Had I not been a writer needing to promote my books and blogs on social network, I think I would have stopped using Facebook today. Every day I come across some preachy post moaning the demise of culture. Today, when I saw this post (image below) shared by my own uncle, my patience just blew out
You can read the blame in the picture. Indian GIRLS are forgetting Indian culture. Why? Because they are changing their dress code.
One question: Are Indian men still sticking to the traditional dressing? Do they wear dhoti kurtas to office?
We all know the answer. Men are allowed to wear shirts, T-shirts, trousers, shorts. Those clothes are not ‘videshi libaas’ for them. But if a girl goes out wearing shorts in summer, the whole Indian culture gets a hit. As if culture is some static wealth that is getting corroded by shortening lengths of women’s dresses.
But it is not.
Culture is like a flowing river, you can’t hold it. It will change its course. This is today’s culture. 50 years ago’s culture and dresses were different from 100 years ago too.
Besides, short clothes of girls are not the CAUSE of cultural change. They are the RESULT of it.
Culture changes when you leave your kid alone with television, instead of spending time to inculcate values in them. Culture changes when you enjoy watching your kids dance to all kinds of ‘item numbers.’ Culture changes when you keep them busy in trying to be successful and forget to tell them to be a good human being. Culture changes when you buy a new car just because your neighbor bought one too. Culture changes when education becomes a race to coaching schools. Culture changes when our entertainment sources sell tittilation in the name of entertainment. Culture changes when you teach your kids selfishness, impatience, and instant self-gratification instead of instead of sacrifice, patience and respect.
In short, if you feel the culture is getting spoiled, the causes are far more widespread than women’s clothes. Bad parenting, schooling and social atmosphere are more the reason. The society is full of too many bad influencers these days.
Clothes alone don’t make a culture. It’s the culture that dictates clothes.
And finally, what we wear is our choice. If you want our choices to change, you gotta change your ways too.
And do please remind all men to start wearing kurta pajama or lungi kurta to offices and colleges first. They, obviously, forgot their culture long time ago.
