of 'teyaki' in 'ethiomind' is to ask questions on how we Ethiopian’s think. A Question that tickles our inner most brain cells. And the hope is that some day many of us might find ourselves awake from our day dreaming.

The one and most absurd comment I have received is that I might be a banda, who is hired by the government. An idea like this seems to be one of the recent fad, which is spreading faster than the Californian wild fire. What a stretch!

Pointing out that the idea of ‘my way or the highway approach’ doesn’t serve Ethiopia and Ethiopian’s doesn’t mean upholding the government philosophy. Or it doesn’t require being a hired pen to express my opinion. Thanks to the technology.

Of course, I had said that the so called ‘intellectuals’ pretension to know ALL the answers to Ethiopia and there is no other view than their ‘sophisticated’ approach… is just an eerie feeling.

This extends to all disciplines of study and walk of life. Our strength and our power is in our mutual acceptance to one another and respect the other person’s opinion. At the end of the day the winner is the all inclusive person/race.

But, it triggered another issue that is equally important in Ethiopian’s way of thought process. It is label giving and calling names. Especially those we have a ‘beef’ with. Well, the world was supposed to revolve around us – I guess.

Zemene Mesafint, Zemene Negestat, Zemene Derg, Zemene Zenawi… it is imperative to know that the years, days ‘zemenochu’ are changing and we are in the year of technology & communication zemene siltane….. but we haven’t graduadted from the SAME school of thought.

It is sickening to hear and see us ‘Ethiopian’s’ (especially the once living in the western hemisphere) still dwell in our ‘comfort zone’ while in reality we live in amnesia. That we don’t know or remember we are suffering from sleep paralysis. We are W-A-Y behind from the whole world. We can’t afford to live in a very narrow approach of life, in a narrow kind of circle, in a very narrow kind of existence.

I found it to be very comical that we demand even the ‘westerns’ should accept this bias of ours. Well for some-one who defines the boundaries and the standards, it might be a legitimate demand to make. But, are we, can we???? Not really.

Let’s stop putting name tags and labels. Let’s stop hair splitting, and see our REAL stance on face of the world. Physicians tell us the awareness of the problem is the first step in finding the real solution.

These are my two cents, I blog on

So, hang on… write back

Selam Qwou.
(ethiomind@gmail.com)

“MY WAY OR THE HIGH WAY…” of ETHIOPIAN’S APPROACH!

Selam wud zegoch,

As I stated repeatedly in the past Blogs, it is not the intent of this blog ( ethio-mind) to place all Ethiopians under the same ‘category’. But, it is my personal assessment on what seems to be the most obscure contradiction that invaded most of ‘us’ Ethiopians. And by doing so, I am intended to question tiaque our very approach, our attitude and our view.


These days it is almost impossible to embrace very optimistic approach of Ethiopian politics, Ethiopian culture, Ethiopian survival, Ethiopian accomplishment,… in general Ethiopian existence with out getting a huge chastisement for not adhering to the ‘norm’ of following the crowd.

Even the so called ‘intellectuals’ seem to buy in to the idea of ‘my way or the high way..’ approach in solving the many complex issues we Ethiopian face inside and out of the country.

Individually, to take a good use of a given opportunity (especially for those of us who dwell in the western hemisphere), sometimes requires to be an outcast.

If you don’t do the same way a family member wants, the same way aparent wants, the same way the community wants, then it is a given that you will be judged, criticized and chastised.

As a society we seem to have a ‘simple’ solution to every problem we face, but we haven’t discovered a healing medicine to our SEVERE POVERTY. We seem to know all political formulas, but we still dwell in the propaganda of ‘if you don’t support THIS party or THAT party, you are a trader of Ethiopia’.
More and more I am struck to learn the so called ‘intellectuals and professionals’ per se are pretending to be they are the master of ALL solutions regarding Ethiopian individuals or the overall country.

They can’t avoid but falling in to promoting what the ‘yekolotemari’ blogger ‘wegesha’ called it Double Standard

If we have Ethiopian medical doctors, it is wonderful… we need lots of them to positively contribute to improve the lives of the so many Ethiopian’s. But, they can’t and should not pretend to know all the answers concerning Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

If we have Ethiopian Economists, all power to them… Ethiopia’s need for a seasoned economist is unquestionable. But, they can’t and should not pretend to know all the answers concerning Ethiopia and Ethiopians.


If we have Ethiopian Bankers, I’m proud of that too… each of us and Ethiopia needs their advice to learn how to play effectively in the financial world. But, they can’t and should not pretend to know all the answers concerning Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

And then again if we have experienced psychologist, psychiatrist or counselor, it is a wonderful… thing! Their expertise can be utilized in the ever confusing world and family turmoil our society is going through.

They could use their profession to educate and empower the lives of so many of us Ethiopians who are struggling everyday to balance our life with our family, to fit in the ever changing world community and also to build a strong family; from which our society and our country will be build of.

But, they can’t and should not pretend to know ALL the answers concerning Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

These and the so many professionals can play a significant role ( as shown by few Ethiopian role models). But, at the same time it is VERY SAD to hear and see some of these professionals grab a hold of an ideology that ‘if I am educated in these, then I should know better’ attitude and create contradiction to them selves.

Many of the recent political platforms can prove that, even though I’m impressed with their ‘well articulated’ writing ability, it is almost a shame to hear them pretend they are ‘the seasoned politicians, solution makers’ and ‘their way or the highway’. If you don’t follow this ideology, this political party, this opinion….then you are doomed.

Am I making a point that they can’t have a say in the other issues, wheather in politics or other socio economic issues –which can be different from their field of study? Of course NOT! But, when they pretend to know ALL the answers and to portray just that, creates an eerie feeling.

Many others adapt this narrow mentality, instead of learning the good out of these professionals. “My relative xx is this and that, there fore what ever he/she said should be right” is so dominative in the habesha world today.

Both ‘educated professionals’ and their view holders seem to interpret (take it qal beqal) the old saying "yetemare yigdelegn" , but they are not aware that they are a victim of their own ‘double standard’

Hence, I only label them ‘educated hypocrites – gibzoch’ . One major point I probably make is that I’m not passing judgment here. As I repeatedly had said it is not the intent of ethiomind to do just that. But to shine light up on issues that seem to prevail our society.

In conclusion, being an ‘educated’ person or being ‘professional’ is great! I preach it all the time; I perceive it all the time. But, after all by being educated what we have is information that others don’t have that somebody else has taught us. Intellectualism should lead us to be critical thinkers and should allow us to lead many others to see the light – the guiding light out of poverty, a light out of disparity.. a light that leads to a better governance, a light that leads to a better society … a light that is full of optimism.

We need ( Ethiopia needs) all kinds of guiding lights, be it seasoned politicians, doctors, economists, engineers, scientists, bankers, psychologists………. Etc etc…

I’m desperate to see an un-biased ‘educated’ coming out of these experts; I’m desperate to learn an optimistic approach of Ethiopia’s so many problems. Not an egg-headed individual who thinks that ‘he has’ all the answers for every problem we face individually or as a society.

I’m desperate to see a web site that will display an open mentality full of guiding lights, not a ‘political garbage’ that is based on the un-informed majority’s voice, not ‘another website’ about nothing but some hateful pessimistic ‘professional’ who pretends to solve all of our problems in one formula/prescription.

It is my guess the reason why many of us Ethiopians have this single view attitude towards everything – MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY-. May be we learned it from the 'other' individuals who are full of double standards?

It is my guess…. And then again I blog more about these and other issues..

So, hang on… write back


Selam Qwou.

Teyakiw (ethiomind@gmail.com)

The Ethiopian ATTACHMENT

Selam Wud-Zegoch,

After the last blog post, some of you emailed me raged about my expressions of Ethiopia-winet , some of you though, appreciated and commented that I might use less harsher words.

Both comments taken: the good critique and the bad ones too.

Before I go on posting today’s blog, I would like to re-emphasize endegena that the only intention of

ethiomind is not to impose any form of judgment and criticize the very essence of Ethiopiawinet , but rather to empower it and possibly to shine a light on the weak shadow that always haunts us – ethiopia-yawians.

In-fact I learn long ago that he who judges will not be excluded to be measured himself with the same ruler that he is using to measure others. Pointing one finger outward implies pointing three folded fingers to self…………. And as we know “… he who judges….”

So, I go …. Blogging again…

Let’s talk about the notion: “I’m better than you and better than all. Me and my family are the most talented, the most educated, the wealthiest of the society. Ohh, no I can do better than him, this is nothing, it is not his work, I went to blah blah private school or I was in blah blah sefer, ohh I don’t associate with habesha people, ohh in my sefer there is no black people even habesha…”
I want to approach this subject from inside out. As mentioned in the past article, identity is the fabric that we are made of. The creator made us different to b-e-a-u-t-f-y us … not to divide us, not to disguise us, not to empower some to be above others….. With out unity, identity is in crisis.

The plague that has invaded us “ethiopia-wians” is not only in our external interaction amongst our own race or others, but it is prevalent amongst ones closet family.

This might not apply 100% for all families (as it is not un-unchanged yemaylewet word of God), yes it is true some families have managed to go above and beyond the weak competitive attitude. ALL POWER TO THEM – we all should learn from them.

It is my belief that society is the grand sum of families, where as families are a collection of close siblings and extended ties. If we take a single habesha family (as a nucleus); at times it is full of competition, jealousy, pull downs and immeasurable turmoil. What I experienced and observed with my interaction with many other sidete-gnoch what haunts us day and night is the ever growing guilt trip and snare that has been imposed from our own family ties.

The result is that we have thousands of Ethiopians living in the land of opportunity, living below the poverty line. In the land of free, modern day slaves to some menial, back breaking jobs just trying to fulfill some greedy un-understanding family member who is creating havoc to a sidetegna soul.

Here I want to emphasize few things; I AM NOT SAYING THAT HELPING FAMILY IS WRONG; I’M NOT SAYING THAT DOING MENIAL JOBS ARE WRONG. I help my family every day; first by not being a burden on them, second by doing every possible thing that I can with out jeopardizing my existence.
As far as menial jobs go, I have done it all – but as a means to my end – temporarily. Then I moved forward….. forward

The saddest part of it all is that, after sidetegnaw sew creating all this show and drama to satisfy a selfish, jealous sibling back home or elsewhere, there is no gratefulness and encouraging words that come out to refuel his exhausted soul. But, rather dissatisfaction. Which is a major cause of loss of energy, time and a useful lifespan ---- the cycle goes on.
An inquiry mind wants to know – WHY???? How many are touched by this? ( bet yikuterew )

Why can’t family members be happy for one’s achievement, one’s effort, one’s success… why are many people rejoice in hidden for the failure of the other. Yewedeke zaf misar yibezabetal
Of course, there is always an exception to everything and anything…. I want to learn from that, we all should learn from that –I applaud the positive outcome.

There is no individual success and achievement, with out a strong supportive family as a backbone.

Next I will blog on …. Veering off- of individual-to-family to a family-to-society tie.

So, hang on… write back

Selam Qwou.

( ethiomind@gmail.com)

We Ethiopians Are DIFFERENT!

First of all the intent of this and many other writings in
this blog (ethiomind) is just to unveil the age old question that boggles my mind every single day as I go through my life’s journey while living my mark behind.

Especially living overseas, due to economical reasons ONLY! (No matter how many do not admit it –), raising the very foundational identity questions meteyek is more and more relevant.

Beteley, these questions should knock at the internal door of our identity – what makes us different and what makes us similar.

I’m going to delve in to this one for a starter:

Many of us Ethiopians have a belief that “We are NOT black or African, we are NOT white, we are not ARAB, but we are DIFFERENT race”

Even though, the above statement magnifies our positioning of self ( maninetachi-nen in the site of the outside world (among the many African, Asian, Hispanic and Caucasian races), the internal turmoil that we are going through is worst.

As it is not the intent of this blog to answer very philosophical questions and deliver solutions, I don’t claim to be a sociological expert. But, comments from experts are welcome.

Identity maninet is very important for human beings. Knowing who we are, where we came from and where we are going individually and communally is a key to have a successful existence.

But, to embrace an over inflated belief that declares “we are different, we are special, we have what the whole world needs, we are better than everybody who looks different from us, who speaks different from us and who thinks different from us” is WRONG and the source all sorts of identity crisis.

On top of the scenario, not having any thing to show ( except the blurry PAST) that we brag about guregn-net is a double shame.
I often find these arrogance attitude and empty flattery in many of my people, and long before I wrap up my judgmental remark, I find myself displaying the same manners that I hated the most.

So, the quest is not about some people le-loch sewoch only but also it is in my Ethiopian blood.

I am also fighting my own shadow that I observe floating everywhere over my “unawake Ethiopians”. It is imperative not to try to avoid it or fly from it or hide from it. Because, everywhere Ethiopians live, these perplexed identity questions dwell.

“We Ethiopians are different and special and we are better than every body!”

An inquiry mind wants to know, where did we attain these rootless ethnocentric ideologies? How does it become the most illusive concept of our identity? Maninet-achin!

NEXT: I will inquire the question internally, the “I’m better than you and better than all. Me and my family are the most talented, the most educated, the wealthiest of the society. Ohh, no I can do better than him, this is nothing, it is not his work, I went to blah blah private school or I was in blah blah sefer , ohh I don’t associate with habesha people, ohh in my sefer there is no black people even habesha…”

What I call the saga of the confused and lost Ethiopians in the wonder land …. I will question Individuals and societies that live every day under self comparison and negative “dog-eating-dog “non-cohesive existence- us Ethiopians.

Selam Qwou.
Ethiomind

How do "Ethiopian's Think????"

Selam All,

The full intent of this blog is to question the very puzzle of our society. It is a universal truth that what goes in our mind or what we think eventually translates in to our actions dirgit.

I would like to ask and enquire and possibly trigger the same old questions in the tesatafiwoch mind.

It requires to be dead honest ewnetegna to have your say.

Topics included but not limited to :
- The Ethiopian Pride egna yeteleyen nen
- Egna-ena-genzeb keras belay nefas attitude
- The spirit of competition - Blind judgmental-ism ewer feraj-net
- I know it all, I know better than you do ke-ene belay yelem

Once again the intention of this blog is not to philosophize the idea but to have an educated conversation.

Enjoy

Ethiomind.