Commercial Idolatry

“Commercial Idolatry” presents a world that always appeared rather dystopian to me whilst growing up. Despite being half-Kuwaiti, I did not experience many of the societal norms that permeated the ultra-rich lifestyle of many I knew. From an early age, I knew that my middle-class roots left me at a disadvantage in terms of social and cultural capital that transcended any intellect or meritocratic ability. This poem seeks to present the society I grew up in as a microcosm for postmodern capitalist indifference and stratification that emphasizes how lavish lifestyles dim the boundless potential that women within that society. Further, this poem seeks to question why women submit to norms and values and why they transpose such values onto their own children.

This poem is part of a large collection of my experiences as a “half-breed” in a society where children of Kuwaiti women and foreign fathers have lesser rights and face constant racism, labelling and secondary sexism due to the belief that women lack the agency and basic human rights to decide who they should marry.

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