People Like Us: How Arrogance Is Dividing Islam and the West

by Waleed Aly

No two civilisations have spoken so many words about each other in recent years as those of Islam and the West. And no two seem to have communicated less. People Like Us confronts the themes that define this chasm head-on: women, jihad, secularism, terrorism, Reformation and modernity. Its piercing examination of these subjects reveals our thoughtless and destructive tendency to assume that the world's problems could be solved if only everyone became more like us. The result is deep mutual ignorance and animosity, reinforced by both Muslim and Western commentators.

As a Muslim born and raised in Australia, Waleed Aly stands at the intersection of these two civilisations. In this book, he draws on his knowledge of Western and Islamic intellectual traditions to present an analysis that is surprising and challenging, but always enlightening.

Genres: Religion, Politics, Nonfiction, Australia, Islam

277 pages

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Waleed Aly is a broadcaster, author and academic. His social and political commentary has produced an award-winning book and multiple literary short-listings, and appears in newspapers such as The Guardian, The Australian, The Sunday Times of India, The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is the author of What’s Right? The Future of Conservatism in Australia. His debut book, People Like Us: How Arrogance is Dividing Islam and The West (Picador, 2007), was shortlisted for several awards including the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and for Best Newcomer at the 2008 Australian Book Industry Awards.

Reviews

[SteveH · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately I couldn't finish reading this book after the constant apologetics, cognitive dissonance and mental gymnastics that was obviously required to write this heavily biased work.
It has been over 6 months since I threw this turgid nonsense away so I apologise for the lack of direct quotes.

Let me say that I have been a HUGE fan of Waleed Aly for many years and love his work on 'The Minefield' and on my occasional view of "the Project'. I am not phobic of any religion but am extremely sceptical and don't think religion should ever be a 'free pass' for bad behaviour. I welcome refugees but that is not to welcome or condone sexist, barbaric beliefs.

Which is, I think, why this book was such a terrible disappointment. This is obviously NOT a text written by a social philosopher at the height of his understanding but rather an apologetic by a young western man tentatively rediscovering a sense of belonging with a familial culture, that has a difficult and somewhat barbaric history; where he needs to reassure himself.

In the first chapter he tackles the idea of 'an insult to Islam' and some of the most barbaric and violent responses such as the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the bombing of embassies. Aly deliberately avoids terms like 'massacre' and is extremely weak in his condemnation of the terrorists and of violence but his criticism of offensive cartoons is much, much harsher than that of the reactive MURDER. The cartoons are terribly offensive but he tries to argue that the response is understandable. At one point He even says [paraphrase] 'the bombing of an embassy may seem beyond absurd in response to a cartoon to western minds'. No Waleed, it seems REPREHENSIBLE to ALL decent minds.

In the second chapter he attempts to tackle sexism. He goes into a long discussion about how Mohammed, well yes he had multiple wives, but they were mainly old and widowed and so he was doing them a favour. A real feminist. Aly COMPLETELY fails to mention Ai'sha, who was NINE when she was (probably) forcibly married to Mohammed. And how this fact is validating paedophilia in Muslim countries with marriageable girl ages of 8-9 in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

It was at this point that I threw the book into the fire.

I was hoping for a book that discussed the unreasonable paranoia against Muslims (not Islam) in Australian society and had discussions on integration and tolerance.

Instead I found a sadly apologetic book that was prepared to ignore the genuine issues that need tackling within Islam (and religion generally) in order to allow it's further acceptance into western society; in favour of logically fallacious arguments like "but so do you kinda but you're worse because my feelings are more important!" and "Look over there - A distraction".

It will no doubt appeal to moral relativists and those who want to welcome Muslim immigrants to our country and therefore feel they cannot criticise any aspect of Islam.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who wanted a genuinely impartial and reasonable read about issues of Islam and Muslim integration into Australian society.

Disappointed...

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Explains why Islam and the West don't get along. The main reason is that they don't understand each other. They have very distorted views of each other. A willingness to understand and learn about each other is needed. Our best hope is young Muslim migrants living in western countries and the young westerners they encounter. They are the people most likely to try.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the back of the edition I read, one of the review quotes, while praising the book as important, well-written, thoughtful, and pretty much required reading for Australians of conscience and thoughtfulness, noted that thinking it's a fabulous book doesn't mean agreeing with every word.

Which is pretty much my feeling. There is a hell of a lot to respect in this book: Aly writes very well and puts his arguments very clearly. From my perspective, the book suffers just a little from being a tad too scholarly (and it's exceedingly rare that I'd say anything of the sort) - particularly in Quranic scholarship, an area in which, contrary to the late lamented Reading Rainbow, you pretty much do have to take Aly's word for it - and I know I'm better educated on Islam than a lot of Australians of my vintage/background/etc. Where this was particularly a problem was in his chapter long critique of Irshad Manji's "The Trouble with Islam A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith" - at the end of it, I was still on Manji's 'side', because he had failed to convince me, and Aly is a speaker and writer who generally manages to convince me in his newspaper columns and etc.

Aly, btw, is one of a group of authors of whom I feel more than a little jealous - Aly, as it turns out, was in my class at Law School. He's my contemporary and yet has written this incredibly important book - a book that, for all my issues with it (see eg my status updates), I would still recommend highly, particularly to Australian (or Aus-dwellers.)

[Sabai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skillfully written but it's typical Waleed. Lots of words but little said.

[Tanish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for anyone trying to understand multiple perspectives on some of the issues in the world today- most specifically and obviously, the growing chasm between Islam and the West and the position of those occupying both worlds. I have read critiques that raise very important contradictions to some of the arguments made by Aly, but he makes interesting, well supported, insightful points. This is an excellent book for getting around some of the one-sidedness of the information both sides of the debate face on a daily basis. I highly recommend this excellent book!

[Sally Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 2 stars are for doing a fine job of exploring and explaining cultural/tribal differences. The absence of the other 3 is for what the book doesn't say. Overcoming cultural divides is difficult but do-able as long as what is important to people is their common humanity, their willingness to learn and listen etc. The book addresses this well. However once the sanction of religion is placed on the cultural positions the task goes impossible.
Waleed Aly speaks from a religious viewpoint - he thanks God among the other acknowledgements.

Imagine that the One True God is real. Then the various groups that believe in It must be believing in the same being, let's call It JeGoLlah, why not. Their ideas about It don't altogether coincide, especially in the matter of top Prophet. In this case, JeGoLlah is mind-bogglingly, criminally incompetent. Unbelievable amounts of death and misery could be avoided if JeGoLlah would update Its instructions from time to time, and be less coy about which group if any is getting it right.
On the other hand if more people would acknowledge that their Gods are imaginary, we could tackle the issues that arise out of a tribal animal trying to share a planet, enough of a challenge.

[George Eraclides · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched and argued book which makes the case that Islam is grievously misunderstood by its own adherents and the West which focuses on the claims and actions of the fanatics. Apparently while it is not a religion of peace (is any, judged by the actions of adherents?) it is not one that has a history of interpretation which justifies violence against innocents or even more generally. Islamic scholarship of a high standard is sadly lacking in the modern Muslim world and the vacant space has been staked out by literatists with an agenda of violence. This book could be read in conjunction with 'Not in God's Name' by Jonathan Sacks. Mutual stereotyping is hindering the development of constructive relations. I would add that for stereotyping to cease, open and unfettered discussion must take place, without threats from radicals. Mr Aly is a very accomplished individual, academically and in his journalism. It is a pity he has stopped writing works on contentious issues at this level.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and intelligent, unsurprisingly given its author. I think this book hovers uncomfortably between academia and popular writing. Aly doesn't always challenge himself enough on his beliefs to make this in any way a definitive piece on this vexed issue, but he also perhaps (in my opinion) relies too much on the distant part to justify actions - on both sides. This, though, is an ideological difference between myself and Aly, so I don't know if it's an issue or just a blindspot for me.

More to the point, I think it's just dated poorly. Written in the Bush/Howard/Blair years, with 9/11 still not that far in the past, the debate was very different to where it sits more than a decade later. The importance of this book was in its relation to the zeitgeist, and that zeitgeist has shifted.

Probably worth picking up a new book, even if it's a newer Aly, than this one.

[Bill Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, not finished, given up. Very worthy, hard work, started scanning and found I'd missed the point. Then convinced myself the context was dated and I should read a more recent Waleed Aly production. Which I will. Suggestions?

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read for anyone at all interested in trying to understand Islam and how the West is responding to it. Aly's thesis is that Westerners see Islam in the context of Western history and religion and this is not valid. I became a little lost in some of the more detailed examinations of the Koran, but the book made me think. In todays complex world it is good to try and dig a little beneath the headlines.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed impression thus far , not as bad as I was expecting. His apparent stating of Islam /Mohamed / Koran /Allah as fact is annoying unreflective , dogmatic and arrogant ( ironically) yet this does give some fascinating insights from outside the xian box. On track for three stars at this rate

[Orin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this quite interesting! A lot of topics addressed and an objective viewpoint was provided on each of them. I look forward to checking out some of the references, particularly about Yasmine Ahmed and What's Right with Islam: is What's Right with America by Feisal Abdul Rauf.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realise quite how dry this would be beforehand but it is still a good read nonetheless. Very informative for an ignorant person like myself and Aly's approach seems extremely considered and level-headed.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still reading, but I'm sure the latter half will be as good as the first. He writes so lucidly, I'm sure it would pierce the foggy cloud of ignorance dulling the minds of many in Australia.

[Aaron Michaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waleed Aly has taught me many things over the years. Very interesting background on the fraught nature of the Islam debate.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very "cerebral" (at times) book sending me to the Thesaurus, perhaps a little too scholarly for me. I think Aly could have made his points just as clearly if he "dumbed" down his writing a tad. Nevertheless a valuable read but, sadly, it will not be read by those who should be reading it.