Indigenization, Modernization or mere Westernization

RAO RAMEEZ · #1 Sunday, June 21, 2015

The process of social evolution in the last century and 21st century has followed a unique pattern of reformation. West being the major role player in determining the modern values of the present human species has failed to influence the society as a whole for a longer period of time or permanently.
People being victim of moral and spiritual decadence, tied to Westernization are again turning towards the indigenous cultures including their local values and religions.
If you remember Jinnah as well. He had a quite westernized personality in his early and middle age. But finally he had too, adopted few identities native to the region he was going to administer. Was it Indigenization or Modernization in true sense? If you see a recent uprising tide of religiosity and cultural awareness in the whole world, you will come to know that people have affinity for their identities and they are once again adopting them. See the Indian Yoga as well and a long list.
Is it necessary to get "Modernize" we need to "westernize" our Institutions?
What is the recent historical trend actually? We are heading towards Indigenization, Modernization or mere Westernization?

iamauk · #2 Monday, June 22, 2015

RaoRameez, If i am not wrong you mean back process in social evolution ? and can you explain how West has failed to influence the world ? means do you see any community after undergoing through a social change especially getting influenced by the West, has ever reattained its ex-way of life ?

nelblueblue · #3 Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Well ,I didn't understand this back process theory,because it is time tested that every society has been compelled to undergo evolution,Stagnancy means death and evolution and revolution means spirit of society is still alive.
Well Khaldun in his book Muqadimah has explained the evolution of society and state very objectively.
According to that guy a state or society undergoes from different stages,From primitive to advance one,ultimately reaches at tipping point,I.e.Optimum level,after that point,society starts decaying.Question arisis how is it possible if it so happens than how a commute can sustain its tipping point for a longer period of time...

He demonstrated the model of MADINA state ,as a paradigm of supremecy to sustain progress and prosperity for a longer period of time.
He laid out his emphasis on ADLE (probity )and accountability,and according to him,these two factors lead a community to sustainability and that survival of theirs norms and principles are never discarded.But at the same time ,Gentrification,poor economic policy (Like ever increasing class difference,imposition of heavy taxes on poor and aristocratic mal orders are some means to destruction .....of a society and of individual thoughts.
Thus model will satisfactorily explain the failure of Mughals and post ottomon empire as well.
Now question is ......
Is it applied to westernstyled democracy as well.???
The answer is
Yes.
Why?
have you seen the failure of democracy from east to west?
Every where self proclaimed democratic champs are just exploiting the poor,because Adle(probity )is missing.in politics , Social Class differences decides ones fate.Neither meritocracy is promoted ,nor imbibtion at socioeconomic level is encouraged,particularly in developing nations.Poor begets children and capitalist accommodate 99% of worlds resources.
Such differences are sufficient enough to trigger the action potential, I.e. Reformation is set in momentum, within individual.
Here you can see...
A transformation of thoughts coupled with deeds ,behaviour and attitude.
My supporting stances.....
Previous month England's election.
Scottish lion roared and UKIP has seeked refuge within its own den.
Obama's rhetoric speeches" change ,we need..."
container politics in Pakistan.
See people want change and systems metamorphosis... ..

At individual cases,this transformation of thought and deeds is smooth but not at community level.If a society strives for it,
Than history labels it as either independence or Revolt.
In England a famous quote is employed" BACK TO THE BASICS...
But problem arisis when we look back to history.Because American and English mans history is full of prejudices and superiority complexes like First time in history word Genocide,aristocracy,Racism,Nazism,Bolshavism and I don't know how many isms were laid out by west. for an independent and objectively well embellished person,there is no difficulty for him/her to ascertain the truth.
Though religion is all at its odd,but it provides food to soul,to fulfill its reason of susistance and to do catharsis by seeking the truth and by communicating the good.That's a point where secularism is maim and dumb.
After all westernization,secularism and modernization can provide you ,food items and grandiose building to live in but not spiritual means
But when it comes to religiosity,it full fills the very purpose.
Now its up to us,up to individual cases,Who wishes to whom and how much thoughts has been tilted to and at which angle.?
Like Quaids case,he was very shrewd and intelligent person and he sought refuge in religiosity,But let me remind he was neither fanatics like today's ulema nor like secularist,,,Who unlike educated middle class was ignorant.
Who labelled as Pakistan representing the Muslim majority,If they look to the
east,I hope answer would be negation,than an eye opening case is ROHINGYAN Muslims minority.
Here ignorance is conditioned to reality,I.e.in order to fulfil perceptual subjectivised and irrational planning ,we concoct and fabricate the truth and try to remodel the history according to ones belief and ideas.
Question arisis ,if am Islamic model supporter,than definately I am also concoting the fact?
yes,its true,to some extant
But big question ibnKhaldun and every historian andall secular scholars are pro biased and stereotyped to some extant,
That's also true,
Here comes scientific principles and its value judgements....
But
its beyond ones imagination that Science fulfills the purpose of religion and so as religion.Unfortunately science and secularism contradicts at many points.so as contemporary science with religion....
Take Darwin's theory of evolution....200 years has already passed on and still there is no variation in normal genes.Yes that's a fact...
but unfortunately this fact is again twisted and reshaped to propogate fallacity.
Ultimately decision is made by individuals and when collectively it is to be taken ,it is referred to as either Rebellion or as REFORMATION,sometimes labelled as westernization and sometimes as Religiosity.

RAO RAMEEZ · #4 Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamauk

RaoRameez, If i am not wrong you mean back process in social evolution ? and can you explain how West has failed to influence the world ? means do you see any community after undergoing through a social change especially getting influenced by the West, has ever reattained its ex-way of life ?

No...
Indigenization is not taken here as state of decadence. I have taken it as a further step towards evolution.That's why mentioned Jinnah..
Modernity is not related to West only i.e if the adoption of culture is concerned.
I have written "As a Whole" and "Permanently". In the last century we have seen that our institutes have westernized. People were inclined towards westernizing "and" were thinking it as a crucial thing to "modernize".

But recently an uplift of certain ideologies; rise of Islamic, Evangelical, Vedic, Sinic cultural and religious tide with an extreme rejection towards western values is seen. Probably,due to failure of westernized institutes to deliver.

If you take a look at Pakistan before 80's or Talibanization, the Waheed Murad Era for example. Take the example of your film industry where you see a highly westernized chap as a hero and just after 20 years Mr. Shaan holding the "Gandassa" and such culture popular among the Pakistanis.
See the example of Turkey where ideologies against Kemalism are on rise.
People want to modernize but they want that modernity should be in conformity to their own values,cultures and religion as well.For example,the Iranian revolution. Religion too has a role to play in Arab Spring to some extent. if we remember those "mosque to square" phenomenon.
Cultural and Religious extremism is on rise hand to hand.
You see people like Zakir, Tariq Jameel, Nauman are gaining popularity among youth.
Arabicized religion is on rise as well where people are turning towards ideologies near to Salafist. ISIS has not a lone ideology.They are Hanbali Sunnis... Here in Pakistan there are people having hearts beating for Caliphate but can't declare it openly.

A young man leaving jeans and now with turban and beard holding I-phone is actually Modernization with Indigenization sans westernization. West as a culture to refute not it's sound benefits and technologies. The woes of western culture are flayed away...
The younger generation is more Islamicized than their parents (when they were in their youth)...They have more national and cultural spirits in them but off course after filtering the evil in it...

kingfalcon · #5 Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Your observations are on spot Rao Rameez. I think you are mixing our country (part of the world) with the western one. The collapse of Soviet Union (which was a strong support for the left wing ideologies), Western cultural/media and military dominance and activism, gulf petrodollars, our education system since the 80s and what happened during those days and last but not the least; overpopulation, economic crisis, failing governments, climate change, unemployment, political great games etc on the world stage have created all these things you are talking about. This is my humble opinion.

RAO RAMEEZ · #6 Tuesday, June 23, 2015

I'm talking about "Rest"basically but you can apply it on "West" as well...So, all those factors you mentioned took us towards which phenomenon? It's about the conclusions and outcomes. Factors can be thousands...I am not talking about Failure of any ideology i.e Secularism or Religion etc or Sisyphean cycles of Khaldun...It's about the recent "trend" I have thrown the topic for discussion... What's the emerging or recent trend? And yes then you can figure out what are the reasons later on...The debate I have thrown is actually influenced from Huntington in recent perspective...If someone had known that, he will surely understand what I am saying and towards which thing I'm pointing out...

nelblueblue · #7 Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Well,I got the notion correctly,you were talking about Huntington(proponent of clash of civilization on the basis of Culture,traditions and norms)
Reread my post carefully,you will find the answers correctly.According to Huntington Its culture not economy that reshapes the civilization.But if you unfolds the history further backword than get realized that...
Culture ,traditions and norms are reshaped by emerging economies.For example,In America ,how Racism evolved,caste system in India,Mughals grandiose buildings ,Ottomons traditions and French revolution....

Obviously economy.....

today we label Indian culture contradicts with western civilazation ...
As latter promotes in grouping social stagnancy while latter is champion of Pluralism.Rest again read my post.

For American culture and its history A book which is worth mentioning is HiSTORY OFAMERICA BY HOVARD ZINN.
(Luckily it can be free of cost and in PDF.)

Because successive societies of contemporary world is heavily influenced by SCIENCE Nd TECHNOLOGY.

RAO RAMEEZ · #8 Monday, July 06, 2015

I had recently gone through an article published in Dawn on 5/07/2015 which better fits this topic.

Quote:

Surviving the heat: secrets from Sindh’s villages

When it comes to beating the heat, rural communities in Sindh know their onions. Literally.

The prevailing wisdom in villages across Sindh is to eat raw onions as salad with lunch, as they believe onions have anti-heat characteristics and eating raw onions will save them from sunstrokes. Since famers are most vulnerable to the summer heat as they spend most of their working day in the field, their diet is usually composed of onions with raw mango for lunch.

Then there are juicy fruits and special summer drinks to protect them from dehydration. Watermelons are a common fruit of choice, while lassi and thadal are the drinks of choice for rural communities in the summers. In some northern districts, adding bhang to thadal is fairly common — those who consume this mix say that it keeps their internal body temperatures very cool. In lower Sindh, gur ka sharbat is another remedy used to ward off dehydration.

Apart from the lack of urban sprawl and its heat-intensifying effects, it is such practices that allow rural communities to brave the extremities of temperature and survive the heat. While mercury levels soared in Karachi over the past fortnight, claiming the lives of over 1,000 citizens, other districts in Sindh — Sukkur, Larkana, Shirkarpur, Khairpur, Jacobabad and Ghotki, for example — routinely witness severe heat waves without facing the same death toll.
Despite soaring temperatures, there aren’t many heatwave-related casualties in rural Sindh. How do villagers manage to survive?

Official records of the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Sindh chapter show that Larkana recorded 51°C on June 08, 2014 and that on May 26, 2010, the historical city of Mohenjo Daro witnessed 53.3°C — the highest-ever recorded temperature in the country’s history. But even then, the list of casualties is never as high as that seen in Karachi last week.

Anthropologists and environmentalists say that adaptation to the extreme weather conditions by these rural communities, their weather-friendly diets, culture, architecture, forest cover in rural areas, availability of abundant water sources, and their indigenous knowledge about the surrounding environment helps them protect themselves from extreme weather.

“In rural areas, people are well aware about the weather conditions and in summer, when they feel there is a very hot day ahead, they will wake up early and try to finish their work before noon,” says social activist Paryal Mari from Shikarpur district. He believes that rural communities are mostly consuming freshly picked vegetables as well as lots of dairy products to protect themselves from the summer heat.

In the Thar Desert, for example, a special drink is made by mixing goat milk with cold water. “Thari people have their own instinct and they can ‘smell’ the severity of extreme summers many months before. They tend to start preparing for the sizzling days ahead as early as when winter ends,” says Bharumal Amrani, anthropologist and social activist. He explains that in March, before the summer has set in, the neem tree gets new flowers. People pick those flowers and grind them like thadal to make a drink.
The prevailing wisdom in villages across Sindh is to eat raw onions as salad with lunch, as they believe onions have anti-heat characteristics and eating raw onions will save them from sunstrokes.

Some rural communities also consume the seed of the paneer plant (biological name: Withania Coagulans); some seeds are added in two glasses of water and kept overnight in an earthen pot. In the morning, the mix is sieved with thin cloth and the water is then consumed.

Beside dietary considerations, Sindhi culture also lends itself to braving the weather. Anthropologists believe that the Sindhi topi (cap) and turban became part of Sindhi culture because of extreme heat across Sindh. By covering their heads with a cap or turban, people protect their heads from the direct impact of the scorching sun.

Then there is the culture of having lots of trees to help protect against blistering temperatures. There is either one huge tree in every village or in the courtyard of every home, the colonnade of which is much cooler than the air outside.

“Just imagine: it is extremely hot outside, but you have just spent two hours swimming in the canal and then you drink two glasses of lassi ... most people do that, and then take refuge under the cool colonnade of the tree, sometimes catch some sleep, and stay there till evening,” says Mari.

Traditional charpoys are usually used in most rural communities to sleep on — they are woven in such a way that air passes through their wooden frame, thus keeping whoever is resting on them cool and (relatively) fresh. Rural people also use another technique, in which they keep wet towels on their head when they go out for some work under the scorching sun.

Environmentalists believe that rural communities have great adaptation skills, and they acclimatise to the changing weather accordingly.

“Rural communities have changed themselves according to changing weather patterns: they change their diets, their working hours and even their everyday routines. This helps them to protect themselves from extreme weather events such as a heat wave,” says Nadeem Mirbahar, Ecosystem Management expert at International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN).

Mirbahar argues that rural communities are more educated in environmental knowledge as compared to those living in mega cities such as Karachi. Talking about the deadly Karachi heat wave, he says that in the city, due to lot of vehicles, industries and urban architecture, there is the formation of what are known as “heat islands.”

“We need more indigenous trees with big canopies to weaken the impact of these heat islands. But in rural areas, there are still so many trees with big canopy spreads — these trees protect rural populations from the formation of heat islands,” says Mirbahar. “In future, we will face more extreme heat wave events. We need to start massive plantation drives of indigenous trees which provide great canopy spreads.”

Amar Guriro is Karachi based environmental journalist.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, July 5th, 2015

This is a well-researched article in which the author points out that how mere "modernization" on western lines has contributed to the aggravation of situation.

How people from Rural Areas have adopted themselves through ages to fight this heat wave, which is even more severe and the temperature is even 5-6 degrees more than Karachi at some parts of Sindh...

In food they have adopted the habits of eating onions and other salad items

They drink "thaddal".

In clothing they wear Sindhi cap and Turban.

They use "charpais" to sleep.

Culture and Civilization, a product of thousands of years of adoption by indigenous people, once left behind due to "blind" imitation of foreign cultures, brings havoc and it will bring disasters for us even in coming future...

"Modernity" should be in coherence with our culture,moralities and traditions, and it's not necessarily the adoption of all woes of "West".

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