Iranian Society Concerned About Social Damage Tsunami

In the news of 2014 in Iran, everything revolved around the nuclear negotiations, economic problems, and the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. However, the results of an unprecedented survey conducted by the Future Watch group at the end of 2014 show that Iranian society is simultaneously living with significant social wounds and damages, often silently, which mainstream media and official institutions rarely address. The importance of this survey lies in measuring public opinion across various social, political, geopolitical, economic, and environmental issues related to Iran's future. Public opinion is worried about the future. The first point in dealing with the results of this two-stage survey of citizens and experts is the extent of societal problems from their perspective and the negative and bleak image they have of current and future Iran. The list of dozens of issues raised by the statistical community indicates that significant problems and damages in various social, political, health, environmental, and economic areas have become the main concern for a significant portion of public opinion. Perhaps it is rare to find a country where people, given the internal resources and wealth, are so dissatisfied, uncertain, and worried about various aspects of their lives. The second point in re-reading the results of this survey is the weight and position that environmental issues, health and community issues, and various social problems have gained compared to other topics in the public conscience. In the announced ranking, after the fate of the nuclear negotiations (the first rank of the survey), the unprecedented rise of cancer, environmental pollution, and drought crisis (even more than inflation) have emerged as the main concerns of the people. According to the results of the first two stages of this survey, the unprecedented rise of cancer, diseases caused by air pollution, widespread drought, the status of underground water resources, dust storms, and the death of ecosystems related to lakes are among the top 20 issues of concern to society. Corruption in society, youth despair and frustration, addiction, and brain drain are also other topics that occupy significant positions in the survey. The third point is the existence of a kind of distrust and despair in public opinion, which can be clearly observed in some of the issues raised. Concern about the status of youth in society, distrust in official institutions, and the discrediting of major state media in this survey indicate a pessimistic and negative outlook regarding the present and future. It seems that many citizens see no positive aspect in the current situation in Iran, and disbelief in the possibility of solving these problems causes the future outlook to appear dark and vague. Iran is trapped in major damages. It is well known that the root of the main issues raised in this survey does not relate solely to 2014. The year 2014 could be called the year of new awareness for society and the formation of a collective awareness trend regarding the wounds and difficult diseases of Iranian society. A comparison of the data from a similar survey in 2013 with the recent results shows a significant relative change in people's perspectives. The reality is that major social and environmental damages and crises have gradually woven around Iranian society over the past three decades like a terrifying trap. The lack of a coherent sustainable development strategy, ill-considered policies, disorganization, mismanagement, ignorance, and numerous contradictions have driven Iranian society towards a precipice from which escape can sometimes seem miraculous. The fact that concern about cancer has become the number two concern of Iranian society well reflects the current state of public opinion in the country. Experts and independent media have long spoken about the negative consequences of using contaminated gasoline, unhealthy air, waste and sewage issues, parasitic interference, and the lack of policies and oversight over agricultural and food production. However, major media outlets and institutions that exclusively control the main platforms have done nothing for the health and well-being of a society that is increasingly sinking into the quagmire of disease-causing pollution except denial and silence. Who were the main culprits behind this pollution, and why did no one seek solutions despite numerous warnings in the 2000s? What are the real dimensions of these damages, and what specific actions are being taken to address them? To what extent are the existing concerns in society about these damages real? A review of media reports reveals numerous ambiguities and questions about the extent and nature of the damages and the effectiveness of government solutions. Even in the last year and a half, when the head of the Environmental Protection Organization or the Minister of Health has tried to take steps to improve this alarming situation, obstruction and indifference from some official institutions have greatly limited the effectiveness of their policies. Drought and water crisis are another major concern for people in this survey. Over thirty years of disorganization and widespread chaos in the use of natural resources in a country located in the global dry belt has put Iran in a very fragile position. According to scientific estimates, currently, 35% of the country has an extremely dry climate, and 29% is in a dry climate (a total of 65%), and its rainfall does not exceed one-third of the global average. The 32-year rainfall chart in Iran shows that during this period, the country has faced six droughts, and in addition, rainfall has been below average 17 times and has approached drought five times. Recent droughts, ill-considered industrial and agricultural policies, and continued excessive use of scarce water resources have caused more than 50% of Iran's population to live in areas facing the risk of a water crisis. Alongside the phenomenon of drought, one of the main reasons for the damage to Iran's ecosystem is the excessive use of groundwater and rivers beyond their permissible capacity. Water scarcity or the drying up of Lake Urmia and several other small lakes, as well as important historical wetlands and rivers like Zayandeh Rud, has occurred due to environmental chaos, past water policies, negligence in promoting water conservation culture, the modernization of irrigation systems in agriculture, the choice of unsuitable crops for arid areas, and the excessive use of natural resources. According to the Deputy of the Environmental Protection Organization, "In water-rich countries, 20% of the right to use groundwater is allowed, and if this figure reaches 40, it means a danger threshold, and if it exceeds 40, it reaches a disaster threshold... Meanwhile, 75% of groundwater is currently being extracted, meaning it has already crossed the disaster threshold." Unlike some economic problems, health and hygiene crises, environmental pollution, or the phenomenon of drought have no relation to international sanctions and external pressures. What has played a main role in creating this environmental and health disaster is the indifference, ignorance, incapacity, and anti-environmental policies of official institutions. Two different worlds in an unconventional society. Comparing the results of this survey with the approaches of some official and religious institutions or the statements made in Friday prayers, mainstream media, and parliament shows a deep divide that has emerged in today's Iranian society. Many conservative clerics and institutions and media close to them seize every opportunity to promote religious observance, express concern about women's dress, "youth promiscuity," and the holding of music concerts, or they insistently call for accelerating population growth, adhering even more to Islamic norms, stricter cultural restrictions, and preventing the expansion of social networks. Many also, instead of looking at what is happening in Iranian society, are preoccupied with increasing influence in the region, exporting political Islam, and militarism, seeing themselves in a war with the West, the United States, and Israel. None of these issues have a place in the survey. These ideological and fanciful concerns are very different from the mental world and various worries of the main public opinion today. It seems as if two alien worlds coexist within society, side by side. The words and concerns of the people are linked to issues that Iranian society is specifically grappling with, while the concerns of domestic extremists are more connected to unrealistic and fanciful ideological projects. Projects that have distanced Iran from achieving balanced, desirable, and participatory development and have imposed a heavy toll on Iranian society in this process. Continuing the deadlock. The gap between public opinion and a significant part of official institutions is one of the important aspects of the current social crisis. The difference between Iran and many other countries lies in the approach to these social damages and the dialogue and cooperation of civil society with official institutions to find appropriate solutions. In a conventional open society, media, civil society, and organizations, as well as artistic, cultural, and social reference figures, can come forward to tackle major social damages, and the issue of damages can become a mental concern for the entire society. Addressing social damages or enormous public health and environmental issues is not solely the government's responsibility. Shaping a new culture and conscience in society, public awareness and participation, and utilizing collective wisdom create the groundwork for limiting the scope of problems. In Iran, mutual distrust and the fear of official institutions from civil organizations and independent figures severely limit the possibility of collective participation and the formation of a new conscience and culture. Many officials and institutions prefer silence and decision-making behind closed doors to discussing these damages and debating the dimensions of this humanitarian and environmental disaster. The reality is that transparency and engaging in open and public critical discussions will harm the external image of the government and could also exacerbate social discontent. However, alongside silence, denial, and covering up realities, these major damages and diseases will not disappear, and the waves of problems can turn into a major social tsunami. The gap and public distrust is a paralyzing collective tragedy for any country. A society in which the capital of collective trust, participation, and optimism in solving problems has been squandered becomes weak and hollow from within. Iran needs a serious rethinking of its development model because without moving towards a new understanding of sustainable development and involving neighboring countries with this new perspective, addressing environmental damages will not be easy. A security-oriented view of everything and fear of the emergence of trusted reference figures or fear of independent civil organizations restricts society's ability to participate in solving crises and finding a way out of the trap of major social damages. The survey data clearly indicate the despair and concern of Iranian public opinion regarding this deadlock. Iranian society is discovering its wounds and diseases, but public awareness, despite its importance, does not, by itself, untangle the intertwined problems of today. Something fundamental must change in Iran, and a new relationship between society and official institutions must be established to address social and environmental damages. Will public pressure regarding the wave of social, environmental, and health damages be able to open a window for escaping the current deadlock of Iranian society?