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As a millennial of Generation Z, the sort of Pakistani society that I’m growing up is quite colorful and rich in its vastness and diversity. Not to imply that the culture of the subcontinent wasn’t colorful, to begin with, but it would be appropriate to say that perhaps its colors haven’t faded over the years, if not gotten more enriched.
The degree of differences in opinions on various matters and the sheer number of subcultures that exist, not only among different generations but also within groups of people of the same generation—it’s all absolutely marvelous.
We live in a time where all of us have the opportunity to express ourselves, both behind the veil of anonymity and without it. Gone are the days when PTV reigned supreme. Several channels have sprung up on cable television in a relatively short span of time. On the other end, social media, especially over the last half a decade, has significantly managed to earn the cachet of being one of the primary means by which we remain connected with the world outside our homes.
For each subculture that exists in this country, we certainly do see strong voices that fully exploit the means of communication that the media provides us to get their points across. We have influential personalities among the religious folk such as Maulana Tariq Jameel whose messages are more widespread and easily accessible than ever, while on the other end of the spectrum we have seen the likes of Jibran Nasir who, not only raise their voices but amass a following among the people of Pakistan as well.
No longer are personal comments that people used to make sitting in front of their televisions when viewing news confined to their living rooms; instead, not even a minute passes by when a news page posts a news article that the comments section is flooded with the words of different people from various backgrounds.
Whether you talk about the tweets of political personalities like Maryam Nawaz, the posts by celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi, or blogs and comments of laymen as myself—at the end of the day, the interknitted world of social media has altered the way we experience one another. This enhanced communication has and will continue to have the real-world impact on the functioning of our country, as is clearly seen by the increased presence of the word “tweet” in our dosage of daily news.
However, that connection, that increased exposure sewing the members of our society together in the fabric of consistent interactions, whether we like it or not, comes with its own cons as well. The greater the opportunity to express oneself, the greater the probability of dissension, discord, and verbal onslaught. I have seen, one too many times, people resort to insults and even unspeakable threats over mere differences of opinion that I’m sure wouldn’t be made in person, or maybe they would. Controversies, both beneficial and detrimental, are on the rise.
Consider the entire Qandeel Baloch situation of last year. Social media paved way for her rise to fame, and perhaps it played a vital role in her death as well. Some said her rise to fame itself was a disgrace, while others, in their own understanding, noted the underlying issue of honor-killings in our society through her death. Consider Mashal Khan’s case, the victim of mob lynching. Although these issues have existed for long, the amount of attention brought his death and the discussions that erupted consequently are bound to have a significant impact on the way we function.
With the increase of exposure to both western news and media as well as our fellow eastern roots and Muslim dominated countries, assisted by the globalization of human culture, it’s remarkable how our people are also trying to find their own identity and the standing of this country within the rest of this world too.
Behold the rise of feminism in Pakistan, the Burger Bachay and Cakes, Pindi Boyz and Game of Thrones spoilers, the role of “Mullahs” in “maintaining backwardness” and “Libtards” in “introducing infidel ideologies”, the resentment stemming from the neglect of children dying in Thar, dank memes and elitism, Young Doctors’ Association managing to get their message across stronger each time, Ayesha Gulalai’s statements and what our reaction tells the world about our position on such matters, and the rife as ever divide between the urban and rural centers, the working and the ruling classes!
More people each day are diving back into history and figuring out where we went wrong, asking what was the basic ideology of Pakistan, what does secularism entail, why is there an utter lack of research in so-called universities, is dictatorship the only solution to this mess, is the media trying to purposefully shove down certain ideologies and block others, and what is the need of 5G internet anyway?
Perhaps I’m wrong, but each day when I turn on the TV or go through my newsfeed on Facebook, I feel this pressure that’s building up in the air, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where this ambiance finds its roots, which is why perhaps I’ve penned down this palaver. But where am I going with these observations and questions? Well, dear reader, my purpose of highlighting these various, drastic changes in the way we interact with each other is to, in a way, give you a heads up about the future of this country.
You see, whenever there exists an atmosphere of tension and dissatisfaction, one reason or the other serves as a catalyst in bringing about a tremendous change, a revolution within the land. Recall the French Revolution in the 18th century and how the Age of Enlightenment, marked by ever-intensifying discussions about how the people ought to live and be ruled, among other factors brought it about, or the early 20thcentury when the Turks under Mustafa Kemal abolished the sultanate and formed the Republic of Turkey. In fact, consider our very own country’s emergence and how the Pakistan Movement continued its struggle against all odds and managed to achieve its goal.
It may be too early to say this, but I am confident that sooner or later, our society too will experience a sociopolitical or ideological revival as many others have in the past, whether that takes place in the next decade or towards the end of this century is only a matter of time. We’re all going to be a part of it and the ever-suffocating stress, unpleasantness, and discontent, aided by the well-knit community that the social media and modern technology has created and is going to create, alongside the diversity of opinions and potential solutions that exist in the minds of the people—it’s all going to fuel a catharsis, a metamorphosis, one that I pray serves only our progress and betterment. Perhaps it won’t be as dramatic as I believe it will be, but we’re undoubtedly heading towards it, simply because it’s part of our nature.
While we get there, however, let us not forget the mistakes committed by those in the past and the countless lives lost when such revolutions and revivals commenced. Whether you are labeled and insulted as a religious fanatic, a libtard, a mullah, a feminazi, a conservative, or a modernist, let not hate to beget more hate. Remember that all of us are and should be striving for the betterment of this country in our own little ways. Let us all develop positive intentions, take up our own individual responsibilities, leave our egos behind, and accept whatever is in the best interest of this country.
Let us have the humility to accept defeat, challenge our own preconceived notions and let go of the “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude. Change and development are inevitable, as Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Everything changes and nothing stands still.” Yes, disagreements are unavoidable and as much as I picture an undisturbed future, there will continue to be clashes between the various theses and the antitheses before syntheses are reached, to paraphrase German philosopher Friedrich Hegel. However, the least we can do is acknowledge this reality and make life a tad bit benign for one another by being open and willing and at the very least, by trying to hear what the others want to convey without lashing out at them.
At the end of the day, at least I hope so, we’re all figuring out our and our society’s place in this world like everyone else, and it is in our best interest to empathize with each other. It will be idiocy to expect all fragments of our society to be pleased, but I await a state in which most of us are satisfied, and the remaining are at least not upset about what they have. Beyond that, I look forward to our society achieving that goal through the least unpleasant means possible, and it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that.
