There was a time, families were living happily with no grudges of members with one another. The morals were valued and the elders respected. People strived to keep relationships intact and valued their moral values over money. The effects of westernisation had not engulfed the Indian society. People valued their culture, heritage and environment. There was sense of being independent while taking decisions and the society never commented on someone's failures or successes as the person was valued over materialism. Friends used to be just friends irrespective of any benefits being there or not. The term 'friendship' was valued as much as one used to value his family and his own life.
And then, there was a sudden turnaround.
In Personal Life:
All the values were suddenly lost. Economics had taken over morals, ethics and values. Be it the relationships or humanity, everything was started to be measured in economic terms. Suddenly the questions, that one hears, changed from
- 'How are you?' to 'How much do you earn?'
- 'Did you eat the food?' to 'Did you fulfill today's target?
Not only this, there was a change in the following aspects:
- Family changed to 'ATM machine' and the 'blame receiver'.
- Friends changed to 'Friends with benefits' and 'show-off varieties'.
In Professional Life:
There was a change in the office environment also. People have started taking revenge from those who are innocent, because they have lost the capability to revert to the one who did something bad to them. The power is shown only to the powerless. Earlier people used to think "जो मेरे साथ हुआ वह किसी और साथ नहीं होना चाहिए। " Now they say,"क्योंकि यह मेरे साथ भी हुआ था, अब मैं यह तुम्हारे साथ भी करूँगा। " One of my friends' manager literally told this line to him, during his rating discussion. Not only this, earlier people used to work with enthusiasm, but now they work because of sustenance.
The work ethics have changed from thinking about the collective welfare to thinking about individual welfare. People have started thinking economically in economics. A particular task may benefit an organisation or a country but how will I benefit? Will I be benefited economically or will I be rewarded socially. This news is too true to increase my TRP. Let's add some masala to it. The person is saying things correct, but since humanity has been put on the back-burner, I will also not try to bring it at the forefront. Today, the honest are being punished(various illustrations from IAS officers, and honest office employees) and the vice are being rewarded.
In Community Life:
This part of life has taken a maximum toll today. What once was a civic duty, not doing it is glamour today. Earlier, people were aware of their duties, now everyone's simply thinking of their rights. Now and then, there have been litigations in Indian Judiciary seeking to broaden the concept of rights so that they suit our own interests, but when asked about the duties,
this was the response.
First, the case of
cleanliness. The government has run Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, but we abuse the sweepers and do not want to clean our surroundings. Moreover, since we pay taxes, why does the government not appoint sufficient sweepers to clean. If a sweeper, say, doesn't perform his duties(which is very common), we won't unite and ask him to do, but just relax inside our home and abuse the authorities and Municipalities. Watch
this. Not only this, the condition of Gatimaan Express at the end of its first day showed the sorry state of affairs of the nation's civic sense. Probably that's why we have a series of videos named
SoSorry.
Second, the case of corruption. The government is corrupt, but we don't want political parties to be accountable. Do we ever try to collectively go and ask for a better candidate. Do we ever try to go and ask for the candidate details and publicising of background check report of the candidate. The smallest example of corruption is "Suppose you are standing in a queue to buy something from a store. Given a chance to break the queue and buy the things, will you break or not?" This introspection will make you think twice, before doing corruption. Blaming won't help.
Third, the case of awareness. Probably we don't want to get developed and that's why we don't like to follow rules. The reason for this is we are not aware of the benefits of development. Now development has various aspects. What is your development? Happiness or Money? Material Infrastructure or spiritual infrastructure? Materialistic satisfaction or Contentment? A need based analysis will help to know what is required and a SWOT analysis will help achieve it.
The Big Question:
Now the big question is "Why I write this when I define this post as effects of Westernisation?" The answer is in the race of getting westernised, we have forgotten whatever I have said above. The cases in point are as follows:
First, and the most recent case being Tanmay Bhat and the controversy surrounding him. Probably, today we have two types of Indians. The first ones are Westernised Indians who like Tanmay Bhat, controversies and AIB kind of things and the second ones are Indian Indians who consider Lata Mangeshkar as Maa Saraswati. Personally, I am not against any one. Both beliefs are equal as both are independent, but being sensitive to each other's likes and dislikes doesn't harm anyone.
Second, being the belief among people of either to wear a suit-pant or kurta-pyjama(or dhoti). None of the clothes are controversial as long as they don't become a symbol of colonialism. Gandhiji in India advocated for Khadi because the suit-pant had become a symbol of westernisation, whereas Dr. B.R.Ambedkar wore a suit-pant always because he liked that attire. So, is he not Indian? Of course, he is. It's just that wearing western clothes did not make him think in favour of the western world. As Swami Vivekananda said that a person is recognised not by his clothes but by his thoughts.
Third, we want Malls and Shopping Complexes, but we enjoy buying from small shops after bargaining. We want to wear trendy shoes, but feel comfortable only in a chappal. We show attitude but we internally we want to talk and socialise. We have ego but the child inside craves for a playful nature. We show anger, but inside everyone wants to love. We want help but feel awkward while asking for it.
Fourth, we talk about organic and inorganic food. Earlier, we used to grow our crops using gobar and organic waste as our fertilisers. The western world cashed on our distrust on ourselves. They made us believe that our agricultural practices are not sustainable and we shifted towards inorganic cultivation. Soon, they again cashed on our traditional farming practices and launched various brands under Organic Products e.g. Organic Wheat, Organic Dal, Organic eggs etc. with a higher price and we blindly shifted to it.
It's just that these things have put a curtain on our core beliefs, that we are unable to see them inside us even when in need.
Concluding here, I would just say that adopt the western ideas but not blindly. Adopt the good in them tweaking it according to our own requirements and shed the bad of Western as well as Indian beliefs. Obviously, Sati System and Female Foeticide, patriarchal society, superstitions were not good though they were Indian beliefs, but at the same time the above-said are evils if we blindly run behind them. We should honour Indian Culture, learn from western culture and try simulating their goodness. Today we have clean hospitals and toilets in developed countries and curse India for not having this, but we don't know that Sushruta and Charaka had laid great stress on hygiene for a good health as early as 78AD(or CE). Hope, India will awaken itself. Focus on yourself and have faith on yourself.
Take Care and GOD bless !!!
