"What is democracy"?

Sometimes I wonder whether we people in the "West" really know what the people in the "East" think about us, and if they hate us or have some objections against us, why they actually do. I've seen many examples of total ignorance on the Westerners' part about what's going on in the heads of the Eastern people, how their mind works and why they differ so much from our perceptions on some vital issues. And when trying to impose our way of life/thinking on them without actually understanding all the above, a disaster occurs. Again, the examples are many. I'm saying all this because I recently read a blog of a friend of mine who lives in the Middle East. Well, it was predominantly about US, but still is connected with what we all call the "West". It was important for me to "get into his head" and see what's going on there - especially regarding the "West". Then maybe I could change something about me too.

So this is what he wrote (with some minor stylistic & grammatic edits). I won't say "I'm mahnmut and I approve of this message", neither will I comment on some extremes that the below statement includes - I leave this to you. Say whatever you want. I'll just say it's worth putting all prejudices aside and thinking on it for a while.

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