From the Past or the Future?

Over the past week, the predominant story in the news is of Tunisia, Egypt and the knock on effects this may have on other places in the Middle East. I've had loads of conversations with friends about this and one of the aspects which jumps out is how differently people can add up the same events. Some see it to be the winds of change coming in from the future, beginning to knock down the fixed old ways of dictatorship and opening the doors of change to a way of government with more humanity, more dignity and more freedom. Others fear the events are being manipulated behind the scenes by Islamic extremists, and that what looks like a bid for freedom will be a lever for re-instituting fundamentalist values and be a pull back into the past. Others are of the view, probably both influences are at play ....and look on with uncertainty as to how events may unfold.

When you live in times of change,as we do now, with instant global communications at all levels from governments to the folks on the street, the speed and contagion with which events can happen is quite astonishing. Let's hope the current events lead to a really positive human outcome for the people living there.