In the world we inhabit, the perception of right and wrong in people's minds often diverges from the objective truth.
Given that individuals frequently engage in superficial thinking about various profound matters, what takes shape in their minds regarding right and wrong, truth and falsehood, correctness and error is far away from reality.
Rather than delving into defining right and wrong, our aim is to cultivate in you, esteemed merchants and professionals, an understanding of reading public's mental processes.
This, in turn, will enable you to expedite financial gains in your negotiations and business ventures.
Where does the concept of right and wrong in people's minds come from?
Without preamble, the answer is clear: through the media.
If you delve into history, you'll find instances like Muawiya, cursed be his name, who, wielding powerful media, portrayed Ali ibn Abi Talib in such a way that people believed he didn't even pray.
No evidence or witness was presented for this statement, it was solely propagated by the media at their disposal.
The people of that time accepted this narrative.
When Imam Ali, peace be upon him, attained martyrdom in the mosque, the news reached the ears of the masses, leaving them in astonishment.
The common question of the time was:
"Did Ali even pray?!"
It's the power of the media that can present truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth.
In our current era, the majority of the world sees us Iranians as terrorists, and they perceive our country as entirely engulfed in war and insecurity.
At the beginning of the text, we stated the importance of the truth.
The question now is: How did they implant this perception in the minds of the world?
Through the power of their media.
Cinema, the Greatest Cultural Medium Today
While it's true that news agencies are the largest media outlets, they serve as informational media keeping people informed about events and incidents.
Cinema, on the other hand, is a medium with the power to shape culture across generations, influencing norms, ethics, attitudes, lifestyle, and more within human societies.
Hollywood leads the world's cultural-shaping media, and each country's cinema regionally contributes to cultural development.
The Cinematic Perspective on Trade
Why is our economy so ill?
One reason is our lack of engagement in trade.
Why don't we engage in trade?
Because the culture of trade hasn't taken root in our country, and what has taken root is not favorable.
Why has this cultural shift occurred when our ancestors were businessmen in the past generations, and if we go back in history, there were generally respected and trustworthy traders, merchants, and market owners?
In the last few decades, with the rise of cinema, spearheaded by writers, directors, and actors, every film, from movies to series, has portrayed wealth only in the hands of dirty, immoral traders.
None have depicted prosperity through labor or employment.
They say one becomes wealthy by being a trader.
Thankfully, they can't deny that traders are wealthy.
Unable to deny this fact, they throw in that traders are dirty.
Their wealth, according to them, is gained by stealing people's money, killing, being heartless, having no family, and possessing all the undesirable qualities you can think of.
When this narrative is repeated frequently, it becomes people's mental beliefs about trade.
Oh God, you witness how hard we work in Arad Branding to change this belief.
With limited media resources, we strive to alter people's perspectives.
From the first day of the week until friday, as we are in the middle of it, we do not give up on this effort.
Yet, before the week ends, several films and series will be aired depicting a killer who knows nothing about the ethics of trade but claims, "I am a trader."
They ruin everything positive we've built about trade.
Our efforts seem futile, but relying on your grace and the duty we have, there's no choice but to start the new week with even greater effort.
Lord, see our loneliness amidst the noise of falsehood and be our supporter.
What is the duty?
Countless times, Amir al-Mu'minin, Ali (AS), expressed his readiness to give away his companions to Muawiya's followers in exchange for Muawiya giving away ten of his followers to him.
Ali's words reflected his willingness to part with his companions and take in Muawiya's followers.
Amir al-Mu'minin once lamented that he wished he had ten of Muawiya's companions.
These statements came after he had lost his confidant, Malik al-Ashtar, and no one had remained like Ammar.
Imam always said that they are strong in their falsehood and you are weak in your right.
Imam Ali emphasized that Muawiya's strength did not lie in the wisdom or insight of his rule but in the support of his followers who were steadfast in falsehood.
The weakness attributed to Imam Ali was not his own, but the frailty of the companions who surrounded him.
We, the Aradis, can bring about change if we are not weak and act resolutely.
Those in the cinema industry seek to portray trade as dirty and impure.
We strive to demonstrate that trade is the noblest occupation of God's divine creation, and his pure companion.
Trade is esteemed to the extent that numerous traditions highlight its virtues, such as the one stating that:
Three groups will enter paradise without accountability, including truthful traders.
In contrast, among other jobs, he did not say that the people of a certain job will enter heaven without accounting, except for traders.
God did not praise the workers in any job in his book, while he praised the businessmen.
Cinema professionals work to undermine trade, while we work to strengthen it.
Let alone the fact that they get support for their creations and receive accolades, while we face criticism for our texts and films from various sources.
It doesn't matter who wins this cultural war.
What matters is that our heads are held high in this world and the hereafter and we declare firmly:
O Lord, You are a witness to our promotion of trade, a tradition of Your Prophet, spreading it among people, even when they rejected and denied it.
So, in the face of this adversity, do not leave us alone, O Knower of strangers.
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