Culture, to my understanding, refers to the state of Intellect, Traditions, Customs, Heritage, Beliefs and Mannerism developed and inherited over the period of time.India, our country, has (or sadly, had?) a very rich culture, which evolved through thousands of years, richness and diversity, thus makes it unique and unparallel across the modern day world.
Our proud culture exhibits itself in “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” or brother hood and “Ahimsa Parmo Dharam” or non-violence. For Generations, like us, have been brought up in this culture, imbibing these finer principles of life; Respect Elders, Love the Young ones, Brother-hood, Respect to Women, Care about the needy and a Sense of “Tyag” or Sacrifice. I believe, perhaps, these principals were and are key to the survival of our diverse culture and its continuous evolution.
You would be surprised, why suddenly I started writing about our cultural heritage and its basic principals. In fact, yesterday, I was going through one of my friend’s blog, where she had raised an issue of continuous degradation of human values in our society and our fast evaporating tradition of respecting women and the elderly, to my surprise, while a few, in their reaction, observed and agreed to her view of point, there were quite a few (no surprises, all men) who commented that in this era of competition and women’s equality don’t expect any empathy towards women or for that matter elderly. One gentleman went to the extreme and stated; Quote “These complaints just shows you are incompetent. U want feminism to rule the seats & chairs in parliament as well as in the local bus and don't give any sh... to guys. Thats not possible at all. I say I like competition. But among equal privileges. Otherwise we call it as barbarism.” Unquote
What surprises and pains me is the fast catching up the “MTV Culture” in our social fabric, yes, I am surprised because of the rapid pace at which this “MTV Culture” is catching up and I am pained because it is decaying our social heritage and principals even at a much faster pace.
Indian Tradition and what we have been taught, is to respect womanhood. Womanhood in our culture has always equaled to Motherhood. Even God (in Hinduism) is regarded as half man, half woman (Ardhanaarishwar). We learned that where women are honored, the Gods are pleased; where they are not honored, all work becomes fruitless. Women are human beings and have as much of a right to development as men have.
While in past two decades or so India has developed and is proudly marching towards being economically independent nation with playing a very important role in global economic forum and business environment, what we are fast loosing is our tradition of cultural heritage, our culture of respecting each other and specifically women and elders.
A culture destroys itself if it cannot provide the required impetus to growth. Greek culture vanished because people of Greece did not respect their own values. The same was the story of Rome. And I fear, our “Rich Traditions and Cultural Heritage” is also gradually sinking or rather is on the brink of extinction.
If we younger generation, loose our cultural values and ideals, we may just end up becoming either educated brutes or indifferent bunch of materialistic foreigners in our own country
I fear, rather off late, I have started believing firmly that we, the young generation are going through a Cultural Shock. The emergence of a confusing state of Global Culture due to technological advancement, exposure and sudden revelation of “Western Culture of Greed, Lust and Material Propensity”, which is sold in name of “Survival of the fittest” and “Embrace or Extinct” is leading us to Cultural Bankruptcy.
I agree, these exposures and revelations certainly have acted as a catalyst in bulldozing the cultural boundaries, opening doors of new opportunities, have changed perceptions and dreams of ordinary people of our country. Changes have taken place not only in quality of life (better living standards than in past) but also in the social architect of society (conventional to modern). But the alarming truth is also that these new found prosperity and better living conditions have equally rendered our cultural values and heritage vulnerable leading to Socio-Cultural Bankruptcy. And no better example of the impact of this new found culture can be sited then what has happened in US and Europe in last 12 months or so, the culture of Greed and Materialism has pushed them to the verge of economic bankruptcy, suddenly they look so feeble and simulated.
My objective of writing this post is to instigate a debate in the minds of the We the Young Generation of India, to think and analyze the practical implications of influences of the Culture of Greed, Lust and Materialism on our social architecture and whether we are prepared to absorb this Cultural Shock while we reap the benefits of Economic Boom. Are we prepared to create that ‘Perfect Balance” between Economic Prosperity Vs. Indian Cultural Bankruptcy?
Globalization has influenced our Socio Economic Pattern in both ways (positive as well negative) and has finally arrived. Isn’t it? What is your say?
