yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy CH A P T ER 1 Bel iefs a n d Va lu e s W hen we set ourselves the task of coming to a better understanding of groups of people and their culture, it is useful to begin by identi- f ying their most basic beliefs and values; these determine their outlook on life and govern their social behavior. We have to make broad generaliza- tions in order to compare groups of people--here, Arabs and Westerners. Bear in mind that this generalizing can never apply to all individuals in a group; the differences among Arabs of the eighteen nations described