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Westernization is characterized as an amalgamation of knowledge, beliefs, customs, morals, art, law and other societal norms or abilities that are acclimated by people as members of a society. In Pakistan, westernization has become a dilemma as the general masses believe that it has destroyed our national as well as religious identity.
Every now and then we suffer from an identity crisis, be it the deviation from our cultural practices like wearing western clothes or failing to devoutly practice religion like fasting and praying five times a day. A large number of people blame westernization for this deviation or our failure to abide by our religious practices.
While we talk about the Western countries especially the developed ones like USA, UK, Australia or Canada, we often neglect the fact that just like their economies they have matured their human capital, their living standards, and their intellectual freedom. There is no doubt that it took them hundreds of years to reach a level where societies like ours look up to them. A level where they have achieved greater milestones like creating healthy societies where each difference of opinion is accepted and highly regarded in the name of freedom of speech.
Nevertheless, the real question here is it realistic to blame westernization for destroying our identity be it cultural or religious? In my personal opinion, westernization has a little less to do with our identity crisis than our practices and daily life activities. We believe that Muslims living here openly smokes and eat during Ramazan because of westernization and specifically because of the modern media. Stating this would mean that Muslims living in the west do not pray or fast just because they are living in the west.
Now, that would be in contradiction to our very beliefs about westernization. Similarly, we also think that prostitution, alcoholism, drugs and wearing inappropriate clothing are because of the western influence on our society. Therefore, this would mean that the Pakistani society was completely devoid of these ills before westernization. This obviously is not true given our history of famous movies and alcoholic bureaucrats in the 1960s.
I am not saying that west has no influence on our society but, we simply cannot blame it for our own actions. Media, be it social or television, do influence us as we are constantly been expose to their ideologies such as freedom of speech. Still, the west did not force us to adopt their practices and norms; rather it is us who think that the west is far being superior to us. We feel the need to conform to them, be it the English language or the western dressing. This is because; we as a society do not feel whole unless we are watching their dramas, their movies or eating their food. We believe only if we were to act like them, dress like them and eat like them; then and only then, we will be accepted by the society or simply put, by the world.
Hence, it can be said that it’s not westernization that has destroyed our cultural and religious identity, rather it is us who believe in order to conform to the world we have to adapt their practices and customs. The big question here is: can we un-westernize ourselves since that might be able to solve our identity dilemma? Even though the idea seems to be workable, but if we cannot accomplish it, in all its entirety.
My primary concern here is what kind of society will it be for our kids? The society I predict is going to be too complex and somewhat two major fragments of extremes, which is not good either. Our best hope is to strengthen our coming generations by helping them understand the importance of their cultural and religious norms. Although, we cannot completely evade westernization we can improve ourselves as a society by holding on to our morals, customs, and values.
The answer to my curiosity is simply hidden in one question, “Why cannot we stand by the values and the principal reasons we form this country for, where Deen e Muhammad (PBUH) – Islam prevails, where society of Mamoon Rasheed is practiced and Unity, Faith & Discipline are the principal values as set by Quid-e- Azam and of course the philosophy of Iqbal?”
