3.25.2008

Culture

The best definition of culture I could ever find was 'collective lifestyle'. It encompasses everything from achaar and biryani to chehlum and valima. However, what this definition does not convey is dissent of those existing within a culture: those who live on the edges and refuse to endorse the norms and customs they find senseless. Shall we label them individualistic and automatically malign them with the stigma of outcasts or shall we be brave enough to at least attempt to make sense of the dissent voiced by these pariahs.

Dissent within cultures is a voice that maintains the fluidity and survival of the aforementioned. It is disagreement with the current and reinterpretation of the past that paves the path towards the future. A culture of stagnation is akin to a recipe for self destruction. It brings its own doom upon itself. Yet we do not see and we hold on tight to our stubborn dispositions. Resultantly, the disgruntled depart and the culture is deprived of the very agents of change that are essential to its smooth progression through time and space.

Change happens, nonetheless, whether resisted or accepted. Only that the harbingers of this change are persecuted like false prophets and victimized for their ability to foreshadow the future.

3 comments:

CR said...

Very beautiful and vivid. Only thing is I have found both good and bad intentions explained in the same light. Nevertheless the so-called culture is a snap shot of customs at that time in history. This MUST change with time. Water when stagnated does become contaminated. Only flowing water continues to bring freshness to nature.

Amina said...

very nice post. there are two thing about it: culture and nature. change is only constant thing in life, we evolve yet there is one thing one can't change- own nature

Admin said...

Whereas, I agree with you regarding the persecution of the few dissenting voices, one should not differ with the norms just for the hack of it to look different.