Culture create system and system controls us. We should be
conscious , under whose system are we living? who is controlling us and our choices ?
Cultural imperialism force
people from ethnic culture to defame
their own values. A kind of organized system(fashion) is created to accelerate
the attitude of self-hate among people of independent cultural or ethnic group. Sometime we tend to ignore that our lifestyle
and even mind frame is mostly being
guided by imperialistic culture.
The European influence have altered the way we see ourselves and has undervalued
those , what were and are “ours”. For
instance ; Our sense of attraction is guided by European precautions(6ft tall, white,
slim/ muscular), their fashion has become our passion (clothes), and we use
their psychological unit to measure our standard of living. This manipulation that begin with modern
fashion is indirectly enslaving us. Nepalese youths were illusioned when persuaded
that they looks more beautiful/handsome in certain dress up. That their standard
of living could be very qualitative if they
adopt European culture; that they should follow European to become modern.
Such misconceptions peddled our mis-realization that “we should be like them” Before our consciousness could get out form
this mess, we had already fallen under their system. With all euro-centrist
ideologies on our psyche we see and judge people in term of their
consciousness, our likes and dislikes are controlled by them, Our social psychology is not our choice rather
it’s the product if their manipulation.
The more people migrate to Capital and assimilate with other people, their own
tribal consciousness tends to be
eclipsed by dominant euro-centric
cultures. European
influence become effective in Nepal mainly through fashion which puts their
physical possession over ours. The whole generation of Kathmandu that grew up
under awe of euro-centric influence
regard their costume as modern. Consequently ,Physical representation of their
bodily possession become our ideal figure
, their costume becomes our fashion and
their lifestyle become indicator of modernity.
Back
then I had Limbu friend from Boudha she used to say “I’m
ready to walk on my cultural costume even at cost of being old fashioned ”. And
must of the time she used to. In urban parts youth are unconsciously being
victim of cultural marginalization whereas in rural parts people are
unconsciously conscious of their cultural identity.
We
should be proud of our ethnicity, find beauty in our own dress, . Unlike other legacy-less
people , we are person with tribal/ethnical/
and cultural identity , not a slave of euro-centric culture. There
are things in life we have control of like dressing, rituals , celebration,
cuisine practice , language and with these thing we can save ourselves from being part of imperialistic
culture. Not only as a member of
arbitrary group but also as a conscious Nepali citizen let’s unite to save our
country from Euro-cultural invasion.
Good piece. I agree that we are imitating Western culture. But as long as we feel comfortable in such western outfits, its considerable. Or else we have to be like Gandhi or some Rishi in salvation who would not even care about how they look or want to live in isolation physically and ideologically from this materialistic world.
ReplyDeleteNone of the ethnic groups created their culture just so as to present themselves differently to the outer world. Rather, its how they lived based on availability of resources nearby and also adaptation. Thats how later went to be coined as Culture.
I just wanted to interpret from a different perspective and this is definitely not a criticism & Keep writing. :)
Thanks bro :D
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