A Culture on the verge of extinction...

by **KNIGHT RIDER CLUB** Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:58 am

A fainting culture

CULTURE and its indubitable correlation with language has been a theme that almost every individual go through in secondary schools. The argument in itself being self explanatory and straight forward, yet few people grasp the idea in its core.

Culture and language are the two sides of an equation which simultaneously work with other equations to form the system of a nation. Any imbalance on one side can cause the simultaneous equations nontrivial and could therein after leave the system indefinite, unconceivable, and hence unidentifiable.

Language that carries the burden of past on its shoulders in transferring the ideologies, knowledge of religion, literature, artefacts and ancestral psychology; that solves the problems of present in a disguise of source to communicate, argue, debate and appreciate technological ideas; that offers itself as a medium to dream, imagine and shape the future, and after all, makes up the fundamental components of the day to day life and hence carves the lives of the natives in its own way by projecting its past, present and future.

When any of the times past, present or future are doped with the times of foreign element, this gives birth to an extrinsic culture with contaminated values to take forward, and if moods and constraints are loose, a chain reaction starts and language or culture evolves to a brand new civilisation. As a result, ideology, religion, literature, mysticism and emotions, in fact present and future all times of the language and above all a nation’s identity is at alarming risk.

A nuclear empowered steel rock nation although has been facing internal and external stumbling disasters; evolution of culture is leading her towards a long term catastrophe.

Masses believe that these could be the after effects of a turmoil that subcontinent faced for nearly 100 years during British era, nevertheless there are few people who affirm that the paradigm of cultural autonomy which if meshed up with the former idea could give birth to an evolving culture at rockets pace. At the same time there are handful of natives who believe that cultural curiosity is inherited and grows within and is inter related with literacy statistics that if not appropriately directed, could lead the nation to a whole new cultural scenario based on hard constraints imposed by the evolving environment. All these factors when execute in conjunction with each other and work as a soul-body mechanism, give rise to a spontaneous cultural catalyst that could rust even the toughest steel.

A look around over various businesses of life in our country gives us a clear picture of western influence. Readers would agree that undoubtedly admission rate in Urdu related domains has dropped drastically over the past few years irrespective of the population and education rate expansion. Media has again played its role in proving the mounting cultural weaknesses amongst our youth. From an international point of view, these weaknesses were exploited by the technological, economical and media influence of western world over the foreign countries, which developed as complexes into the brains of natives of influenced nations.
Sadly, youth being the backbone of the present times of the nation, could do no favour than satisfying these complexes and using English as a prominence rather a tool for learning.

Part of the blame goes to governing authorities of not being able to generate scholarships, adequate funding and opportunities for candidates interested in Urdu literature or adopting Urdu as a profession. Parents on the other hand, being the victims of westernisation appreciate English as a medium of verbal communication with pupils. Media has played its part in bargaining the space for programs inspired by foreign factor over those scented by cultural values and that are the essence of Urdu and philosophy, which in turn have been distressed by the attitude of commercial giants to sponsor such programs.

This ever growing rust which has been catalysed by national and international community doesn’t seem to nullify until a philosophical revolution could sway the instincts of our nation. There is a strong need of highlighting rational approach towards native and foreign languages and hence to keep cultural norms alive.
This rust can be dissolved by the solution of mutual endeavours from not only the state administration but also strategies adopted by the media should be reviewed and their energies should be utilised to rescue our identity. Above all, concepts of culture and its ideology on individual levels should be understood and appreciated to see the dawn of a new generation of writers, poets and artists and give our young ones the opportunity to listen and read many other Iqbals, Mumtaz Muftis and Ashfaq Ahmeds for the times to come…

Author:
Knight Rider Club

Entertianment House !

A Culture on the verge of extinction...

A Culture on the verge of extinction...