By Birkarnelzelzit Thiyam
People started to learn English for the sake of earning respect, because of the healthy impression in their heads that putting one or two English word while projecting their local tones would maximise the weight of their feedback. Even in the case of listening songs, people think that they are being respected more by the environment if they listen to English songs. I have seen people forcing themselves to listen to rock music to make people think that he is made with the blood of Europeans. The Austronesian culture for the people of Philippines which was modified while trading with China, India, Palau, Malay, Malaysia, Papua and few more was faded away soon after the Spanish colonization. Leaving all these behind, due to westernization 90% of the people have forgotten their own culture. Starting from the dress to the food they eat, everything is westernized. These sickness is also speeded in all over Taiwan. All the original culture is being kicked to the site of endanger. If you walk pass in any of the streets of Taiwan, you will notice the amount of westernization. Everyone plays English songs defying the fact of whether they understand the lyrics or not. The term ‘westernization’ or what we mainly call ‘Americanisation’ is nothing but copying everything whatever they do. A question can be asked “Are we changing our culture to their culture?” No, not at all. The very true fact is that they don’t have their own culture. We are just killing our own culture for the sake of some comfort-ability. Then what is the moto behind this imitation? The answer is Modernization. This type of response is expected for 90% of the people from our society. Without knowing what exactly a modernization is, they try to run in this modern world with imitation. Modernization refers to a model of an evolutionary transition from a ‘pre-modern’ or ‘traditional’ to a ‘modern’ society. Or in a simple word modernization means nothing but updating the things that we have, not borrowing. What we are doing now is a complete mark of borrowing. Westernization is nothing but the things we get from the west. Do you borrow money from others and say that you are rich? This is the case happening. These present humans are borrowing everything from the west and acting like a man from rich culture. In Pakistan if a young Muslim woman cuts her hair above her shoulders, wearing Shalwar Kameez of latest fashion, her scarf (dupatta) around her neck only leaving her chest uncovered, wears high heel shoes, sun glasses and comes out of her car in front of a mall then we can say that she is modernized. But on the other way round, if the same girl comes out of her car wearing a necklace, pants with sleeveless short top and comes out of her car by holding hands with her boyfriend then we can say that she is westernized. Keeping the matter of fact in mind that people want to be westernized to make things comfortable, but still why can’t we bring our own culture to the more comfortable zone. To take an example for this present environ of Manipur society, if girls like to wear pants then they can wear those pants with flowery designs of Phanek MaPan Naibi or what so ever. Then our approach will be towards modernization. On the other hand, one of the most interesting thing that the Japanese people have done is the strong maintenance of originality. We can say that Japan is one of the most westernized countries but they are the ones who never let go of their own culture. We can see this particular short of the thing in movies also, from the food they eat to the dress they wear is all tight up with origin. But in technologies, they are westernized the most. Even in Saudi Arabia, there seems to be a mark of westernization in the diet for the new generations. The traditional Saudi cuisine is no longer served in most of the fast food restaurants. Leaving behind the rest part of the world, the main threat to the Indian culture is the coming up of new festivals like Valentine’s Day, New Year Eve, Halloween and so on. These festivals are celebrated more for the consumption of cakes and wines rather than for religious purposes.
Lastly, knowing the true differences between modernization and westernization would be a wise decision. We better wear mini Phanek than mini skirt.
The writer can be reached at birkarnelzelzitthiyam3073@gmail.com
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/how-long-can-you-hide-in-an-open-field/