Media and Westernization

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The globalization and the proliferation of the mass media confronted the risks of unprecedented cultural integration. The problem starts with the world or global culture. In this context of integrated world, similar apprehensions of loss of national culture & identity are justifiably felt by peripheral nations as this rampant and free flow of global communication poses genuine threats to the autonomy and the viability of the cultures of weaker and economically more dependent societies. These dependant societies are those whose authenticity and uniqueness were seen as perilously vulnerable to the products of Hollywood and Bollywood.

When we talk about dependant societies and the ones which have been influenced the most, Pakistan is among the very first few countries on the list. Now the major reason for this cultural influence is considered to be the increasing influence of the media. More than about fifty per cent believed that increasing influence on Pakistani culture is due to the outstanding execution of the foreign culture by the media. As a matter of fact if we keep in view different aspects like music, food, fashion, trends, festivals and even educational institutes, all show traces of influences on our culture.

Media globalization has taken the form of media imperialism with the emergence of media empires. “Media imperialism” also signifies the absence of proportionate reciprocation by the affected country's media. These global media empires manipulate the global networks of communication to serve their ends by promoting the foreign ideologies, values and traditions. This media imperialism has resulted in the standardization of the whole world.

Fashion impulses originate from Indian channels and these are then followed blindly by our fashion industry as the fashion in Pakistan fluctuates with Indian the fashion industry especially. Taking in account the example of our cinemas, Indian movies are easily available Pakistani cinemas and above all our cinema are giving undue projection to foreign films based on taboo themes, obscene shorts, erotic and intrigued stories without any reciprocity at parallel level.

Although for a few people, they are just a source of entertainment but if we thoroughly manipulate the matter, it is not as simple. Every scene of the movie, including the set designing, costumes and even the language, are bringing upon a major impact on the immature minds that are watching it. What we ignore is that these minds belong to our youth who are the future of this country.

Moreover since the past decade, there has been the emergence of several private TV channels. Our independent drama channels are not only confined to the display of Indian productions but also limiting and following Indians drama format which is not in harmony with our culture, norms and traditions. The appearance of these channels has doubled the concept of westernization, the major reason being the privatization of our media industry. Now this freedom of media has led to increasing the influence of foreign culture especially to emphasis Indian culture.

To thoroughly discuss the matter we can take into consideration our old Pakistani plays, especially the ones written by legends like haseena moeen and anwar maqsood, now these are the master pieces, as they actually used to be one of their kind. Those plays were showing the true Pakistani culture, our norms and values. The language used in those plays was the pure Pakistani Urdu without any mixture of English or Hindi. The respect given to women, the obedience towards the elders and the true conduct of a gentleman was all being shown along with entertainment. These plays were also a source of learning and a way to spend some quality time with families as each of the story lines carried a moral and lesson, proudly depicting a true Pakistani society.

It is very unfortunate, that today television has adapted the concept of soap operas with basically no story line rather just a show of costumes and extravagant set designing. These operas fail to portray the original Pakistani culture, rather deviates the young brains toward vulgarity. The costumes shown, the language used and the topics discussed have never been a part of the pure Pakistani society. It is due to the increasing westernization that subjects such as teenage affairs, extra marital affairs, bachelor parties, sex and drugs have begun to become a part of our society. These subjects which were once discussed under the cover due to the strict supervision are now being openly discussed on television and in most of the soap operas. This is one of the, major reasons why westernization in the society is initiating a negative effect and why the true Pakistani culture is gradually dying off. The adaption of the slang language from the west, although it is very unfortunate but today our youth cannot even complete a single sentence purely in Urdu.

It has been agreed by more than eighty per cent that ‘greater the exposure to foreign channels there will be, greater the effects of westernization shall be witnessed’. Although the current change shows subliminal effects on our present youth, however younger generation who is being nurtured under the trivial influence of liberal media, in the coming time shall show much evident changes as it is more vulnerable to the vast influence of westernization in Pakistani society.

Shawal Javed.