The Impact of Western culture on Pakistani culture has had both positive and negative effects on Pakistani society, though the negative effects outweigh the positive ones by quite a margin.
Provision of Human Rights:
The first and the most prominent is the Freedom of Press, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Action. These fundamental rights have mostly been secured through excessive Western influence. Whether it be through an indirect manner (western teachings in schools and university which have shaped the collective consciousness of the people in such a manner so as to protest against Human Rights violations) or through direct means (access to the free media in western countries has encouraged the Pakistani people to expect and ask for for the same rights).
The Feminist Movement:
western influence has brought with itself a considerable chunk of the Feminist movement to Pakistan. Women in Pakistan enjoy much more liberty compared to some other Muslim countries. A few example are of trivial incidents like women taking part in International sports competitions and being allowed to vote, drive and pretty much enjoy the same liberty as most women all over the world do. Women are involved in all spheres of governance, commerce, politics etc. Recently, four women were inducted into the Pakistani Air Force as fighter pilots
The Essay on Women In Islam
What do women and Islam have in common? Besides the stereotyped images that each suffers from individually, the status of women in Islam is one of the most extremely misunderstood and incorrectly portrayed things in western society. We can investigate why this is so later. First, a brief introduction to the actual status of women in Islam is in order. Before discussing issues pertinent to the ...
Revamping of the Judicial system:
The judiciary has recently taken keen interest in people’s difficulties and now the courts accept petitions for sue – a concept unheard of only a few years back. Courts have also started looking into cases of Human Rights’ violations which were previously either ignored completely or at best placed on the back burner. And this has improved the image of the judiciary amongst the people as they now feel that their grievances will be listened to and appropriate action will also be taken.
Media:
Westernization has been spread through out our country predominantly because of the media. The TV channels show various newscasters and different characters in the dramas wearing westernized clothes. In addition to this, intimate scenes are becoming more common in TV programs. Even our TV shows are now depicting the western style of dressing and decor. The catalogues, magazines, billboards etc clearly show the impact of westernization all over Pakistan. You can see the catalogues of Stone Age,Chen One for example. Magazines and certain TV shows discuss extremely open issues that are out of the scene if people take into account our culture, traditions and religious values. The media of today is exploiting the personalities of new generation. It presents the western world in such a glittering way that anybody can become its victim. This is what, following, western liberal concepts has done to us therefore we are getting entrapped deeper into the web of westernization.
Religious and Moral Values:
Westernization has intruded so deeply into our culture that the Islamic values and “Adaabs” have faded away. The obligations of a Muslim have long been forgotten. No longer do people respond to the call for prayers, in fact, they eat or smoke openly. Alcohol, prostitution, drugs are becoming regular and despite their openness, no actions are being taken to eliminate them from our society. Eid in Pakistan is slowly and steadily losing its charm and importance amongst young Muslims,The young generation has lost its enthusiasm and excitement towards the festival of Eid and they are less interested in its preparations. Nowadays, with the changing trends in fashion and lifestyle, youngsters have become too much influenced by media and their surroundings that their interests have diverted elsewhere. For example, they are more concerned about Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and New Year. All these celebrations are not in our culture yet they find them more amusing and enjoyable. The extended and nectar family system, a hall mark of Pakistani culture, has slowly died away. The young generation seldom cares for the old parents and so, sadly, old age houses have been established. There has also been a great increase in divorce rates and extra marital affairs.
The Review on First Language and Learning English
Language is the most dynamic form of symbolism that cultures possesses. Language is the medium in which people interact and communicate for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and feelings. Language acquisition has been one of the most intriguing aspects of human nature and had been the focus of different disciplines. For the most part, language acquisition had been theorized and conceptualized in ...
Language:
The Language Dilemma is being faced by most Pakistanis today especially the youth. Each country has its own mother language and it is not just a way of communicating but also a part of their culture. Today, unfortunately most Pakistani youths are not proud of speaking the Urdu language and this is mostly seen in the upper middle and Elite classes. Most Pakistanis are moving away from their mother language and adopting English. By adopting English we are not just adopting their language but also their culture, values, customs and traditions and in the process are forgetting our own culture. This confusion started when the British came to rule our land and since then people have been trying to copy their language and have associated it with prestige and class. This problem has been furthur aggravated by the excessive exposure and the media influence. Even our education is now focusing too much on English at all levels. Urdu has been replaced by the English language on all official levels as well. Obsession with English is so much that many Pakistanis, who speak and write English well, are unable to understand Urdu.
Clothing:
These days western influence can be seen all around but most specifically it can be seen in the way Pakistanis have started dressing. Gone are the days of the simple shalwar kameez, whatever fashion becomes popular abroad, it is quickly adopted by the people here, without thinking that it is not meant for their body type or cultural values. Also the Pakistani fashion industry is so inspired by the foreign styles that they don’t even hesitate before introducing revealing clothes in their collection. The elite have more or less completely adopted western clothing as their own. Such people lose their national identity because fashions reflect the culture of a nation as Shakespeare said “apparel proclaims the man”. Vulgarity results as the misconception of this modernization.
The Essay on Foreign Language and English
Nowadays, almost six thousands languages are spoken in different countries. And unfortunately, half of them are in danger of defunctness. Certainly, the disappearance of a language can be attributed to the system of communication. However, one can say that it is a loss of culture and expression of human experience. According to Baldwin (2006) “foreign language is a language not spoken by the ...
