Modernisation: a progress or worry in Pakistan?

(S A Kareem shah, Pasni)

Steps of being modern

Before we make a judgement and do a quick justification we must know about the term modernisation. Quick judging can define modernisation in a very wrong way.

In todays world people are always in hurry to move forward in a continuous way without knowing how a lifestyle and act of being modern affect the personality in others views.

Modernisation is a sociological word which means leaving the past things and adopting new things. It is actually a transformation of a person from old to new. It is the act of being modern.

A lot of people get criticised due to being too much modern. Because they never know the lifestyle they adopt. There is a slight difference between modernisation and westernisation.

Westernisation in simple words means adopting the western culture.

Some people are also in worry that modernisation may effect our cultural beliefs. But let me clear this,

Culture contains the things which we move from generation to generation. They contain language, beliefs and religion, lifestyle things also like clothes.

Some aspects gets change and some become unchanged. The changing things are clothes, cars , and our communication things.

Our cultural beliefs are so strong that our clothes become however unchanged.

It’s clear that being modern is a sign of progress, transforming of lives from rural to urban, from agrarian to industrialisations.

Modernisation gives you the freedom of exploring your thoughts, emotions and let you be creative and financially independent.

Robert Hughes said that modernism is the protein of cultural imagination.!!!

We the Pakistanis are very concern in terms of traditional values and beliefs. Our extreme love to our traditions and beliefs make it a social issue to the modernisation ideas. We are gender biased society and we have set limitations to the females and cannot bear them to break the stereotypes.

This extremism is often found in rural and remote areas of Pakistan.

They are also the cause of honour killings in the society. The Asian countries have some narrow minded people. According to research, in the name of honour killing of world one fifth of lives have been taken, estimated of 1000 from 5000 lives.

It is a social crime but oftenly neglected by the law and these cases are mostly not registered in judiciary level. Although Human rights workers and institutions are raising their voices.
We as a nation lack in acceptance of the upcoming change and have a fear of losing our traditional values.

There are also some socio-economic factors which are effecting modernisation in our country, like employment, low income etcetra. After the pandemic and the current situation of country there is literally hard to survive for the middle and lower class families. Due to these conditions they are unable to live in financial independent situations. When you become modernised you live independently because rituals are important but they should not demotivate you from being modern.

In my point of view you can only be modern if you learn how to be civilised and well educated. It’s true that an educated person can make a change in society. They know how to express the feelings and thoughts to others and have the courage to listen them. A creative and fearless mind can only be modern. I am disappointed that we as a nation are moving towards darkness from the light. We are becoming narrow minded due to the influencers which are manipulating us. Only a liberal and happy Pakistan can be modern. We have to tolerate others and respect their point of views. Grow more financially strong and improve our IT to survive in the modern world. Pakistan must be neutral in gender discrimination and more supportive to each other. That’s how we can step towards modern society and leave a mark to the world.

S A Kareem shah
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