King Tejpreet
04-26-2007, 07:40 AM
The purpose of literature in any community is to promote social and moral values and thereby bring about advancement of civilization.
Over the past 200 years, government has made tremendous effort to provide funded education both at school and university level to citizens in Punjab, India. By bringing up literacy in Punjab, government has promoted spread of Punjabi and British literature in Punjab. We shall see hereunder as to whether this has been able to bring about civilization in the educated Punjabi Culture, and if yes, what stage of civilization educated Punjabi society has been able to attain so far.
This writing is based on a cross-cultural study of English society and Punjabi society.
The British society in England and in English States of North America, Africa, Asia and Australia is considered to be in an advanced stage of civilization. However, this advancement is the effort of many reformers whose writings brought about the change. The principles of (1) freedom of individuals, (2) equal opportunity (within the society), (3) non-governmental industry allowing private profit (encouraging private entrepreneurs) etc. embodied in English Culture are considered optimal for human growth and development allowing people to nurture in a healthy society.
As part of the social reforms, the status of women in English society also changed. In the past, in British culture, women were not given equal civil rights. In other words, the society had denied to them the individuality and equal opportunity. However, with growth of education and the writings of many reformers (like Mary Astell, 1697), the status of women in society gradually changed to present day. At present, women are eligible for all civil rights in the society. They are also eligible to join the Armed Services.
However, in the English culture, as women shared equal civil rights; they, unfortunately, also adopted the wrong social habits like accepting bribes in official capacity. At present, unfortunately, the number of women smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol is comparable to men in England. In addition, as status of women in British society changed, a percentage of them (say 10 percent) adopted a sexually promiscuous lifestyle [Moral Corruption]. Needless to say, social corruption and social consumption of alcohol or tobacco can not be considered as an optimal civilization.
Another setback in the present day English culture is that women are increasing refusing to accept Man (husband) as the Head of Family. This leads to disharmony in family and accounts for the high divorce rate in England and in other English people societies worldwide. The remarriages make it difficult for children to adjust with a step-parent and hampers their development. Again, these characteristics can not be considered as an optimal civilization. The children are also taking undue advantage of the freedom available to them. They often deny the authority of the parents and are increasing consuming beverages like tea or coffee. In addition, indulgence in under-age sexual relationships by teenagers goes against the principles of civilized society.
Therefore, we find that the English Culture, although an advanced civilization, has some obvious unhealthy aspects which must be precluded by other developing civilizations (like Punjabi society) following the English pattern.
Back home, in the present day educated Punjabi society, one finds (by a quick look) that people have not been able to come out of the traditional gallows of non-rational, illogical customs. In the outdoor life, women still wear funky and bizarre dresses (kurta-pyjama etc.) even thought most public secondary schools prescribe skirt or pant with appropriate top as uniform for the girl students. But as they enter the colleges, they switch to their traditional primitive dress.
Many men in Punjab wear a turban even in hot summers. They often ascribe the turban to their religion, although the law does not validate this. (Because under the law, religion can not be used to show superiority or authority of its followers over other people. Also, religion can not be used to harm the rights or privileges of other people. This is worth mentioning here because lot of turban wearing Punjabi men are also keeping a knife under their shirt.)
This writing is not directed to criticise Ethnic Punjabi Wear – kurta-pyjama of women and turban of men. These clothes may befit occasions like ethnic parties or may be wedding ceremonies. Their use in public official life is awkward.
The physical outlook of a person speaks for his or her mental outlook. Nevertheless, dress is a matter of personal choice and women not wearing the modern dress or men wearing a primitive ethnic turban should not be taken as an indication that the Punjabi Culture is less civilized. A look at the maternity clinics across Punjab reveals that tobacco or alcohol history is not asked during pregnancy, not because the number of women consuming such products in the Punjabi society is insignificant; but because such a question is considered offending by the patient.
In Punjab, as part of the school education, morality is taught as a science (moral science). However, the girls are not taught how to distinguish and handle eve-teasers.
In addition, the educated Punjabi women still reserve opinion on formal handshake during causal greeting or formal introduction. An important characteristic of the Punjabi Culture that has not changed despite literacy is the custom of arranged weddings. The weddings are arranged by the parents and the marrying partners get no chance to subjectively know each other before the wedding. After the wedding, if the nature and mentality (emotional, intellectual or spiritual) of the couple does not blend, they have no choice but to continue with the marriage because of social pressure on the woman and legal pressure on the man. Such a family environment is obviously unhealthy for the development of children, besides being mentally strenuous for the couple. Surprising, in Punjabi Culture, the women are also increasingly denying the authority of their husband. This leads to more tension in the family environment.
This writing is not against the system of Arranged Weddings of Punjabi people. However, the weddings should be preceded by an engagement by about 6 months to 1 year during which time the prospective life-partners should be able to interact with each other (in semi-private settings). During this time, if they find that they would be able to understand each other’s nature and mentality, then only they should take the next step – wedding. Because wedding is a commitment for life. In addition, failure of an engagement should not be construed by the society as some defect in prospective bride. It is just that the couple was not compatible.
In conclusion, in Punjab, the literature should provide a more rational outlook of perspective while preventing the development of wrongful ills in the society.
Issued by:
Over the past 200 years, government has made tremendous effort to provide funded education both at school and university level to citizens in Punjab, India. By bringing up literacy in Punjab, government has promoted spread of Punjabi and British literature in Punjab. We shall see hereunder as to whether this has been able to bring about civilization in the educated Punjabi Culture, and if yes, what stage of civilization educated Punjabi society has been able to attain so far.
This writing is based on a cross-cultural study of English society and Punjabi society.
The British society in England and in English States of North America, Africa, Asia and Australia is considered to be in an advanced stage of civilization. However, this advancement is the effort of many reformers whose writings brought about the change. The principles of (1) freedom of individuals, (2) equal opportunity (within the society), (3) non-governmental industry allowing private profit (encouraging private entrepreneurs) etc. embodied in English Culture are considered optimal for human growth and development allowing people to nurture in a healthy society.
As part of the social reforms, the status of women in English society also changed. In the past, in British culture, women were not given equal civil rights. In other words, the society had denied to them the individuality and equal opportunity. However, with growth of education and the writings of many reformers (like Mary Astell, 1697), the status of women in society gradually changed to present day. At present, women are eligible for all civil rights in the society. They are also eligible to join the Armed Services.
However, in the English culture, as women shared equal civil rights; they, unfortunately, also adopted the wrong social habits like accepting bribes in official capacity. At present, unfortunately, the number of women smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol is comparable to men in England. In addition, as status of women in British society changed, a percentage of them (say 10 percent) adopted a sexually promiscuous lifestyle [Moral Corruption]. Needless to say, social corruption and social consumption of alcohol or tobacco can not be considered as an optimal civilization.
Another setback in the present day English culture is that women are increasing refusing to accept Man (husband) as the Head of Family. This leads to disharmony in family and accounts for the high divorce rate in England and in other English people societies worldwide. The remarriages make it difficult for children to adjust with a step-parent and hampers their development. Again, these characteristics can not be considered as an optimal civilization. The children are also taking undue advantage of the freedom available to them. They often deny the authority of the parents and are increasing consuming beverages like tea or coffee. In addition, indulgence in under-age sexual relationships by teenagers goes against the principles of civilized society.
Therefore, we find that the English Culture, although an advanced civilization, has some obvious unhealthy aspects which must be precluded by other developing civilizations (like Punjabi society) following the English pattern.
Back home, in the present day educated Punjabi society, one finds (by a quick look) that people have not been able to come out of the traditional gallows of non-rational, illogical customs. In the outdoor life, women still wear funky and bizarre dresses (kurta-pyjama etc.) even thought most public secondary schools prescribe skirt or pant with appropriate top as uniform for the girl students. But as they enter the colleges, they switch to their traditional primitive dress.
Many men in Punjab wear a turban even in hot summers. They often ascribe the turban to their religion, although the law does not validate this. (Because under the law, religion can not be used to show superiority or authority of its followers over other people. Also, religion can not be used to harm the rights or privileges of other people. This is worth mentioning here because lot of turban wearing Punjabi men are also keeping a knife under their shirt.)
This writing is not directed to criticise Ethnic Punjabi Wear – kurta-pyjama of women and turban of men. These clothes may befit occasions like ethnic parties or may be wedding ceremonies. Their use in public official life is awkward.
The physical outlook of a person speaks for his or her mental outlook. Nevertheless, dress is a matter of personal choice and women not wearing the modern dress or men wearing a primitive ethnic turban should not be taken as an indication that the Punjabi Culture is less civilized. A look at the maternity clinics across Punjab reveals that tobacco or alcohol history is not asked during pregnancy, not because the number of women consuming such products in the Punjabi society is insignificant; but because such a question is considered offending by the patient.
In Punjab, as part of the school education, morality is taught as a science (moral science). However, the girls are not taught how to distinguish and handle eve-teasers.
In addition, the educated Punjabi women still reserve opinion on formal handshake during causal greeting or formal introduction. An important characteristic of the Punjabi Culture that has not changed despite literacy is the custom of arranged weddings. The weddings are arranged by the parents and the marrying partners get no chance to subjectively know each other before the wedding. After the wedding, if the nature and mentality (emotional, intellectual or spiritual) of the couple does not blend, they have no choice but to continue with the marriage because of social pressure on the woman and legal pressure on the man. Such a family environment is obviously unhealthy for the development of children, besides being mentally strenuous for the couple. Surprising, in Punjabi Culture, the women are also increasingly denying the authority of their husband. This leads to more tension in the family environment.
This writing is not against the system of Arranged Weddings of Punjabi people. However, the weddings should be preceded by an engagement by about 6 months to 1 year during which time the prospective life-partners should be able to interact with each other (in semi-private settings). During this time, if they find that they would be able to understand each other’s nature and mentality, then only they should take the next step – wedding. Because wedding is a commitment for life. In addition, failure of an engagement should not be construed by the society as some defect in prospective bride. It is just that the couple was not compatible.
In conclusion, in Punjab, the literature should provide a more rational outlook of perspective while preventing the development of wrongful ills in the society.
Issued by: