Psychiatrist authors book on Egyptians' mockery of COVID-19

CAIRO – 18 July 2020: In an endeavor to screen Egyptians' reactions to the outbreak of COVID-19, Psychological Medicine Professor Mohamed al-Mahdy finalized a book titled "Corona: The Psychological Withstanding in the Face of Pandemic."

The former chair of the psychological medicine department at Azhar University describes the pandemic as "unprecedented in human history as billions of people hid in their houses, armies and their traditional and nuclear arsenals became useless, vibrant cities turned into ghost cities, economies and aviation were on hold, worship places were shut down, and fear entered the hearts of all, whether rich or poor."  

In the introduction, the author cites an excerpt of the description by sociology founder - Ibn Khaldoun – of the Egyptian people saying, "the people of Egypt are inclined to joy, fun, lightness, and disregard of consequences."

Mahdy elaborates that when the Egyptian is encircled by worries and crises, and is put in situations they did not cause, they respond by irony and jokes that alleviate anxiety and avert anger achieving relief.

The psychology professor argues that jokes in Egypt are different from those elsewhere detailing their distinct features. The most important feature is their reductionist orientation so as the size of the problem is made trivial.

As for the rise in memes use, those are characterized in Egypt by a surprise in the last phase of the story triggering laughter. The authors noted that mocking certain social segments has declined against public figures.  

The book includes a chapter titled "How Egyptians Mocked Corona" showcasing the types of jokes initiated on the topic.