The c-word and moral policing
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I was going through some of the blogs regarding this invasion of privacy by Dinamalar and there were some comments, which more or less accused the dancing girls and guys in the Park Hotel as loose and crass and against Indian culture. Ah! I’ve been bitten more by this C-word(Culture) in blogs, comments and in chat sessions with by buddies in the last few days than at any point of time in my life I guess.
Apparently, there are some apostles of Indian culture in the blogworld who miss no opportunity to convey their primary responsibility, - safeguarding Indian culture and religious traditions. One of these apostles has questioned what will be the reaction if one finds ones own sister or brother or children among the dancing, smooching crowd photograph?
I cannot comment about others but here goes my answer. As long as my sibling, son, or daughter knows what’s happening and is old enough to accept responsibility for it, I should be fine. Not that such vulgar questions deserve an answer but still some clarity never hurts.
Now, it’s my turn to question those apostles. Since they always project themselves as the guardian of Indian religious traditions and culture, how if their sisters or someone in their family is forced to give dowry, or forced to perform Sati or maybe forced into child marriage? After all these things existed as part of our ancient customs?
We are always a function of some traits we inherit from our upbringing surroundings and some adapted by what we see. Each practice has its time and place.
It is totally ridiculous to assume “Our forefathers followed it so it must be good”. Vulgar simplification this. Just as vulgar as “Everything old in bad”.
Usually, the definition of culture while browsing the net starts with “No standard definition of culture”.
“Different definitions of culture reflects different theories for understanding - or criteria for valuing - human activity.” was another definition i came across in wiki.
Culture is an evolving concept. It cannot be preserved in a refrigerator.
It cannot be pigeon-holed into this or that.
In these times of economic liberalization and globalization, chances of one practice followed in some section influencing the other part of the world is commonplace. If one does not want that, too bad. One has to shut off all external influences and live in caves.
All customs and cultures come with good and undesirable aspects. What is good and what is undesirable is for the individual to decide. If washing ones ass every morning is each person’s responsibility, then the same goes for the ability to think for oneself and decide accordingly.
So what’s more dangerous than cultural degradation is the moral policing that goes on in the garb of protecting culture. This leads to more abuse than the fallouts of influence of foreign culture. Its high time people understood this. It’s imperative to be aware of how the Taliban preserved and propogated Islam.
It might look a bit far-fetched now but the alliance of Paatali Makkal Katchi and Dalit Panthers operate just like the Shiv Sena or the Khalistan groups in Punjab during the terror eighties. We might know their true colors soon but not before paying a heavy price. We are better off ignoring them totally and thereby peacefully.
September 30th, 2005 at 4:53 pm
I think you will be 5th or 6th Blog to write about Park hotel incident.
September 30th, 2005 at 6:41 pm
I was taken aback by the pictures where they didn’t bother abt ppls privacy and the sickening comments
This happens here too but too often only for celebrities
September 30th, 2005 at 6:55 pm
well said as always
September 30th, 2005 at 7:17 pm
“As long as my sibling, son, or daughter knows what’s happening and is old enough to accept responsibility for it, I should be fine”
I 100% agree on that part.
Here is my take
We can only teach them good values and principles,+s and -s that will help them to make good decisions/choices.
We cant force things on others.
And moreover as grownups they should be responsible for their actions. Thats all there to it.
As said in other comments, I am disgusted at Dinamalar publishing these pics, morons didnt have the basic ethics to blur the faces of the victims forget the fact this new found craze of ‘voyeuristic’ culture thats happening in india.
October 1st, 2005 at 6:22 am
@jeevan
neraya per eludhuvaanga
@dubukku
aama. culture kalachaaram na podhum thooki pidichuttu pesa all readya irukaanga.
@visith
danks.
@ganesh
exactly. we cannot be at someone’s back all the time. i remember reading gavaskar’s interview where he said he explained abt the need to be safe in sex to his teenage son.
enakku appo konchamm embarrasing a irundhudhu aprom dhaan therinchudhu, the way life is viewed in mumbai is different.
just try searching for wikipaedia and answers.com for the word culture.
October 1st, 2005 at 12:12 pm
i agree largely with what u say prabhu..live and let live is the way 2b..and also culture always changes and is ever evolving.but i think a true global culture is when both the eastern and western cultures imbibe the good aspects of each other.unfortunately us culture gets imported,but our culture has started 2 stagnate..also partially because of the apostles who u speak of.
but frankly as far as the wannabe crowd which hangs out at these night clubs i dont give a damn abt them.most of the ppl who frequent these places live a politanamana exsistence.but again it is their right 2 live the way they want.
October 1st, 2005 at 9:03 pm
I totally agree with what you said. Papers need to focus on real issues instead of useless trash. What those kids do at the club is their own concern.
Just because you party and are westernized, it doesn’t mean that you are anti-tamil culture. Can’t one do both? This is why I love your point about cultural evolution.
October 1st, 2005 at 9:25 pm
j’adore
thanks. some say there is no use in blogging. my point is, we shuld atleast blog. sio that opinions beliefs are revisited, analysed and crystalised. at least we can be fair to the next generation
October 2nd, 2005 at 7:15 pm
I sent a mail to all these newspapers about a certain orgy that’s been happening for a long time in a temple called Khajuraho.
Told them that some of the female Gods are dressed very sexy and look boxum in most of our temples.
That there is an Indian concept called the Kamasutra..
That they should immediately publish the pics of Khajuraho, our temples, and excerpts from the KS and demand that the cops take mmediate action since our culture is being screwed for 1000s of years now.
Not one dude has replied to that mail…:-)
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