By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
    CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
    May 31, 2023
    Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
    Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
    May 31, 2023
    Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
    Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
    May 31, 2023
    Cyprus' offshore Aphrodite gas field to be linked to Egypt: NewMed
    Cyprus’ offshore Aphrodite gas field to be linked to Egypt: NewMed
    May 31, 2023
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    May 31, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    AU praises Egypt's role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
    AU praises Egypt’s role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
    May 31, 2023
    Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region
    Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region
    May 31, 2023
    Opinion| The American debt crisis and the 2024 elections
    Opinion| The American debt crisis and the 2024 elections
    May 31, 2023
    Abdel Ghaffar affirms Egypt’s support for the Palestinian health sector
    Abdel Ghaffar affirms Egypt’s support for the Palestinian health sector
    May 31, 2023
    Lebanon's army says frees kidnapped Saudi citizen
    Lebanon’s army says frees kidnapped Saudi citizen
    May 30, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    May 31, 2023
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Wear your whip to work week
Share
Notification
Latest News
CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
Banking
AU praises Egypt's role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
AU praises Egypt’s role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
Politics Egypt
Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
Banking
Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
Banking
Cyprus' offshore Aphrodite gas field to be linked to Egypt: NewMed
Cyprus’ offshore Aphrodite gas field to be linked to Egypt: NewMed
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Culture > Wear your whip to work week
CultureOpinion

Wear your whip to work week

Adel Heine
Last updated: 2013/04/28 at 5:35 PM
By Adel Heine 6 Min Read
Share
Adel Heine
SHARE
Adel Heine
Adel Heine

I have just received one of the worst dressing-downs I have ever been subjected to. And considering my propensity to prefer the jeans and t-shirt section of my wardrobe, that is saying something. When I look around the office I see the other editors staring at their screens with glassy, non-seeing eyes as well. At least they can still use both hands; I have been typing this surreptitiously with only one hand. Things are not well at the office.

When I started at the newspaper our managing editor gave me the time to develop the concepts of the pages in my care. She watched me struggle to define the right things to cover and with subtle, gentle nudges she would push me back onto the course she had already decided in her head. Her criticism was constructive, her suggestions never demands, and for the better part of a year I luxuriated in the liberty to do my job the way I thought best.

But sadly these days are gone. Always one to be ahead of her game, my boss has chosen to become a leader of the pack yet again and where she would whip us into a frenzy of enthusiasm on the scent of a controversial story, she now simply whips us into shape. Literally.

When once she would point impassioned fingers sporting black nail polish at you during ardent arguments, she now stalks around our desks in what can only be described as a black tent. Gone are the days of democracy and discussion, her voice is the only one that counts and she punctuates her power with a shiny black cat o’ nine tails.

She has gone to the dark side where freedom and justice are paid only lip service, and hunger for power and the will to dish out harsh punishment to any who disagree rule all.

As she roams around the office as a conservative dominatrix we cower at our desks. Within a day of a prosecutor trying to change the law singlehandedly by ordering lashes for a drunken disorderly, my boss jumped on the bandwagon of yesteryear, denying everything she used to stand for.

It started with an editorial meeting that for once was eerily quiet. Our normal argumentative banter died out in the face of her stern stare and strange attire, after which she proceeded to demolish our morale within the space of 10 minutes.

A cabinet reshuffle has been announced to probably take place at some point in the near future, which is as exact a timeline you can get from the government, she told us in steely tones. One of the positions expected to be changed is that of minister of information, and this new warden of words will most likely strive to implement the conservative views of the powers that be.

And so, she continued in the face of our stony silence, the paper will change its direction to comply with what will be expected of us. Stories are to be pitched in emails to the Supreme Guide of Editors, and once they are approved we can assign them to the reporters. A strong set of guidelines will be issued by these supremes, and dissent will be met with swift and disproportionate measures.

Politics were directed to only write positive pieces about our esteemed leader, Business was ordered to fill their pages with glowing economic success stories and the Opinion editor was summarily fired. From now on there is only one opinion that counts.

For a brief moment I hoped that my section would survive the slaughter, but that was short-lived. This boss I had liked because of her sense of humour and adventure primly informed me that I was going to be issued a list of topics that were seemly to write about, compiled by the Supreme Guide. My page would continue but without movie or theatre reviews, and no reviews of music or art.

Now, no matter how long I have lived here I am still an opinionated Dutch person, so I argued. This leaves me next to nothing to fill the page with, and denying culture exists does not mean it is not there, and whatever happened to ‘Independent English language newspaper’, the slogan so proudly featured on our masthead, I asked her, full of defiance.

Her answer was swift and brutal; with her black leather whip she whacked me across the hand.

It is clear that times are changing and opposing opinions are no longer respected. As I sneak out of the office for the last time, clutching my hurt hand and dignity, I am sad for the loss of freedom of expression. There are dark days ahead and I, for one, am not planning to spend them as anyone’s whipping boy.

 

*In response to readers’ concerns, DNE would like to reiterate this is a satirical column and does not represent a change in editorial policy

You Might Also Like

Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region

Opinion| The American debt crisis and the 2024 elections

Opinion| Tips for startups operating in the tough environment of emerging markets

I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi

Opinion| Behind the scenes of the US-China conflict over Taiwan’s chips

TAGGED: Adel Heine, column, Daily News Egypt, DNE, freedom of speech, Supreme Guide
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
By Adel Heine
DNE Art & Culture, and Lifestyle Editor
Previous Article In other words: Who is the alternative to the Muslim Brotherhood?
Next Article Changing education one video at a time
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
CIB signs MoU with LinkedIn learning to promote youth learning culture
Banking
AU praises Egypt's role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
AU praises Egypt’s role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
Politics Egypt
Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
Islamic banking in Egyptian market increases to EGP 544bn in March 2023
Banking
Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
Banque du Caire’s net profit grows 29% to over EGP 1bn in 1Q 2023
Banking
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?