I am rarely reluctant to criticize Saudi society for anything I deem unjust. That often puts me on the receiving end of plenty of nasty tirades on social media or the comments section under my column. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Saudis often get carried away with their self-righteousness to the point that any meaningful discussion of social issues is pointless.
But I noticed recently a shift in the tone of Saudis using social media that should give us hope that we can become a more cohesive and tolerant society that works toward the greater good of men and women alike. This new tone online started with the Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen that has united Saudis behind the new king. While there has been an emergence of patriotism among Saudis in the last decade or so, this ongoing conflict has awakened a spirit of cooperation, care and renewed patriotism that is strengthening our country.
My recent — and highly unscientific — survey of social media users shows that many users have changed their avatars and user names to reflect their growing sense of patriotism. Saudis are encouraging each other to be supportive of our troops and to be careful about reporting on social media outlets military activities in the areas where they live. They’re doing their best to quash the rumor mill, and that’s no easy task on the Internet.
A generation has passed since Saudis have seen bombs fall on our homeland during the first Gulf War, and it has been two generations since Saudi Arabia’s role in the Six-Day War. Today’s Saudis do not know war. But they don’t need to be told what’s at sake.
Some governments issue directives in times of crisis: Ration gasoline during World War II or George Bush’s memorable suggestion to “go shopping” after 9/11. Saudis today recognize they must pull together without being led by the nose by their government. These are the same Saudis, the same social media users, who pulled together to organize aid for the flood victims of Jeddah just a few years ago. The same people, who organize beach cleanups, provide food and clothing for the poor and expose official negligence. Social media, despite the propensity of many people to use it as a tool to abuse others or air their extremist views, has been a force of good.
If Saudis continue to change the way they use social media, as I have seen in recent weeks, it should have a lasting effect long after the conflict is over by encouraging more volunteer work and finding ways to building a strong society that spends less time tearing down each other over religious and ethnic differences and finding more opportunities to focus on establishing common ground.
We Saudis love our country, and although we may go astray, it’s times like these that we unite under our flag. Most of us may not be part of the military, but the Red Crescent, nursing and other auxiliary work is an attractive way to do our part.
