Saturday, August 4, 2007

who has culture?

OK once you read this don't start judging me. I'm an Indian and proud of it.
It's commonly said "american people (or sometimes the 'west') don't have culture!!!" or atleast i think I've heard it quite often.
Common definition of culture - morals, ethics, customs and so on.
The statement that they do not have culture is baseless.... let me explain .
First of all lets take a look at our modern ways of - eating at a table, using a fork and spoon, eating with the mouth closed etc; is all whose idea ?? yes u know it .... accept it. Theirs!!!

Argument - Thats not culture .... thats just table manners!

Ok .... lets take on another aspect. 'They' have no moral inhibitions. Boys and girls are allowed to dance and oh no TALK to each other(the fact that biologically we are attracted to the opposite sex (w.r.t majority of course ) is never even considered). Dating is wrong. How can they be allowed to woo each other before marriage. No commitments no rules .... like animals!!!
Yes. These are statements made by educated masses of the 21st century. Well lets look at our side of the story, without the facades.
We rave about our how most of the marriages conducted as per the Indian "culturally sound" ways are successful. The families understand each other... lets throw some light on what this understanding is based on ... DOWRY. Yeah whose culture does that belong to ? ours... Indians! No dowry and the girl ...yes is actually tortured or thrown out of the 'understanding' family home if she and her family didnt pay the dues!
I could go on and on about the evils embedded deep in out 'culture' but the point I'd like make is that .... "you see the straw in your brother's eye, but you do not see the beam in your own eye". I'm not Jesus but yeah I do hope somebody (atleast I) can follow this (someday).

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