KARACHI:
‘Culture’ is a French term, which refers to the customs, ideas, and social behaviour of a particular group of people. People are united together through shared characteristics such as religion, food, and language. There are 195 countries in the world, and each has its own culture and tradition.
Among these many cultures, the Baloch culture is one of the richest. Some common practices of the culture involve sharing tales, stories, music, and folklores. Previously, people engaged in cultural practices with great fervour. But with the rampant spread and growth of technology and social media, people are now drifting away from cultural practices. Technology has homogenised people’s lifestyles and cultures to a great extent. Through social media, people, specifically teenagers, want to follow their favourite influencers and celebrities. The homogenisation of culture is not limited to a single nation but is something that is taking place globally. Internet and social media have blurred the lines between different cultures and traditions, which is why people are now adapting to different practices from different cultures. A positive impact of this is that there is perhaps greater awareness and appreciation of different cultures.
Many cultures especially remote ones are losing their authenticity and appeal to technology. Nowadays, people only engage in cultural practices or traditions if required by a specific occasion. Otherwise, most people no longer identify with their cultures. It is important that people uphold their cultural practices and traditions instead of succumbing to technology.
Asif Jameel
Kully Awaran
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2021.
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