Effie Miri, Ph. D., a mother, doctor in psychology, professor, Iranian native,
American citizen, has completed her work “Iran, How a Culture Develops
Pathology: The Pathology in Transition”: A gripping and potent work about life,
love and reflection.
Published by New York City based Page Publishing, Dr. Miri’s mesmerizing
autobiography is told as a reflection of the author’s personal experiences as she
was forced early on to navigate two very different cultures on two very different
continents. Her life experiences through this trying time as well as her later
career as a psychotherapist, treating many Iranian Americans, compelled her to put
her life on paper. Her goal: to provide the reader with a story-like page-turner that
is also informative, designed to educate those who may have shared her wild
journey.
The author chose this title for her book because through her personal and her
patients’ experiences, she believes the Iranian culture, similar to any other culture, can
breed fear, insecurity, self-doubt and even dishonesty in the people she lovingly
describes as sharp, ambitious and hardworking. On the one hand, boys develop a
sense of dominance, grandiosity, narcissism that in actuality has true undertones of
ignorance. While on the other hand, girls face the risk of developing a sense of
passivity, inferiority, anxiety, anger, and at times even paranoia.
The repercussions of this dichotomy she believes, are deep and create psychological
pathology. The main intention of this book is by no means meant to be a religious
or political commentary, but as Iranian people are in essence, religious, the
conversation does include Islam. She argues, religion is beautiful, and Islam is
no exception. But, the often-bastardized product of many past and present
religious leaders, whose qualifications she questions, is ugly: the outcome, fear
of God and His potential punitive consequences. Herein lies another source of
pathology. She devotes a good deal of the book to enlighten readers both Iranian
and otherwise, to the essence of the soft side of Islam to which general Muslims are
often not exposed. From the Prophet Mohammad himself of Sufi mystics, the
author focuses on spirituality rather than aggression, citing works of Hafez,
Saadi, Mowlana Rumi, Baba Taher, and Shams Tabrizi who expressed the same
approach of Sufism.
Let’s go back in time now to 1979 and to the years prior that lead to the Iranian
revolution. The author’s argument is that in light of this cultural mentality, foreign
countries found opportunity to meddle and assert their influence and personal
goals. The Iranians themselves could not identify this cultural weakness and
were not in touch with their own identity and took to the streets in demonstration
supporting new religious leaders whom aggressively stoked the fires of anti-west
propaganda and rhetoric that lead to a blaze of events. In the ashes, lay a
country with a leader whom they did not even know; A leader, who would only
again propagate this circle of pathology.
It is the intention of the author to help Iranians to learn about their psychology, to
develop self-recognition and self-identity to become less confused. “My attention has
been on the training and parenting issues throughout the book. I am always wondering
and searching for solutions to help distraught and confused parents to help raise
happier and healthier children for their bright future.”, says author, Dr. Miri
