SomaliNet Forums

Why is Somalia such a horrible country?

Look, here's the simple facts: Somalis have developed, through thousands of years, a way of life that worked for us. Unfortunately, because of geography, genetics, and perhaps other reasons, a significant portion of the rest of the non-black african world developed ways of living that are superior.

Somalis -- and the rest of black africa -- could any day be recolonized by the West, or colonized by China, and there is nothing black africans can do about it. Luckily, China, right now, doesn't care to colonize Africa, and the West isn't heartless anymore in that fashion.

We Somalis largely act according to animal-like instinct. There is nothing more animal like than tribalism, and tribalism is basically our whole existence -- not a mere part, but the substantial element defining our lives.

The West, however, largely acts according to Reason. It's children are raised in such a way as to look at the world through the spectacles of Reason -- and I would say the same is true, to a somewhat lesser extent, in Asia. If a society behaves largely according Reason, it will be undeniably superior to a society organized according to religion or not organized according to anything at all.

The problem is that in order to set up a society according to the dictates of Reason, you need a lot of smart people. Unfortunately it could be the case that black Africa lacks enough smart people to establish a society comparable to what the West and Asia have achieved.

It isn't that the average black African is stupid, but that Africa simply lacks the sort of smart people and geniuses that could be revolutionary leaders.

Really smart people tend to constitute the "creative class" that a society needs to flourish -- architects, engineers, scientists, writers, and so in.

In the West, the average IQ is 100. Just 14% of people in the West have an IQ higher than 115, and just 2% have an IQ higher than 130. That 14% -- and among them that 2% with an IQ greater than 130 -- are the people for whom we depend on nearly everything: to be inventors, to be doctors, to be architects, to be leaders, to be business creators, to be lawyers, to be engineers, and so on.

Most importantly, we need them to establish and care about the rule of law.

Suppose -- just suppose -- that black Africa lacks enough such smart people. Again, it's not that the AVERAGE black african is mentally retarded but that there just aren't enough smart people in his society. Not just the inventors and the business creators but also the sort of smart people who can establish and lead their people into creating a society based on the rule of law.

Naturally, the result is the sort of chaotic, hellish and unlivable (hence why we emigrate) society that constitutes black Africa.

It's time we Somalis -- and I say all black people -- to perhaps acknowledge the possibility that we are mentally disadvantaged in some very important ways.

Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy......

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy
The land lord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy
Lood at me I am happy
Don't worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don't worry, be happy
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got not girl to make you smile
But don't worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy (now).....

There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don't worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don't worry, be happy......
Don't worry don't do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don't bring everybody down like this
Don't worry, it will soon past
Whatever it is
Don't worry, be happy

A very intelligent contribution.

Thank you.

I agree with the general observation with regards to where African stands and where some parts of the World stand but your theory for why has no basis, and even seems crazy.

I have used this analogy before. If you take a German kid and a Conglese and swap their place of upbringing, the Congolese kid will become advanced while the German will stay stagnant having been raised in the environment provided to him which is in the Congo.

There is no "intelligence" differences between humans along race. All humans are equally capable of the others' intelligence but it is a matter of who rears and gives an opportunity for that intelligence.

The most acceptable theory for why Africans lag behind other population is that Africans, continuing to live in the land humans first walk, have grown complacent in their situation. Before colonialism, they lived as they did before. Very satisfied in their daily labor, good weather, abundance of food source, and a carefree lifestyle they had formed since the beginning.

The other races particularly the Europeans were not so lucky having to learn to adapt and survive in such cold, foreign, and harsh climates. Even their physical look changed. The eyes became lighter to take in light better during the long cold months of the winter, the skin changed to get increased vitamin D from small sunlight, etc and they had to form an assertive culture to survive.

This is what led to some humans becoming more assertive and willing to gain an advantage over others in a competition that existed to them. Such competition and desire to increase development or competitive advantage would not have become a part of African culture because Africans were satisfied and complacent.

How did Europe go about capturing the world? How did the Arabs rise to from corner to corner?

The Europeans were looking for more resources, they were looking for potatoes, spices, silk, all of which was not known to them or their land. Their first reason for going into the oceans was not because they were superior to people and wanted to capture others, but it was because they were hungry and unhappy with what little they had. The skills that led to colonialism were developed as a result of these hungry and desire to obtain the resources they did not have.

Before Islam, the Arabs were complacent and satisfied in their situation. After Islam, they had a cause and a reason to go out. This drive made them want to gain competitive advantage and this is how a lot of Islamic inventions happened (which led to the European renaissance).

It is not because of natural caqli or natural intelligence that is then the bane or the curse of the African people but rather because of complacency and feeling satisfied when the rest of the world is not as satisfied and is developing the skills to have a competitive advantage of the other. This is why I am highly critical of the Somali nomadic lifestyle and any development that occurs and seems to weaken it I will support. The less Somali and African people feel complacent and satisfied, the more assertive they will become and the more they will see the need and actually develop skills that give them a competitive advantage.

It's time we Somalis -- and I say all black people -- to perhaps acknowledge the possibility that we are mentally disadvantaged in some very important ways.

Mark Twain said "There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist".

Africa and Somalia are developing at a slower rate compared to other parts of the world. This has a lot to do with systems put in place centuries or decades ago by imperial States and Africans/Somalis themselves. As a result of all those factors we are just now starting to exploring the concept of modernity. It is time for Africans to abandon those old structures put in place that is keeping them from succeeding. Neocolonialism and tribalism

^It is funny how the European state of modernity actually happened because they waged war on their past and old systems.

Even the ongoing Chinese development is a direct result of Mao's "Cultural Revolution" which declared war on the Chinese past.

Only when Africa declares war on their past and sees the need to develop competitive advantage can they see the value of development and actually develop.

^It is funny how the European state of modernity actually happened because they waged war on their past and old systems.

Even the ongoing Chinese development is a direct result of Mao's "Cultural Revolution" which declared war on the Chinese past.

Only when Africa declares war on their past and sees the need to develop competitive advantage can they see the value of development and actually develop.

On point The difference between Europe and Africa is that the former got tired of fighting one another and put economic development, cultural exchanges and integration as key priorities. Africa as we know it today is still waging the war on those systems. Heck some of those post independence leaders are still alive today for some countries, That elite class is still reaping the benefits.

The self-haters have come out today. When looking at history it’s important to be objective and not develop a selective memory, which falls short of the truth. The white devil is responsible for the plight of Africa and africans today. Instead of attributing unnecessary mental diseases to Africans, be authentic and do your bit to contribute to the African renaissance instead of hurling insults from the sideways.

IQ tests are cultural bais, the real determinant of intelligence is environment. see the Flynn effect theory.

Africans are different and need to form their own political, economic and social trajectories. The western modern of governance is full of inherent contradictions. When they say 'more developed nations' that’s an implications that they are more developed as human beings. The correct term we should use is 'high income and low income countries. While African countries have low incomes, they are more humanly compassionate tendencies than the white man, Africans are known for their hospitability and charitable acts and placing emphasis on the family unit. The white man is morally bankrupt and decadent. How can we take heed from this?

The attached video should help the poster to understand their ill informed analysis of somalis and african in general.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

God Bless

Voltage, that was a good post and I appreciate your perspective.

Your ideas remind me of those in Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel." In it, Jared Diamond set out to explain the different rates of development between the West and non-Western world, especially between the West and Amerindians/Australian Aborigine /Black Africans.

The problem is that your theory ignores one important point: the group of humans that left africa and populated Europe/Asia/America left Africa as much as 50 thousand years ago. That was enough time for there to emerge physical differences among the races. It also enough time for their to emerge psychological differences as well.

When those people who left africa encountered different geographies/climates, they were under pressures considerably different from those there were subject to back in Africa. Thus, it's possible that new pressures created a natural selection process different from those that black africans were subject to.

Just consider: what if in Europe/Asia, intelligence contributed more to survival than it did in Africa? It might be the case that, initially, both groups have similar intelligence, but after thousands of generations, a measurable intelligence difference -- just as with measurable physical differences -- could be the result.

It's not that Black Africa can't produce a genius. It's just that it's far less likely to do so, because in Africa genius didn't contribute to your survival as much as it did in Europe/Asia. When a trait proves advantageous, it is selected for, and more and more offspring come to bear the trait. Intelligence among Europeans/Asians might be such a trait.

Regarding your example of the German and African kids who swap places, yes, I agree, the German child will have stunted growth, and the black African kid might even come to show that he has an IQ that is slightly above or below that of the white average. HOWEVER, what you won't get, most likely, is seeing that kid turn into some sort of academic genius.

(also, Europeans/Asians were subject to the harshness of the Ice Age. Just imagine: what if took intelligence to survive that)

aduunyada waxaa ugu liid qof anaa aqoon lahaan oo aqoonyahan is mooda
labo buug bey akhriyayaan and they think they have it all figured out.

Those of you doubting that there are inherited racial differences in intelligence should read up on the Minnesota transracial adoption study:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_ ... tion_Study

They took a bunch of kids...white, black and mixed...and put them in white homes and then measured their IQs in different stages.

These were the IQ test results at age 17:

Non-adopted kids with two biological parents: 105.5
Adopted kids with two white biological parents: 101.5
Adopted kids with white/black biological parents: 93.2
Adopted kids with two black biological parents: 83.7

IQ tests are culturally bias. They fail to acknowledge the needs of Black people, so when results indicate Blacks scoring low, is it any wonder, that blacks allegedly 'have the lowest IQ'.

Your argument has hints of racism. IQ is not a determinant of intelligence. Its a way of the white devil holding his dominance over other peoples by legitimising this through science.

God Bless

Either that, or IQ is determined by genetics and different populations (i.e, RACES) have different IQs.

Read the wiki article on this please. Many good-hearted liberals have not been able to knock down these theories as much as they tried:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence

Stop providing wikipedia sources. Keep your mouth shut, you ignorant fool, cut your tirades of self-opinionated bile. People like you are responsible for letting Africans down. I am done arguing with you. Your level of ignorance is shockingly awful.

God Bless

Stop providing wikipedia sources. Keep your mouth shut, you ignorant fool, cut your tirades of self-opinionated bile. People like you are responsible for letting Africans down. I am done arguing with you. Your level of ignorance is shockingly awful.

God Bless

wallahi there is no point arguing with this fool!