Cognitive Dissonance of a Cairene Dissected

One of Cairo's antiquated and classic vehicles. I always found it interesting how developing and Third World nations come into possession of automotive relics discharged by the modern world. Daily, I find gleaming and well-preserved 1950's Cadillacs, original VW Beetles, like WWII era Mercedes SUV's and so forth.

I legitimately fear I may not remember how to drive upon my return. Or I will be zooming down Main Street doing 90, fluent in horn usage, vehicularly irascible, and shouting obscenities at other drivers. But if exceptionally foul luck enhances later tranquility and success, then I shouldn't have a problem if you would all mentally revive Sasha's winter of 2004 mishaps in a brand new, perfect, reflex silver VW Jetta busted up (minorly) twice (only once was it my fault) and restored to its absolute perfection. And now it awaits me in Hingham. If I can remember how to drive. And I am good driver, really.

This weekend is the Revolution celebration, as I have mentioned to some of you. Tomorrow, word on the street is a huge military parade is to be held in Heliopolis. My attendance at such an occasion is uncertain at best. Millions of Cairenes congregating in a grand demonstration of their fealty before Hosni (the creation of new murals and posters has resumed since Condi's departure)...despite unemployment, poverty, pollution, illiteracy and vacillating levels of despair, Mubarak's enraptured myrmidons somehow find celebrating a coup which effectively revoked or diminished their horizons possible. This startling incompatibility is evident to the outsider, irrevelent or non-existent to the average Egyptian. Perhaps it is Mubarak who is dangling greatness before the eyes of his people, which is all the more alluring, however unobtainable, therefore evoking illogical behaviors? Egyptians are wary of the state of their homeland, and yet convinced of Mubarak's power to improve it. Egyptians are instructed in devotion, incited to rebellion. Sometimes it is reversed. This is a public display designed to create an outward reflection of pride and progress so often silenced by quite the contrary, which in turn substantiates the beliefs of the Egyptian (and supports the discrepancy of views), leading to greater esteem in their own understanding and greater faith in the regime. Maybe the point is, the psychology of the Egyptian is far more complex than I imagined.