Sunday, January 30, 2011

Mystery of the cultural belt (What is Culture..part two.)

Now in the process of globalization all the cultures are blending, though slowly to form a new culture that is going to be different than it is today. If at all we happen to visit this planet, say after hundred years, we hardly would believe that this was the culture we had left behind. And yet demarcating factors of the cultural belt will stand with the time.
To say the least Pizzas and Kentucky Chicken not only is entering Indian households but Chinese too are jumping on it. Indian Chicken Curry has become UK’s national dish. There are many Indian Restaurants not only in UK, USA but also in the strange countries where eating habits are peculiar like in Japan, China, and Singapore and in Holland and in Russia. Indian movies are gathering masses in western world and western movies are dominant in entire globe. Chinese movie won Oscars and Nobel Prize for literature. English is dominantly defeating the regional languages, that find origin in Latin. Germans and Chinese and Russians and Indians and Burmees are learning English to become part of global society. American culture in this or that form is entering every home against protests and alarms sounded by local social activists and thinkers. Britain, origin of English language is seeking teachers from India as they find it difficult to recruit them locally. Toasts and sandwiches now you can get even in rural Indian restaurants. It is becoming part of life against their ancient habits. Art and architecture too is taking a new shape, globally. Parents feel in seventh heaven if their kid can find job in USA.
So the culture is changing. But now, why USA? Why every talent wants to rush to America? Is it because money is there? No. Is it because life is cheaper over there? No. Is it because people over there are social and in welcoming mood for any race that is biting their share of fortune? It again is not the fact. Why not Russia that had been equally powerful till recently to make individuals feel it could become their future and haven for the sake of good times? Why not UK that had been ruling half the globe in recent past? Why not Germany that is so peculiar in thoughts and actions with an amazing progress?
Why China can pose a threat to global economy and not Germany or UK?
Why India remains topper in mystical philosophical musings?
Why till this date Greek Philosophers and scientists overpower not only literature but also science and languages of today?
Questions are innumerable. But the fact remains that today world is in process of forming a global culture on the epicenter of USA adding international hues to it, but from the same belt I am discussing.


But that is different.

Suppose someone stumbles upon our civilization after many a centuries when our modern civilization becomes extinct, what he or they will derive about us from the remains that this civilization might leave behind? What would they find as the proofs to weigh our culture?
Certainly our paintings that may defeat the curse of the fading with time. May be our sculptures and our monuments. May be our books that could be deciphered by the people alien to our links of civilizations. Or may be that from stored voice data and films they may or may not be able to read or view or listen what was left behind with their own apparatus?
There always is vital possibility that there exists no link between two societies, may it be in same region. Red Indian culture is an extinct in its own homeland. We still are unable to read Indus script. Egyptian culture too is extinct in its own land no matter what a great monuments they left on sands of the time. There are examples, and eye opening examples that though the ancient culture do exist in its own form, few aggressors do boast that they were one who introduced the culture that in fact had already prevailed. This is way of deception adapted by those who were defeated and yet remained free to claim it was them who taught the culture to the mass of ignorant, no matter whether their claim stands upon realistic grounds. This in particular has happened in India and in some parts of Europe.
As a rule, when conquerors rule that lands in question leave their strong footprints on the society they rule. Egypt today is Muslim country for Muslims not only ruled this land but converted populace to its religion. Wherever Christians went they first destroyed the local faith to make Jesus great in their eyes. If it was the same case with Aryans, that claim to be first invaders, today their Gods and rituals would have ruled Indian psyche and life. But, however, their praised gods have no significance in Hindu society.
The present Americans, child of the destiny, hailing from many a nations and vagabonds from their place of origin at the cost of local culture claim to be the people who established a New World. Criminals condemned in their own societies, from where they have come, those countries still continue to fight with each other. The criminals and aggressors of the past, condemned in their own nation when in particular land could achieve that their own nations of origin could not.
The culture of recently born in America is unique in its own sense, for its good and worst.
Why? The Europeans migrated in many other lands in unison. Even in South Africa. The initial fights inside within seized to be to make a uniform community when we consider colonies that were established by Europeans. Today Europe dances on the tune of USA. But still no match with America, either politically or scientifically.
Why this could have happen?
Why the world of today has essentially to be under obligation of this very country, when previous USSR and today’s Russia still remains a largest country?
Is it verdict of destiny or there are other parameters we have obviously overlooked?
Why till this date the country like India, lacking in independence has to play an important role when global politics comes in the picture? Why the tiniest country like Japan, that was paralyzed in Second World War is becoming a financial superpower? Why the country like China, having most hated system of governance is being wooed by the western world?
What is culture after all?
What is polity after all?
And why the comparatively outcast and lesser children of the society when migrated to America become a valuable part of a superpower, and not in the country of their origin?
Was it just because the system attracted the intelligence to use it to its fullest? What made the established one to welcome the foreign intelligence? At the cost of asking for competition? When employment rate was declining for Americans?
What made Indians to develop their own cryogenic engines or super computer or nuclear weapons without seeking help from outer world when economically it is a poor country? How China could explode nuclear warheads in sixties?
Arsenals too form a culture to make one bolstered on political grounds. World have learnt at least that though it keeps on building defenses all the time that it cant be only arsenal that can safeguard its own territories.
But then, again, have a look at map and tell me who are those countries, superpowers in nuclear technologies and just go on pin pointing them.
Culture is a blend that makes a great wine.
Bitter sometimes and yet intoxicating.

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