Comments on: Bel Wasta

By: Khuloud A.

Khuloud A. — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:48:24 +0000

Wasta is a bad thing for many reasons.

The first and most important reason is that people get something that they don’t deserve. For example, many people who have wasta get good and well paid jobs and most of the time they don’t have any qualifications. While other people who don’t have wasta and have good qualifications get bad jobs with a much lower salary.

Secondly, the privileges that wasta people have can cause much resentment among the staff. Also it discourages the people who are qualified when they see what people with wasta gain like promotions, special treatment and higher salaries. For example, many people become careless and don’t do their jobs properly because of this thing. Furthermore, wasta’s influence can extend outside the work which makes arguments and wrangles between people and spreads hate amongst them.

By: NASEEM ALMAHSEERI

NASEEM ALMAHSEERI — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:56:58 +0000

what can we do iff wasta happend

we still alive in both wayes soo every percone take what our god say it

By: NASEEM ALMAHSEERI

NASEEM ALMAHSEERI — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:55:14 +0000

Every one meby see it (wasta ) but i am one of the people happend in front in my eyes in the university and in our life soo what can i do ; i will graduat frome ammon university befor 6 month till now i am sending my CV to the all hotell in amman and no answer but all my friend knowing friend in hotels said to me come to worke i saide NO .
i found job in aqapa i am thank our god for this

By: The Basturma Chronicles :: Corruption :: April :: 2006

The Basturma Chronicles :: Corruption :: April :: 2006 — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 15:05:05 +0000

[...] Sometimes I just love living in the Middle East for the simple fact that rules are flexible… Some of my readers in the West might find such an idea appalling, and maybe it is, especially that it greatly encourages what we call wasta (i.e. an acquaintance in a position of power would do a favour for you that would otherwise not be done via regular channels). Wasta is one of the chief pillars of Arab mentality. I can only speak for Lebanon and Syria, as these are the only two Arab countries that I’ve lived in, but from what I read, it’s just as rampant in, say, Jordan. But of course, such a phenomenon is not restricted to the Arab world, nor in fact the Middle East; for example, it is very much alive and kicking in Armenia, although there it has much more to do with money than acquaintance. [...]

By: Abeer’s Blog » Thankful!

Abeer’s Blog » Thankful! — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 18:39:11 +0000

[...] 13- Getting the chance to study the thing i like without “wasta” [...]

By: Mister Ian’s Weblog from Kuwait » Vitamin W - Don’t go to the Mwddle East Without It

Sat, 17 Dec 2005 13:54:39 +0000

[...] Isam Bayazidi’s Blog says it well: To start with, there is a special type of corruption, that is Wasta (English: a mean, mechanism, medium), and sometimes we even give it a nickname Vitamin Wow ( as it gives power and so). Wasta for those who are unfamiliar with the term is about having someone in a power position do something (legal or illegal) for you (a favor) that couldn’t be done without a wasta. The funny thing is that we don’t usually hide our acts when we use Wasta, but we brag about it, and offer providing the same wasta to people around us to help them out [...]

By: Abdulla

Abdulla — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 20:15:12 +0000

I love wasta, because it keeps things working

By: jalberto

jalberto — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 15:19:47 +0000

Nice blog, Regards from Spain.
See you at internet.
Jalberto

By: zuhair qudah

zuhair qudah — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 09:02:53 +0000

yeslam thomak ya isam what ever u said was true and right but who listens

By: omar qadan

omar qadan — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 11:17:10 +0000

هذي مسألة صعبة بالأردن حتى قد تجبر على إستخدامها لتحصيل حقك أحد أصحابي في الشهر الماضي حصل على وضيفة في جامعة جرش عن طريق المقابلات الذي حدث بعد ذلك تم إستخدام فيتامين واو العجيب كانت النتيجة أن يخرج من القائمة بطريقة أسطورية إستطاع أن يحصل فيتامين واو مضاد فأستطاع أن يعود على راس القائمة و توقيع العقد المشكلة معقدة جدا وتبعث في النفس الإكتأب حتى دعوة جلالة الملك الجديدة لمكافحة الفساد لا أضن أنها ستنجح إذ أن أول من رعاها و أصبحوا يملأ بكلامهم الصحف والراديو والتلفزيون هم من الفاسيدين أصحاب الثروات المشبوهة ومصاصي دماء الناس
شو بدنا بطولة السيرة قربة مخزوقة خالوا

By: SJ

SJ — Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:12:07 +0000

Hello Isam… Wastaphile and friend ;) I am trying to reach out to infuse you with good fortune and bring you to a conference in August. This is hardly Wasta, since your presence has been requested by many people. But first you must write me back! Cheers : meta.sj _(at)_ gmail.com

By: hareega

hareega — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 02:58:11 +0000

very important problem in Jordan, and the rest of the world.

I thought that Ameirca is a place suffering from Vitamin WOW deficiency, however when i started asking about what’s the most important factor in getting a speciality here, i was expecting answers like “Educational levels, scores in exams, medical school…etc” and the answer that shocked me was “CONNECTIONS”

However in Jordan they tend to appoint people who really do not deserve the job , best example is the TV presenters in Jordan TV. In america it tends to be more reaonable.

By: Global Voices Online»Blog Archive » Tuesday Global Blog Roundup

Global Voices Online»Blog Archive » Tuesday Global Blog Roundup — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 22:52:03 +0000

[...] King Abdullah will create an anti-corruption committee with a certain degree of skepticism. Iraq the Model has a list of recent successe [...]

By: Ziad

Ziad — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 15:18:41 +0000

In the vast majority of cases, wasta simply circumvents bureaucracy that shouldn’t be there in the first place. The government can have 100 times faster results in eliminating wasta by ruthlessly streamlining all governmental procedures to the bare minimum, than trying to punish those using it! Also, every procedure that can be done instantly online, should be available there.

By: madas

madas — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 13:25:34 +0000

Another very good subject today :) the whole blogging is becoming much more interesting… now to the wasta… agreed! They always say that changes happen from top down and i believe it happens from bottom up as well! how can you change people who do not want to change, who enjoy their own corruption, and whether you like it or not, even the weakest one of us, the poorest one, the one who complains most would jump at a wasta… have you ever heard of anyone who was told I can make this happen to you and said no?… why is he stupid?

By: Eman

Eman — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 09:14:29 +0000

Great post Isam. You can’t imagine how much I hate waste, really, but as you said alnmost everyone is forced to use it every once in a while.
I’ve been against it all my life, and actually I never used waste for myself, I only used it to help out someone get an equal chance in university to present his project, that’s all. But really at our time it’s almost impossible not to use it.

Anyway, wasta is spread here in Tunis as well, just like Amman, and guess what they call it? they call it: “ktaf”, i.e. shoulders, lol, I just love that expression.

I HATE WASTA :(