"Shepherding".. The profession of the prophets and messengers is on the verge of extinction

Al - Anbat - Sally -Al- Sbehat

Translated by - Neveen - Al - Jarrah

Many professions have become extinct and have become a thing of the past due to the rapid progress, technological development and the prevalence of the culture of shame, especially with the movement of a large number of the population to cities in search of modern sources of livelihood to match the culture of the current era.

Despite the social changes that have taken place in our society for many reasons and factors, many young people refuse to work in many professions that provide them with a good income, as they are described as a "disgrace". It is noted that some of them prefer to stay at home rather than join a job that is not commensurate with their social status, their degree, or a reputation that may be inappropriate about a profession and it is circulated, and some of them do not accept the idea of ​​working in a less valuable job than the previous one.

The phenomenon of "a culture of shame" is increasing among young people, especially those who cling to the idea of ​​office work because they believe that some of these professions are considered a shame based on traditions, customs and personal convictions. Among the professions that are on the verge of extinction is "herding", which is considered one of the most honorable professions, as it is the profession of messengers and prophets, and it is considered one of the ancient practices for obtaining food. It is also considered one of the important professions in Arab countries, but it is socially rejected, as the shepherd suffers from social problems, including the rejection of some families Marriage of their daughter to young men who are pastoralists.

In this context, Al-Anbat monitored, on social media, employment vacancies for the profession of a shepherd, with daily food and drink provided to him during his work, with good salaries compared to the salaries of office jobs, yet there is no demand among Jordanian youth for this profession.

In this regard, Professor of Sociology Dr. Hussein Al-Khuzaie said that the reasons for the absence of some professions direct the youth of villages and deserts to university education, which reduces their interest and focus on such professions (the sponsor) and the search for professions that are compatible with their specializations and degrees.

He explained to  "Al-Anbat" that if their children obtain certificates, the parents refuse to practice the profession of shepherd, considering that it detracts from their education, status and future, adding that the profession of herding has become acceptable to expatriate workers in Jordan.

He explained that the issue is based on the desire for the process of youth settlement within cities and their migration, which led to the expansion of cities and the formation of great population pressure, especially in the capital, Amman, the center of Irbid, and Salt, pointing out that Jordan is in dire need of such professions, which are considered among the authentic and heritage professions in Jordan. Customs and traditions, as it is the profession of parents and grandparents, so it must not be abandoned and focus on practicing it and reviving it.

The unemployment rate in the Kingdom during the third quarter of last year (2022) reached about 23.1 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the third quarter of 2021, and an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the second quarter of the same year.