Your thoughts: when bad things are happening, focusing on good things

[CoolBee]

As most of you are probably aware, Egypt has kicked off again and there's some bad things happening.
I'm wanting to try and find 10 good news stories from Egypt to post in my FB stream just to give a bit of balance, but maybe this is insensitive or 'let them eat cake'-ness.

What are your views?

[arpee]

I think, if you post 10 positive articles, they're going to think "EGYPT" and remember the bad stuff that's going on...

In fact, I wasn't even aware that anything bad was going on until you brought it up.

[CoolBee]

Yes, I guess you need to know that I live in Egypt and many of my FB friends have some connection with Egypt so they would know that!

[Brutha]

The political issues like the one in Egypt matter to the people who live there. For a good society it's important that it's citizens talk about those problems instead of ignoring them.

[GregD]

Hi CoolBee, I think you have the right idea but the wrong target. What I mean is if you talk about say "cute teddy bears" as "positive" while some serious matters are in the "negative" it will not really make a huge impact apart from teen girls maybe

But, if you take some effort and find positive things INSIDE that political mess and post that, then this could work.

This could be some heroic story of someone saving someone from a fight
or a great recovery story of someone in a really bad shape overcoming problems or some "politician" or person trying to do good things even though there is no financial benefit

But finally, as the person above me said, people need to discuss the serious issues

[faraway]

I returned from Egypt, Taba 6 days ago. It is as peaceful there as three years ago. Lots of tourists from England and France. While in the Western Europe prices for vocations in Egypt went down, in Russia prices are 20% higher than last year. Touristic agencies are covering up for possible risks, but Russians keep buying tours

I wonder, is it a positive news?

[CoolBee]

Originally Posted by faraway

I returned from Egypt, Taba 6 days ago. It is as peaceful there as three years ago. Lots of tourists from England and France. While in the Western Europe prices for vocations in Egypt went down, in Russia prices are 20% higher than last year. Touristic agencies are covering up for possible risks, but Russians keep buying tours

I wonder, is it a positive news?

That is VERY positive - thank you!

When you say 'covering up for possible risks' - is there anything particular you mean?

[CoolBee]

OK to clarify what I'm trying to say.

I wasn't meaning to post 10 random stories about kittens and teddy bears or whatever, but to find 10 good news stories about things going on in Egypt.

I like what you said Greg about finding good news within the bad and there are plenty of heroic little stories going on there. But also I want to show that there are very many good positive things happening in Egypt - like an ecostation I went to a couple of weeks ago, entrepreneurship, social responsibility and other projects in those areas.

Also, I'm thinking in wider terms than just Egypt, it was just a 'for example'.

Interesting to read peoples' responses.

[Angela]

When I think of Egypt, I do think of the turmoil that's going on there. But what takes up more room on my conscious stage is the courage, boldness, intrepidness, and indefatigability of the people there who are being a stand for what's important to them.

And also the generous angel living there who has made a HUGE difference in my life.

The positive greatly and laughably outweighs any "negative."

[ApexLifestyleDesign]

You are an amazing person for your ability to think positively when such a huge crisis is happening around you. A positive outlook truly can determine life or death, success or failure, happiness or despair.

I understood that you were not talking teddy bears and kittens. And I think it's a wonderful idea, if you haven't already implemented to post positive stories on Egypt.

The media in general tends to focus on the negative events in any given place. But social media has the ability to change that.

I would love to hear some positive stories about Egypt...about the people there. I know they exist, that all is not bad all the time, so please post away!! And please, keep thinking positively and with purpose and passion! Purpose is what keeps us moving forward in life – engaging our very souls.

[CoolBee]

Oh thanks Apex

Good News 1:

Well the elections are going so well - far better than people dared hope in terms of turnout, lack of irregularities and so on. People who have been to vote have said that the army and police ensuring there's no trouble have been courteous and polite - not like in the old days when if you did turn up to vote you were pushed in, told to tick the Camel and pushed out again. (Egypt uses symbols for candidates as well as their written names as about 1/3rd of the population is illiterate) newspaper article about the characters

GN2:

I'm going to a pottery festival on Friday being held in the Fayoum - a beautiful area south west of Cairo with a large lake, waterfalls (ok, we're not talking Niagra here but hey we are in the desert!), and ancient Roman and Greek ruins. A few of us have hired a bus to take us there Friday morning.

GN3:

I saw a group of men the other day helping a little old lady who had fainted in the street. One fetched her a chair, another ran to get her a glass of tea from a cafe. (This puts a lie to a popular - though i don't recall the title - book which says if a woman falls in the street men won't help her - completely pack of junk)

GN4:

I was doing something last week which meant I had to get a taxi from my home at 7am every morning and be picked up and brought home again at 4pm (I was going somewhere well off the public transport routes). The guys were punctual (well 9/10 times anyway ), polite, did not try to rip me off and mostly drove safely. (All miracle points for Egypt LOL)


OK, that's 4 and it's bed time over here, I'll come back with some more

Actually, I'm in the middle of writing a blog article where I interviewed 2 British women living in Luxor about what it's like there at the moment. I would have finished it, but I want to link some youtube vids and I used my speedy internet allowance for the month - so that will be another one.