Iran: Cultural Values, Self images and Negotiation Behavior

Self-Images and StereotypesNational Self-ImageThe prevalent Iranian self-image is a contradictory mixture of positive andnegative motifs and a constant tension between Persian and Islamic identities. On onehand, it reflects pride of belonging to an ancient noble and imperial nation whichcontrolled most of the Middle East and which gave the world artistic, scientific, andarchitectural treasures centuries before Islam came on the scene, maintained itsnational language and culture after the Islamic conquest, and even succeeded in“cultural colonization” of the new empire in the realms of arts, sciences, economy,and language. 8 For Iranians, all that was great in what is commonly referred to asIslamic or Arab culture was actually Persian. This self-image even holds certain racialovertones: it links Iran to a primordial Aryan (read noble) world of settled civilization,far superior to the "primitive" nomadic Arabian culture. It is well expressed in thecontinued use of classic Persian names with pre-Islamic and even pagan symbolism. 9Another expression is the indefatigable quest for original Persian words to replace theArabized Persian that took root in the Persian language generations ago. 10 Iraniansensitivity to national identity is evident as well in interactions with Westerners:Iranians bristle at references to Western technological or cultural superiority (i.e., theWest being the cradle of world culture, democracy, science, etc.) or to any debt thatthe Iranians hold towards the West.On the other hand, the same Iranian self-image also embodies the Shiite Islamicnarrative, characterized by a strong sense of inferiority regarding power, self-imagesof being oppressed, conquered, and humiliated by outside forces, and identificationwith the downtrodden and with self-sacrifice. This facet of the Iranian self-image isepitomized by identification with the Imam Ali, who was usurped as Caliph, and hissons, Hussein and Hassan, who were tricked, defeated, and killed by the treacherousand usurping Umayyad Caliph Yazid. 11Iranian cultural studies place much emphasis on the traditional Iranian and Shiitedifferentiation between the purity of the baten (internal) and the corruption of thezaher (external). The former is the seat of humility, compassion, generosity, and trustin God. The latter is both the source of suspicion, cynicism, pessimism, and defeatism– all of which are indicative of a lack of trust in God – and of negative or materialisticpersonal traits which are frequently attributed to Persian culture, such as shrewdness,opportunism, hypocrisy, sycophancy, and insincerity. Ideally, one should combat thelatter traits as they appear both in the outside world and in one's self, and be a person8 This is also the judgment of many great Western scholars. See D.G. Hogarth, A History of Arabia(Oxford, 1922): “Never, has captor more swiftly and subtly been captured by his captive than Arabiaby Persia.” See also Philip K. Hitti, History of the Arabs (London: Macmillan St. Martin’s Press, 1970)308: “The esthetic temperament of [Iran’s] population was a sorely needed element in the cultural lifeof the Semitic Arabs”; Carl Brockelmann, History of the Islamic Peoples (New York: CapricornBooks, 1960) 163–166.9 Such as Hormoz, a contraction of Ahura Mazda; Jamshid, after the great King Houshang; Leila, frommythology; or Ardeshir and Mandana from ancient Persian history.10 See William Forbis, Fall of the Peacock Throne (New York: Harper & Row).11 Yazid is still an epitaph in Persian for an evil-minded person.5