In his new book, Omar El Akkad explores the seismic shift in global consciousness sparked by the recent conflict in Gaza. Drawing on graphic imagery and personal experiences, he examines the disconnect between the West's response to the violence and the reality on the ground, sparking a crucial conversation about complicity, accountability, and the future of Western liberalism.
Writer Omar El Akkad, a US-based Egyptian-Canadian, argues in his new book that a fundamental chasm has developed in society. He describes one side as clinging to normalcy, prioritizing productivity even amidst escalating horrors, while the other side, irrevocably shaken by the violence, can no longer ignore the suffering. El Akkad's book serves as a documentation of this fracture, a turning point where millions questioned the West, its rules-based order, and the capitalist system it upholds.
He sees the current situation in Gaza as a unique catalyst for this disillusionment, highlighting the disconnect between the scale of the violence and the lukewarm response from Western governments.El Akkad shares graphic images from Gaza, describing the devastation he has witnessed: children with bullet wounds, amputations performed without anesthesia, and families torn apart. He recounts feeling conditioned to associate happy images on social media with impending tragedy or suffering, a sense amplified by observing Western governments seemingly condoning the violence. This dissonance, he argues, has ignited anger and a desire for change among the public.El Akkad criticizes the US Democratic Party for its historical performance of virtue while engaging in pragmatic, conservative governance, a dichotomy he believes Donald Trump exposed by representing unadulterated cruelty without the veneer of moral justification. He acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the US's future, stating that anything is possible. However, he asserts that Trump's presence forces the nation to confront its history of atrocities and acknowledge them as systemic rather than isolated incidents.The book interweaves El Akkad's personal journey, leaving Egypt as a child and eventually settling in rural Oregon with his family. His experiences reflect the broader theme of the book: how individuals from diverse backgrounds, like El Akkad, often align themselves with Western culture and ideals, even while questioning the systems they are embedded in
International Relations Middle East Conflict Social Commentary GAZA WESTERN LIBERALISM COLONIALISM CONFLICTS POLITICS SOCIAL COMMENTARY DONALD TRUMP
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