I am sure a large number of us Indians would have been involved, or at the least heard, in the 'We are losing out on the essence of our culture' and 'The Westerners have truly left behind a lot of themselves and their culture ruining our younger generation' talk. Recently I read an article on a person's opinion on the topic and I somehow found that I too agree with him, more or less.
No matter how much we try to ape the West, there will always be an Indianness to it- is what I feel on the topic. We could be as broad-minded as them to see a movie with compromising scenes along with out children. But I wonder how many of them would actually not mind their own children hugging a person from the opposite sex. Not to mention if the girl is at a marriageable age! I know quite a few people, girls, who drink and get their head intoxicated with so much of booze that they are not very much in their senses. Personally, I am not for it. Maybe I am old-fashioned or non-modern, but I wonder why most of these very same 'modern' girls do all of this behind their parent's backs. Which very well shows that no matter how open or modern they may be, there is still the Indianness within them that pulls them away from telling their parents that "Yes Dad I drink, and I love it!" And I wonder how many of the parents, who consider themselves nothing short of being a replica of his/her American boss would like hearing that from their child.
I don't understand what is wrong in girls wearing jeans and a short top when she is out with her friends! Dude, what modernity are you talking about when you can't accept and respect the fact that that girl could very well be your sister or daughter. When you can wear low-waist jeans that literally grab for their lives from falling, what is it that makes your eyes pop out when girls wear 'decent' clothes covering everything that has to be covered? So are you modern? Well no I don't think so. I think that 'quality' to stare at a girl even she wears a salwar, is Indianness enough!
So is our culture going to the drains? I don't have an answer to that, but personally I feel the practice of blaming other cultures for the same is just an excuse for all the ill-treatments happening in the society. Don't all cultures have their good and bad sides? Yes, English is the world wide known language and no youngster can survive without being fluent in that language. It is a fact and one has to accept it! Very ironically and unfortunately that happened to be the 'mother tongue' of the Westerners! So accept the fact and thrive towards achieving it. It is the good side of that culture, and if you continue cribbing about the ill-effects other cultures have done to ours, then God save you! Because personally I feel, there is no one else to blame other than oneself. It is you who is ready to adopt the appalling standards of cultures. So bear it yourself. Don't blame someone else for your own actions!
10 comments:
Wow. I suppose everyone has their own thing. I've been in NZ for 90% of my whole life, so my parents are more open-minded than most, I would think. Even though there are certain blurry areas. But in saying that there's a mix of both. Like, I really respect elders and try not to backtalk. Stuff like that. I think culture is just what people choose to follow, and it shouldn't go defining people's values and beliefs :)
@Zeebs: I completely agree and believe that one's culture best defines in the things they follow. But I do feel that whatever one chooses to follow does define their values. It is because a person believes in something that s/he tend to follow that. If not it would just be the 'following the crowd' walk, don't you think?
Well it's quite a shame honestly.
It's not just about our culture, but the mindset. Yes people say they've evolved, modernized and all that. But truly, a lot more needs to be done.
We really can't do much to alter the present condition than hope in-
"Practice what you Preach."
Good one :)
@Shreya: I have a feeling my children too would be waiting for that proverb to become a reality. But anyway let's hope!!
@Sonia: Thank you :)
well we are taking our culture to the drains coz of our insecurities. We might be calling our country the one with culture and morals and society which is based on values passed down through generations, but we ourselves are insecure abt it. We dont want to be called a villager and we flaunt our open mindedness like its something huge.
@Red: That is a lovely comment, and yes I completely agree on it. People would love to follow the Indian culture, but then they are scared they would be considered an outsider among the crowd! Only when someone else sees the beauty in our culture and talk about it do we feel proud of it!
That depends on who decides what culture is. Some may feel people who advocate in the name of culture are old-fashioned and they need to move-on while other may embrace the old-culture with pride.
To comment on culture is really difficult.
@Sahana: Yes, it is a difficult topic to comment on!
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