{Reflections Redeemed Series}
It is difficult not to notice how many human development theories and natural laws correspond with the Hermetic principles. Following the same reasoning, one could also see how these principles might be used in manipulation or influence — reflecting the duality inherent in all things.
This recalls the expressions “double-edged” or “two-faced,” highlighting how anything can turn into its opposite as everything moves in cycles and connections. Ultimately, it reflects the eternal interplay between good and evil, and how perception shifts as we move between cycles and experience the dynamics of balance.
However, this widespread access also presents challenges. People are often exposed to opinions from non-experts, which can lead to misinformation and confusion, particularly in scientific or specialized fields. In the humanitarian and social domains, while open dialogue is valuable, caution is necessary when interpreting or responding to opinions that lack proper expertise.
Let’s agree or disagree about the infatuation with cinema and TV productions. There is a kind of pleasure and entertainment in what is presented or aired on screen. A key element, sometimes, is the desire to flee from reality—to go on a journey into other stories or narratives. To be involved as a third party in a story directed according to your preference can be an appealing experience. From tragedy to comedy, from social realism to fiction, television and cinema exist to satisfy every taste and mood of watching.
Despite systemic complexity, individuals retain a degree of moral agency. One can choose not to participate in the cycle of injustice — either through abstinence, advocacy, or awareness. Even if one cannot prevent injustice directly, refusing to perpetuate or enable it is an ethical stance that upholds human dignity. Injustices are there to test the oppressor, the oppressed and the witnesses. Each has unique test to go through. Awareness that anyone can become the next oppressed may cultivate greater empathy and resistance to injustice.
Is the heart the core of the human being? It pumps blood to all parts of the body, but does it also affect our whole being? I am intrigued by the position the heart holds within us. How about the mind and its counter-intuitive relationship to the heart?
Conspiracy, deceit, and deception are what some people master in the era we happen to witness. It is the art of flipping facts, turning tables, and sometimes even projecting or mirroring what they are onto others. The danger lies in the inability to differentiate between truth and falsehood.
The concept of privilege is very common among certain fortunate people. Here, I discuss the suffering and humanitarian crisis of Palestine. The unequal distribution of blessings conjures up various feelings among the vast majority. Some may be encouraged, while others may be discouraged, to contribute to life’s undertakings.
Anyone, anyone?! Just one—that is what it takes to do something, whether benign or malignant. Of course, not just anyone, but at least one person can make a great difference. Yet, the role of the individual is often neglected. Most people find courage more easily when acting in a group. However, few are encouraged to take initiative alone—perhaps out of fear or anxiety of being singled out.
One of the key awareness people should seek today is mind manipulation. Earlier, I spoke here about memory manipulation—how certain memories can be retold and remembered differently when conjured up. Memories can be reconstructed and re-contextualized, especially if the narrator was not directly involved in the original events. That was about memory manipulation. But what about techniques that manipulate a person’s mind, personality, and values?
In English, there is an idiom or saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
In Arabic, there is another saying that might be partially comparable: “Eat what you like, but dress as others like.”
Both sayings carry wisdom about how to act in front of others. However, the Arabic saying highlights more explicitly the idea of adjusting behavior when people are around.
Often, the representation seems superficial and without solid ground. These figures are usually characters who impersonate a role rather than embodying genuine belief. It becomes a matter of hegemony, where the so-called right way is coerced by those with the upper hand. This “upper hand” differs from one sphere to another, but the bottom line is the same: it is a matter of exercising power.
LIFE ENEMIES OR SOMETHING LIKE IT
There are some views lurking around that dislike certain lifestyles for being “not alive enough.” To that, we can just say: enough. Enough with the preconceptions. Enough with the presumptions. And enough with the prescriptions laid out by those whose values contradict those of others. Keep such opinions within the social circles and networks where those kinds of thoughts are welcome.
ھناك تضارب واضح بین بعض المعارف و العلوم. تنمیة العلوم و تبني تطویر القطاع العلمي المتمثل في البحث العلمي قضیة من المفترض أن تتبناھا الحكومات و الھیئات المعنیة في الدول. لكن على الرغم من وجود الھیئات المعنیة المنوطة باتخاذ ما یلزم من سیاسات و خطط تنفیذیة لتطویر البحث العلمي، یوجد ھناك تضارب متواجد بین سیاسة البحث العلمي و السیاسات المتبعة من تلك الدول.
كما أن ھناك غیاب من الممكن أن یكون متعمد لوضع خطط لتطویر البحث العلمي ذات كفاءة و مصداقیة و شفافیة إداریة و نظامی
تعد القضايا البيئية أكثر من مجرد إدارة موارد، فهي تتعلق بصياغة سياسات مستقبلية للتنمية. لذلك، فإن وجود مجتمع مثل "مجتمع الأخضر" المهتم بقضايا البيئة في مصر يعكس الرغبة في تمثيل القضية البيئية المصرية على طاولات الحوار داخل البلاد وخارجها، من أجل تفعيل التعاون الدولي، وتطوير السياسات البيئية المشتركة بين الدول المختلفة.
THE CONCOCTION OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION
Cultural appropriation can be viewed as a form of cultural acquisition—a process of re-identifying the cultural subject. Culture is deeply tied to identity, from the personal to the public, the national to the international, and the individual to the collective.
Much confusion or disorientation can arise when individuals or societies become disconnected from certain cultural aspects, especially within evolving social contexts.
THE CULTURE OF SPIRITUALITY IN EGYPT AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Spirituality is deeply ingrained in many developing countries, including Egypt, where it often permeates everyday life. Unlike in the West, where individuals may embark on specific spiritual journeys or seek guidance from spiritual gurus, the experience of spirituality in the East is often more intrinsic and embedded in culture. This article focuses on understanding spirituality from a local perspective rather than on popularized spiritual practices imported through classes and sessions.
Writing is not for everyone—and it doesn't need to be. Some find it challenging or tedious, while others discover joy, purpose, or even healing through the act of writing. But for those who write, it often becomes a form of amusement, connection, and expression that is difficult to replicate through any other medium.
Strong Independent Women, yes/No/ Maybe {Reflections Redeemed}
Something I once read said, “If you believe everything you read, don’t read.” With or against being the famous slogan out there for women to celebrate their uniqueness, some insights about this slogan are controversial (what isn’t, and who isn’t?).
So, am I going to talk from a feminist background or an academic feminist background? Well, these articles are just reflections of the writer (c’est moi, oui). From one paragraph to another, there might be some facts—but again, this is an opinionated piece. (Yes, I’m biased toward what I write; you are not delusional.)
A Dress to Forever Impress {Reflections Redeemed}
There is something about a well-fitted attire—dress, outfit, you name it. The moment people see others, they make judgments—swift and immediate. These snap judgments often determine whether or not someone will engage with another person.
“Looks are everything,” they say—and it’s true.
“Looks aren’t everything,” they also say—and that’s true too.
There are internal questions all humans ask themselves—at least once in their lives. The reasons for raising these questions are numerous, depending on personal circumstances and individual experiences. Often, they are uttered with saturated emotion and a heaviness in the heart.
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