The Art Of Constantly Scrutinizing

When I studied attentively Mahmoud Salem's excellent read http://thedailynewsegypt.com/2012/08/21/reconciliation/ which deals about the actual situation in Egypt after the Jan25 revolution I remembered an online discussion taken place approximately one year ago. Topic was the definition of democratic behavior during a revolution to install that what we generally understand as democracy. We figured out that democracy in our modern context is more a red line than a cemented dogma: the ability to ask yourself permanently if the decisions token are right or not.

That's what differs democracy from totalitarian systems crucially. The oppressive mode doesn't allow critical queries. The decisions of the ruling elements are sacrosanct, the slightest touch of doubt will be regarded as undercutting the correctness, as infiltrating, as act of hostility, as high treason.

But it's not only the totalitarianism in our political life threatening the expansion of democratic awareness. The devil's in the details of our being, our environment as well as our own existence. In the worst case we're fighting against injustice becoming ourselves unjust without realizing it.

It's not the point that the dissidents have to question themselves being dissidents. It's about the art of constantly scrutinizing the ways and methods to reach the desired goals. Self-criticism is a necessary tool and not a taboo theme. And it's by the way something the totalitarian counterparts aren't capable of.

Remarkable that the regimes tend to defend themselves with a strategy blaming the revolutionary forces for faults they committed (happens, we're all human beings and therefore all but perfect) standing objectively regarded in absolute no relation to the regime's faults (I know, a euphemism in that case). The regimers are pointing with the finger on it shouting out loud: 'Ha! Crimes against humanity! They're not better than us!' but when it comes to an examination in the revolutionary forces' own rows admitting that something like that happened and taking measures to prevent in common similar occurrences the regimers become suddenly deaf, dumb and blind. That's the way they defend their delusions: Infiltrators, terrorists, foreign conspiracists, drug addicts - the spectrum of simple explanations is sarcastically said pittoresque.

Admitting own faults is not a sign of weakness the regimers want to make us believe. It's a sign of strength.