Somalia Is Importing the Image of Modernity, but Not Building Its Foundations

MOGADUSHU ( GO) - The recent launch of the Pakistani perfume brand J. Fragrances in Mogadishu—and the strong reaction it generated—was more than a controversy surrounding a single event. It exposed a deeper social uncertainty about what modernity means and how Somalia can engage with the wider world without losing its cultural values and identity.

Millions of young Somalis have grown up in a country without strong educational systems, functioning cultural institutions or civic education capable of grounding them in knowledge, responsibility and citizenship. While these foundations remained weak, social media entered almost every aspect of their daily lives.

Mobile phones opened a window to the outside world. Yet what young people most often see through that window is not the universities, research centres, industries or institutions that built successful nations. Instead, they encounter Hollywood celebrities, social-media influencers, extravagant lifestyles and carefully selected images from the streets of Western cities.

Without sufficient education and critical understanding, it can be easy to mistake these images for modernity and civilization itself.

But Hollywood does not represent the whole of America, and Pride celebrations in Amsterdam cannot be taken as the entirety of Dutch civilization.

Western countries did not become prosperous through celebrity culture, social-media spectacle or displays of luxury. Their progress was built upon quality education, scientific research, universities, the rule of law, functioning institutions, productivity, professional discipline and the protection of individual rights and responsibilities.

The danger facing Somalia is that it may import the most visible products of globalization while ignoring the foundations upon which successful societies are built.

We imitate celebrity culture but fail to develop a culture of research.

We admire luxury but give far less attention to productivity.

We consume technology but produce and contribute too little of it ourselves.

We copy the appearance of modernity while neglecting the knowledge, discipline and hard work that genuine modernity requires.

Somalia does not need to isolate itself from the world or reject everything that comes from abroad. Mogadishu historically prospered precisely because of trade, interaction and its connections with the wider world.

However, a confident society understands the difference between learning from others and blindly imitating them. It adopts useful knowledge and progress from abroad while protecting its identity and values.

The challenge facing this Somali generation is to learn from the science, education, institutions, productivity and work ethic of successful societies—rather than limiting its engagement with the world to the attractive spectacles displayed on social media.

GAROWE ONLINE