Thursday, 26 July 2012
India - Beyond the Dark Culture
I’ve been raised in a liberal family (for Indian standards), however, constantly fed with the values of our culture. I was trained to feel proud of my cultural values and the traditions. However, I have always been a practical person and I demanded logic for almost everything that I was being taught as part of culture and tradition. Whenever my parents or some elders told me to do or to not do something, I raised questions. One of my favorite fights with my mom occurs every Saturday. She says that I was born on this day and which is somehow related to some Indian god and thus I should not eat meat on Saturdays. I do not logically see why I should agree to this. I always debate with her saying that it doesn’t make sense to not eat meat on one particular day. I ask her for reason and that’s when she plays her ‘Mother’s sentiment’ card. Unfortunately for her, I keep forgetting that I shouldn’t eat meat on Saturdays as per my mom’s request and I even tell her that I did, which pisses her off even more.
Most of us know that the whole point of these cultural customs and traditions is that they were formed for a logical reason when the thought came into existence. However, we do not mind following blindly what has been adapted tens of centuries ago for surviving the circumstances at that time. Prophet Mohammed never asked Muslims to go marry how many ever women they want. He suggested that Muslim men can adopt widowed women by marrying them and taking care of them. But in due course, to make the suggestion work in their best interests, Muslim men eliminated the part about adopting the widowed women and just stuck with marrying any number of women. While one cannot really ascertain whether this is true, it makes sense from a logical stand point. There are such blind faiths in every religion and as people evolved over time, they retained the parts of blind faith that are most convenient to sustain their dominance and to suppress the weak.
In the recent times, one can observe that it is not just a problem with culture or traditions. It is much more than that. When I learn in the news about foetus being found in the trashcans and drainages, when a doctor pulls a newborn out of incubator because he wasn’t paid Rs. 200, when a woman is being stripped off in the middle of the road while the rest are enjoying the show clicking picture, when a father beheads his daughter and walks proudly to set an example and warning others against loving people from other castes, it does not merely pain to be a part of such society, it hurts deep in the heart. It hurts because I cannot understand how these people spend peaceful nights in sleep. It hurts because I am part of this society that mutely watches such acts and even supports them while blaming the victims. It hurts the most because I am helpless. I am helpless because it isn’t a few weeds in the society that needs to be eliminated. It is not a bunch of fundamentalist bastards who perform such acts. It is not a single problem related to castes, religion or women. It is the fundamental lack of respect for EVERYONE ELSE in the world. It is the lack of respect towards others’ freedom to let them live their lives the way they want. One never questions oneself of why we should consider ourselves responsible for others’ lives and others’ decisions in life. It is our constant judgment as a society to make people adhere to the ghastly norms that the illogical beliefs have set. Yes, I am helpless and I will remain helpless. I will remain helpless because I am the outcast here. I will remain helpless because I can only be the change I want to see; however, I will never see the same change in the society. I loathe my helplessness and my existence in this society.
Monday, 23 July 2012
Third World Dump Yard
Having interacted with people from the so-called ‘First World’, I don’t find Oprah’s remarks and irrationality, surprising. While India does face a wide variety of social problems, the outlook of the West, that they are living a life in paradise is quite ironic and ignorant. Here are some of the most common ‘issues’ or remarks that my western friends make, displaying their lack of sensitivity.
You STILL eat with your hands?
Yes, I love eating with my hand and so do most Indians. It is the flexibility to handle food and ease in mixing the gravy evenly that makes me prefer my hands while eating my food. I clean my hands properly before I eat my food. I do not see how forks and spoons are better than clean hands. Where do you stick you knives, forks and spoons when you eat your burgers, hotdogs, tacos, chicken wings, chips, pizzas, and bread?
Isn’t it sad that people in India are so poor?
Yes, people in India are poor. They are poor because your so called colonization ruined our wealth. The rest is ravaged by the goons that we retained in the same positions as they were during the colonial period. And the saga continues. However, being poor isn’t the most horrible situation as long as no one tries to constantly making people feel it is. There are many people who are poor and are still happy; because they do not have to worry about the social display of wealth. Their only worry is to satisfy their stomachs for the day. If they achieve that goal, they are contented; probably more than you are.
Isn’t it unhygienic to clean one’s ass with their hands?
I just have one question in this regard. When you do not consider the acts of taking the penis into one’s mouths, inserting one’s penis into the posterior organ and other such acts unhygienic, how can you call the act of someone cleaning their ass with their hands unhygienic? The list of such acts of pleasure can go on, but I know your imagination can help you with the rest.
How can people marry someone your parents choose for you?
While I personally am not in favor of the idea of arranged marriages, I do not understand why the concept is so appalling. It is a cultural practice that has been followed over the ages. Yes, it did not change. But people are doing just as fine as you are doing with your love marriages, and sometimes even better. It isn't the best system, but, it works. At least, our children are not brought up being confused not knowing whether to call their mom, sister or daughter or aunt or whatever the heck it is, because the kid could not keep a count on whom his mom or dad is falling in love with.
Everytime someone from these 'First World' countries comes up with such questions, I feel pity for their lack of understanding towards different cultures. The self-obsession and love for superficiality never fails to amuse me.
You STILL eat with your hands?
Yes, I love eating with my hand and so do most Indians. It is the flexibility to handle food and ease in mixing the gravy evenly that makes me prefer my hands while eating my food. I clean my hands properly before I eat my food. I do not see how forks and spoons are better than clean hands. Where do you stick you knives, forks and spoons when you eat your burgers, hotdogs, tacos, chicken wings, chips, pizzas, and bread?
Isn’t it sad that people in India are so poor?
Yes, people in India are poor. They are poor because your so called colonization ruined our wealth. The rest is ravaged by the goons that we retained in the same positions as they were during the colonial period. And the saga continues. However, being poor isn’t the most horrible situation as long as no one tries to constantly making people feel it is. There are many people who are poor and are still happy; because they do not have to worry about the social display of wealth. Their only worry is to satisfy their stomachs for the day. If they achieve that goal, they are contented; probably more than you are.
Isn’t it unhygienic to clean one’s ass with their hands?
I just have one question in this regard. When you do not consider the acts of taking the penis into one’s mouths, inserting one’s penis into the posterior organ and other such acts unhygienic, how can you call the act of someone cleaning their ass with their hands unhygienic? The list of such acts of pleasure can go on, but I know your imagination can help you with the rest.
How can people marry someone your parents choose for you?
While I personally am not in favor of the idea of arranged marriages, I do not understand why the concept is so appalling. It is a cultural practice that has been followed over the ages. Yes, it did not change. But people are doing just as fine as you are doing with your love marriages, and sometimes even better. It isn't the best system, but, it works. At least, our children are not brought up being confused not knowing whether to call their mom, sister or daughter or aunt or whatever the heck it is, because the kid could not keep a count on whom his mom or dad is falling in love with.
Everytime someone from these 'First World' countries comes up with such questions, I feel pity for their lack of understanding towards different cultures. The self-obsession and love for superficiality never fails to amuse me.
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
The Dilemma with Sex in India
Of late, there has been an exponential coverage in Indian media on molestation incidents taking place in the country. I am not shocked that such incidents are occurring so frequently these days because such cases were previously unnoticed, or the victims never dared to complain as they were concerned about the societal norms. However, it is interesting and commendable that the victims, in the recent times, are more courageous to come to fight for justice. In a society with conservative (read uncivilized) views and where justice is delivered usually when the victim is dead fighting, it takes real courage to raise voices against injustice.
In a country with a population of 1.3billion, sex is a taboo. Even since childhood, our parents try to raise us as if sex is an offense. They make it seem as if it is the forbidden fruit or the Pandora box. This raises more desire and curiosity in the minds of teenagers than it normally would. Such curiosity turns into craving and gets to peaks as they cross their puberty and grow as adults. This leads to people finding alternative ways to deal with the situation. The ones who cannot deal with will stare at women everywhere as if they were going to rape them. And rape they will, as soon as they develop more frustration.
With society terming women who even hang out with guys as sluts, it is not surprising that women grow up with conservative mindsets. Instead of welcoming the attitude of the ones who grow over these ‘modern views’ that our society holds (I was going to say primitive, however, I figured that the primitive man must have been more open minded in this regard).
With these mindsets and unstated laws, we are creating barriers in the demand and supply for sex, which in turn leads to the black market such forced prostitution and worse, rapes. The trouble with legalizing prostitution in a country like India is that people are not ready for such a reform. The whole point of legalizing prostitution is to provide protection for these women and avoid forced prostitution. The police in India provide their disgusting personal opinions on the rape victims who are trying to overcome the societal views in a hope for justice. With such attitude, it is quite evident what kind of protection these policemen will offer the sex workers.
While there is no clear solution except for the people to change the way we look at things (as for any other problem), the fact that these rape victims are pursuing to raise their voices might hopefully make a difference with time. A society that is obsessed with bollywood where 90% of the movies are based on Love and Relationships, it is ironic that we all love to live in our own hypocritical world away from those movies. However, we love to pat our backs for our extreme cultural values which we preach to the Western World.
In a country with a population of 1.3billion, sex is a taboo. Even since childhood, our parents try to raise us as if sex is an offense. They make it seem as if it is the forbidden fruit or the Pandora box. This raises more desire and curiosity in the minds of teenagers than it normally would. Such curiosity turns into craving and gets to peaks as they cross their puberty and grow as adults. This leads to people finding alternative ways to deal with the situation. The ones who cannot deal with will stare at women everywhere as if they were going to rape them. And rape they will, as soon as they develop more frustration.
With society terming women who even hang out with guys as sluts, it is not surprising that women grow up with conservative mindsets. Instead of welcoming the attitude of the ones who grow over these ‘modern views’ that our society holds (I was going to say primitive, however, I figured that the primitive man must have been more open minded in this regard).
With these mindsets and unstated laws, we are creating barriers in the demand and supply for sex, which in turn leads to the black market such forced prostitution and worse, rapes. The trouble with legalizing prostitution in a country like India is that people are not ready for such a reform. The whole point of legalizing prostitution is to provide protection for these women and avoid forced prostitution. The police in India provide their disgusting personal opinions on the rape victims who are trying to overcome the societal views in a hope for justice. With such attitude, it is quite evident what kind of protection these policemen will offer the sex workers.
While there is no clear solution except for the people to change the way we look at things (as for any other problem), the fact that these rape victims are pursuing to raise their voices might hopefully make a difference with time. A society that is obsessed with bollywood where 90% of the movies are based on Love and Relationships, it is ironic that we all love to live in our own hypocritical world away from those movies. However, we love to pat our backs for our extreme cultural values which we preach to the Western World.
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