Forbidden Paradise: Iran's Forgotten Heritage We're Not Supposed to Know

Ba Vojdaan با وجدان

There's more to Iran and Persian culture than what you'll see on Fox News.

That's the main point of today's episode. My wife Sana shared with me a Facebook post that did a fairly deep dive - as deep as you can get with a Facebook post anyway - on some of the highlights of the Persian culture and history.

I asked Sana, who is Iranian, if she would record a podcast and share some of her experiences as an Iranian, and how she views the American culture from that lens.

As usual we stray from the path a bit with the conversation, but manage to stay true to our intent.

In this episode you'll hear about the progressive policies of Cyrus the Great, advancements in science, medicine, and mathematics, to the unique role of women in Persian society.

Once you've finished listening to this, you might second-guess your decisions to rely on mainstream news sources re: that part of the world!

Episode highlights:

00:39 Exploring Persian Culture and History

01:36 Ancient Iran's Contributions to Civilization

04:43 Persian Innovations and Influence

06:06 Gender Roles in Ancient Iran

07:15 Modern Reflections on Ancient Wisdom

09:55 Community vs. Individualism

17:00 Cultural Reflections and Personal Growth

18:21 Understanding American Historical Perspective

19:19 The Importance of Learning from History

22:26 Contrasting American and Persian Cultures

26:03 The Influence of Persian Culture in America

30:31 Encouragement to Explore Persian History