Culture Will Die. Who cares?

Things are done due to a reason, when the reason is lost then it becomes Culture.

 

We hear regularly how we need to preserve heritage and culture. How our (can be anyone's) culture is great and it needs to be protected. It is a very broad term - Culture. It loosely contains everything from language, customs, religion, the way people carry a conversation, food, clothing, history, mindset of a group of people, movies, dances, traditions, country etc.

 

This is a lot like - Conservatives Vs Progressives argument, Conservatives are worried to preserve Culture, but the problem is just like anything else, the culture is ever changing thing. It will change as people change, and Culture will be lost as caveman stories as it gets old and useless. Culture is basically used in terms of things that are not useful anymore but still have a sentimental value to it.

 

So, it is simple, there will be things that will be lost in the way people live and new things will get adopted, with world becoming connected, things will get lost quickly and there is nothing you can do about it. Obviously, if you think a language or a dance form was something that has a lot of enjoyment and skill to offer and should not be lost, you can always make an effort to exhibit it and keep it alive by working on displaying the craft, but if it is not getting valued, it is what it is. It is natural, and there will be things that will get taken which are technically inferior and there are things that will get lost which probably are technically stronger. It is way more complicated than Darwin's theory of survival of fittest, in culture there are too many factors working on a cultural strand getting lost. Few of the factors are - politics, power, usability, technology, progress, regression, etc. For example, Language - English is probably technically one of the worst languages, it is the least mathematical language, you can't look at the written word and pronounce unless you know how it is said, it also has all sorts of words taken from many languages, as compared to any other old languages, which have none of the problems and have rock solid rules they are structured on. Still English is the language of the world, and many superior languages are dead or not progressing at all. So the point is - when you see something dying that is not a proof of that thing being somehow inferior, it is what it is, due to multiple factors acting on everything, things happen.

 

Same is the case with clothing - if new kids think they need to wear jeans instead of a sari, or a suit then so it is. That does not reflect anything of a disrespect for previous ways of clothing. No set of people live there lives to make a statement and hence choose to wear something that they don't want to. Because before sari, or dhoti, there were leaves people used to wear proudly, but they gave way to other things.

 

Let's take one last example, many times there are things people do in religious customs that has a sound logic to it, like taking bath in the morning before entering kitchen / temple etc. It can be explained as being health, hygiene related. There are many things that have no logic (you choose your own), that when enquired meets with an answer -  this is our culture, do it! That is the sign that it is on it's way out, when you can't explain something, it should go.

 

Point is - if you are worried about Culture getting lost, it is sign that you are getting old, don't waste your time complaining, let the world be and do what you want to do.

 

Realization is the Fix

Its all in the mind - Once mind realizes it 100% - it finds the motivation, time, energy, and will power to get it done. Realization is the Fix.

Clarity is a rare thing. Very few things in life has the Clarity that needs no debate. Once in a while you become very clear about certain things. Let's take an obvious example - as an animal you are very clear jumping from a cliff will kill you. No matter how much someone debates, you won't jump. Jumping from a bed? depending on what your age is - you will debate and eventually someone can cajole you into jumping.

Every situation is like that in life. Every situation falls in 3 categories - Yes, Maybe, No. Either you are clear this is good for you OR you are not sure OR you know it is bad. Your brain is filled with things that fall in grey area, the 'Maybe' area. All your life all you are doing in your head is debate all these issues and trying to push the 'Maybe' area smaller and push everything into 100% clear - Good, and Bad.

 

This is not a debate on what realization you should have. The point is - once realization happens you have no struggle in implementing it. Take a terrorist, if the realization is clear that he needs to give his life by taking enemy life, the implementation is easy. Same goes with Smoker - If Doctor tells him - there is enough data to suggest he will die soon, smokers have been seen to quit the next day. What I am getting at is - If I can't do something it is because I am not 100% sure I should do it.

 

Lifestyle Conundrum - You are driving and you come to a Stop sign, the law says to come to a complete halt for a few seconds and then make a move, if you are absolutely clear that you should do it. It is not a discussion in your mind, no matter what Stop sign you come across. You have realized this is good for you. But I have this 'STOP Sign issue' that I encounter every day in the 'grey area'. If no one is there, if no cops, might as well pump brakes and Go! Realization has not occurred to me.

 

Professional Life Conundrum - working too many hours and thinking of switching to better work life balance - a common problem. If you are absolutely sure you don't want to spend more than half a day at work, instead something else is more fun/ important for you. It won't take long to find a new job. On the other hand if you are absolutely sure, working long hours is what is good for you and that makes you complete. There will be no struggle mentally and you will have no problems doing it. But most people have this in grey area - want to fix it? Fix the realization.

Moral / Health Conundrums - Bought something from a store with a plan to use and return. We need to find a reason to push this moral problem to good or the bad area, otherwise it generally sits in 'grey area' and eats the brain cells. Same goes for Tax Evasion - How much should I lie on my tax returns?

 

Health conundrum - I am convinced I need to exercise but really in by brain - I am NOT convinced it really is necessary and will REALLY kill me if I don't - so the realization has not happened either way - so the grey area struggle to find time and energy and the correct trainer and sport.

 

Its a double edged sword - if a person's absolute realizations result in bad for the society - it is Bad! otherwise it is one harmless happy person with clear mind.

It is Natural to Blame the Victim.

When the discussion revolves around society's attitude towards 'rape victims' society blames the victim. It sounds very barbaric and horrific. How can society blame the victim and not the criminal! It was victim's fault - why did they wear the clothes they wore, why were they at a particular location, why were they not more cautious, why were they not aware that it is a bad world. No such scrutiny over criminal, he was just doing what he should be doing!

 

Think why will a social animal like Human with very developed form of society do that? If we put this attitude of society to test we will find - it is not a one off thing at all. In fact this is how humans naturally behave every time.

Let's take a few examples -

1. Parents blame the kid for not doing homework, or excelling at whatever they are supposed to excel at. They don't delve into the reasons. No kid really wants to get in trouble, or enjoys the negative attention they get being a bad student. They are victim of the system and surroundings they are in.
2. Alcoholic is blamed for his alcoholism - though it is known fact that any addiction is hard to break and needs a lot of help. Similarly Obesity, even diseases are blamed on the person who is the victim.
3. In fact even death is blamed on the Victim. Blame is assigned where there is none needed. The responsibility falls on the victim, either the deceased himself or the ones affected by it the most. Why was he hiking? Why was he driving carelessly? He never took care of his health. He was negligent. The family were ignorant etc.
4. Most victims of terrorism are Muslims but they are blamed anyway for it. Similarly - races and castes and sects are blamed for unfortunate twists they find themselves in. Poverty is blamed on poor people, un-employed are blamed to have not taken care of their skills.
5. Even in fun things - Like Sports and Movies, society blames the victim, sportsmen are blamed for their character traits or not able to win. Twitter is the best example of it, hiding behind a mob people throw spit balls at victims.
6. Let's get personal - your looks are blamed on you, your characteristics are blamed on you. Your Origin and sexual orientation is blamed on you.

It is pretty clear that if you lose, it is you to be blamed, at least according to society. This sounds really horrible! but why is it so? The only reason I can come up is - this is a self defense mechanism that kicks in. If it is not the victim then at some level others are responsible and then society has to face the insecurity of either accepting the blame or accepting the fact that they can go through the same fate.

Unless we are vigilante (which as a society we are) we will fall for 'Blame the Victim' society. But as history shows humans take the unnatural way and rectify their knee jerk reaction and keep progressing once they identify the problem, but it takes enough victims for society to notice!

Obviously this is a 'user friendly' blog, so I don't mean to ask you to change the society, my original intent is to check within yourself, it happens everyday. the moment you blame something / somebody, put this theory to test, 9 out of 10 times you will be blaming the victim. It is easy to do so!

Lesser The Contribution - Bigger The Ego.

Any activity if it is done by associating 'Doer ship' creates Ego. If you believe that you are an identity then you have an Ego. If there is a 'You' then others are 'Them' and the game of life starts. If you do something - either you win or you lose, if you win - it creates Ego if you lose it creates resentment / depression etc.

Feeling of winning is so good that all identities seek it, it is difficult to create a win. Life is tough 99% things are not in your control or have been decided before you get to your senses in life. For rest of the life you try hard but till the win comes along it has too many 'what ifs' attached to it. So you need to find alternate ways to inflate that ego which is dying to be inflated, there must be another way out!

Self esteem is directly attached to most people's Ego. What if you find a huge win! a huge self esteem booster and a huge big fat Ego boost without doing anything? That's exactly what happens when you get a freebie.

If you are told you are a Hero for just 'being' - that's a good deal... right? There are a huge number of people who are with you because they found the same deal and they all in each other's company keep fortifying this notion that they are all great for just 'being'. Once you know you are great for being what you are, now you just look for arguments to fortify the same.

Let's take a few examples -

Patriotism - All countries think they are great and you being citizen automatically get to inherit the greatness. You become so proud of everything, like the history (which is His-story) you were told is filled with heroes, if someone tries to point a flaw in the historic Hero - it is direct affront to you. Because you get to be a free hero because of that history and no one can take it away from you! In reality obviously you did no contribution to the history you so romantically refer to.

Culture - Everyone has a huge ego about their Culture, people are ready to kill each other if it comes to culture and patriotism. How lucky - you just got everything the greatest! everything great just fell in your lap! It is not good enough for your culture to be good, it has to be the best and better than others. Because life is a game and your team needs to win.

Location / Region - You have seen people brought up in big cities or popular cities, they are so proud of it. You better not tell anyone their city is bad, a free win will be protected fiercely. Your contribution....?

Religion - Biggest Ego is about Religion. Everyone's religion is great but no one has time to apply it on themselves, it is used as a Ego exercise and Sports. Mine Vs Yours and Mine is better. How did you get here? Oh... I was born into it. Wow.. how lucky ... you were born into the greatest one!

Same goes for Food preferences, or any other thing you are born into. This is the scope of this philosophy, but if you like, you can take it farther. You are also born with yourself as you are with the body and mind you have, your own personal traits, are they really your contribution? If you have great sense of humor and timing, is that something you worked on? When did you acquire it? how did you train for it? The fact is - you don't know why you are the way you are, but you still have a lot of ego about your own self and go extra mile to figure out how being funny is a great thing, or for that matter being a clean freak, or having attention to detail, or being sensitive, or being stoic .... etc etc.. you get my point.

What a coincidence! that your country, your culture, your religion, your language and your personal traits are the best in the world! or is it your level of insecurity? the more zealously you defend your ego the worse it looks.