Slideshows reflect dark side of daily life

SMN No. 3, June 16, 2010

Several slideshows appeared recently on YouTube showing photos of real scenes from the streets of Syria. The photos are often ironic and focus on odd activities. The person who posted the slideshows described them as “funny photos” that cast light on everyday problems in Syria.

One of the slideshows posted on March 23, and which got more than 620 views, starts with the sentence, “Only in Syria… Raise your head, you are Syrian”.

The slideshow features photos of a tent erected in a muddy plot near two satellite dishes; teenagers smoking; a makeshift house with the upper part of an old bus as its rooftop; a family of five mounting a motorcycle; and a pile of rubbish under a sign reading, “It is not allowed to throw garbage here near the mosque.” In the background, a Syrian rap song laments “the harsh everyday realities of Syrians”.

“Cheers for the children who suffer, for young people who leave the country, for antiques getting smuggled…nobody is comfortable,” goes the song.

Another slideshow lasting around six minutes and posted on May 11 starts with a map of Syria marked with the sentence “Syria is protected by God”, which is taken from one of the speeches of Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.

The slideshow boasted photos of flooded cars and busses, homeless people sleeping in public gardens and a shop selling vegetables but advertising the sale of mobile phones. The slideshow, which got 177 views, received some comments accusing its maker of damaging the image of Syria.

Many Youtube videos on Syria attempt to show a more positive image of the country. Some of these videos praise the Syrian president and boast excerpts from speeches along with national songs.

[youtube id=-ZXcnSevGqU]