Tanaz di,
What makes people like you or I Indian(Or whatever nationality a person maybe)? It is their unique culture and heritage that does so. Taken into consideration no culture is static, the values and heritage of it should remain static because the values define who you are. To progress should not mean forgetting your past and the unique values we all hold however by adopting new ways of living it interfers with society. By interupting a way of living, it is interupting their culture as well. As one person changes their routine life in society they change their values along as well. [/quote]
Khizer, changing one's lifestyle does not imply forgetting the past. If we had forgotten the past, I would not be giving examples from it!
Moreover, progress implies improvement, not a loss of one's values or beliefs. We may have progressed to modern times, but as I mentioned before, we still retain emotional attachment to our faith or our religions.
[quote=Khizer]
The British changed a part of the Indian culture one way or another. They made people of one culture try to adopt another one by influencing their ways. Although many people gave in, people such as Ghandi did not. What is a main reason Ghandi is famous for? One reason would be he did not let the British effect his society and lifestyle. By not letting them interfere with his lifestyle, he preserved the Indian way of living at the time and not adopt any british ways.[/quote]
Exactly. Mahatma Gandhi did NOT lose his culture. And he motivated thousands of OTHERS not to lose it either. π As long as we continue to have people like Gandhi, Nehru and even the normal Indian who believes in keeping his/her values, we will never lose our culture! Moreover, people who did adopt British way of life were still in a minority.
[quote=]
What do people mean when they refer to an Indian? Do they refer to Indians who are defined by their nationality? Do they refer to Indians who are defined by their religion? Since most if not all cultures have different values and standards, the integration of several religions into society does not come nicely.
When other religions are accepted, usually there is not any problems between them but this has not held true. The stereotype for an Indian would be most likely associated with Hinduism. And this is so because it is the majority of the population. Hence, since people associate Indians with their specific religion, it shows that the so called integration of religions has not worked. If there was unity, it would be seen clearly. [/quote]
Yes, what DOES it mean to be Indian? You just mentioned in your post above, that Indians wear Saris and Salwar Kurtas, etc. But, these styles of clothing are not what the Dravidians - or indigenous natives used before the Aryan invasion! They are a mix of Persian and Afghan fashion styles.
India is a potpurri of cultures - it is multicultural. Unity not being seen clearly? Let me give an example of the most recent Mumbai Bomb Blasts. When those happened, no one cared if an injured person was Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsi or Christian! They were Mumbaikars and Indians first and thats how they united to come to each others' aid!
[quote=]The exploitation of a different culture has affected the culture of one from which he came from. Many NRI's (Non-returning Indians) have adopted other cultures. They have adopted other languages and dialects. Dialects are an aspect of one culture. Dialects are part of the values of one culture. The adaptation of different dialects has changed ones original values and changed them as well. [/quote]
Well, that is the point isnt it? Cultures evolve. But, at the same time, they are not LOST.
Neither of us communicate today the way the Caveman used to. Yet, if you look into South Asia, most North Indian languages are derived from the Devnagri script.
An NRI is a different person! He or she does not live in India and must adapt to a different culture to make himself/herself understood! It is a practical necessity in a country where the people of his/her country do not form a majority.
He or she may speak in a foreign language, but he/she is NOT a fair representation of Indian people and Indian culture. According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 25 million NRI's in the world out of a whopping 1000 million Indians. That is 2.5% of India's entire population!
Even then, there are NRIs who continue to celebrate Diwali, Eid, etc. their native festivals, wear Indian clothes to them, eat Indian food.
[quote=]In an Indian culture, women are regarded with the up-most respect. They are not allowed to go out with men whom they do not know and familiarize with. Women keep a distance even from the men they know. The actions of one are a reflection of their values and by keeping their distance women are reflecting their cultural values.
However in other cultures such as western ones, there is no such thing as a distance. Although women are still given the up-most respect they do not have a barrier which prevents them from interacting with others they do not know. In some western cultures, people do anything that will satisfy their needs without paying regard to their values. Western culture can be defined as "doing what makes you feel good."
By embracing western culture, people of other cultures are loosing their own values and ways of living. [/quote]
Why should women NOT be allowed to go out with men? We are all homo sapiens - same species. Keeping them cloistered away from the opposite sex does not necessarily command respect. Respect is earned not by staying away from someone, but by interacting with them.
If this could command respect for women, then there would be no marital abuse, rapes, etc. in India. But, its there! What respect did men have for women in our "culture"? No right to opt out of Sati? Purdah? Shaving Widow's heads and making them lead lives of misery?
What you are referring to is a Western stereotype. Women in the West are most definitely treated with respect! "Doing what makes you feel good" is a flawed idea of Western Culture and society. There are laws; its not a free for all in the West.
Keeping a division between men and women does not constitute "culture". It is a social evil and must be removed.
[quote=] By improving ones ideology means to accept different perceptions of the world. [/quote]
Which is EXACTLY what a multicultural and open-minded society like India must do!
[quote=]When one try's to see things differently they forget how they originally saw it and fall into these new perceptions of viewing people and their world.[/quote]
What if the perception is flawed? Its similar to Galileo telling the Catholic Church that the Earth is NOT the centre of the Universe. They put him on house arrest to "preserve" an ancient and faulty system of belief.
If we have flaws in our culture, we must improve the flaws instead of merely sticking by them. It is only then that we can say we have a truly progressive culture.
[quote=] As the topic suggests, embracing western culture makes one forget their true identity. That identity is defined by their cutural values and if you forget your values you forget yourself.ππ [/quote]
I live in the West and still remember my values. Majority of Indians still live in rural areas and follow ancient customs and traditions. They have not lost them yet.
We still have a LONG way to go before we completely lose our values or our culture.
Edited by T. - 17 years ago
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