Knowledge is Power, or Prejudice?

In today's world it is possible to uncover any information at any time of day or night. With internet in our homes, offices, and even in our pockets, we rarely find our questions unanswered. But has our incessant access to knowledge ruined our ability to approach new things with a sense of mystery and intrigue? Has it made it easier for us to double-click our way into thinking we know what other cultures are really like?

I was having these thoughts as I was reading this article on the New York Times website. It describes a hole-in-the-wall bar in Alexandria, Egypt where many locals come to socialize despite the negative view of such establishments by many religious Egyptians. In fact, those interviewed refused to give their complete names for fear of public ridicule. Having lived in Morocco, I witnessed first-hand the pressure to conform to "religious" standards. The call to prayer might be the most obvious form of a widespread nudging toward uniform behavior. Echoing through the street five times a day, the solemn and throaty sound emitted by the muezzin beckons the citizens to prayer. And whether or not they pray, the call is heard.

The article laments the loss of the old Alexandria, "a city built to look out on the world," and states that "the arc of history has been unkind to Alexandria, taking it on a long slow slide from the center of global learning in ancient times to a rundown, crowded metropolis on the Mediterranean." The diverse population of French, Greeks, Italians, Christians, and Jews are a distant memory now. One man remarked "We were raised in the hands of foreigners," which I find to be incredibly beautiful idea. Is that also not the case for all Americans? Whether or not we actually grew up in diverse communities, we all owe our lineage to foreign peoples and ideas.

So how is it that this happens? How is it that a diverse and unique population full of educated and well-cultured people is now one of submission and conformity? Of course I am only evaluating this one article, but I can't help but think that it seems odd to regress from a cultural capital to a more intolerant society. What I'm wondering is if ease of education about other cultures makes us more apt to find our own superior? Or is it simply poor education that accomplishes this?