Not that long ago a co-blogger and friend of mine described the Turkish educational system as that one of 'Get Educated and Shut up'. In fact, many Turkish friends, especially those who went abroad for an additional education, always complained about how Turkey 'maintain' their 'teach and learn' system. In professional life, I encountered often the will of the Turks to learn and the will to work. But often they didn't know how to be pro-active, or anticipate on, or plan situations. And yes, I miss some creativity as well.
Super Hero wrote about the influence of YOK, unique in its sort in the modern world. I agree completely with his comments.
Also, today Mustafa wrote an excellent column about this issue. Here the start and link.
Why Turks love conspiracy theories (I)
Saturday, December 15, 2007 - Turkish Daily News
Why conspiracy theories are so popular and credible in Turkey? Here are some of the answers I have found
Mustafa AKYOL
Anybody who spends time in Turkey will notice that conspiracy theories are amazingly popular here. Many Turks believe that there are so many evil powers in the world, and in our own society that perpetually play tricks in order to weaken our country. Mapping out these imagined plots is a sort of national pastime.
Since a belief in conspiracies is deeply embedded in culture, politicians use them very often. Most political leaders, or pundits, blame “foreign powers” or “internal enemies” for our problems. Even whey they are caught by paparazzis during inappropriate meetings with their “secretaries,” they confidently accuse their rivals to have designed that “conspiracy.” It is always someone else who must be guilty.
But why? Why are conspiracy theories so popular and credible in Turkey? I have been thinking on that for sometime, and here are some of the answers I have found.
Why not move on?:
First, one has to acknowledge the weight of history. The two final centuries of the Ottoman Empire was an era of continuous defeats and land losses to hostile powers. Moreover, when the Empire finally fell, Turkey proper was occupied by the British, the French, the Italians, and the Greeks. The infamous Treaty of Sevres (1920) gave great chunks of land to all these nations, and it also introduced the idea of a greater Armenia and a Kurdistan on Turkish lands. If Sevres were executed, Turkey would be one-fifth its current size.
Read further here.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
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