Mind under threat

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture in Peshawar by noted veteran social scientist and cultural studies expert, Mr Uxi Mufti. He not only underlined Pakistan’s incredibly rich antiquity but also highlighted the importance of oral tradition vis-à-vis written tradition. His arguments were basically a discursive critique in which he questioned the philosophy behind advancing certificate-based formal education and governance system in Pakistan while ignoring altogether the informal oral tradition in terms of local art, culture, expertise and other intangible soft values. The bottom line of the lecture suggested that oral tradition is superior to written tradition and that Pakistani minds are under threat because of bemused cultural uncertainty.

The argument immediately drew my attention as I could relate it with ancient Greek concept of ‘practical wisdom’. Advanced by Aristotle, the concept of ‘practical wisdom’ is deemed superior to formal knowledge revolving predominantly around advancements in epistemology and technology. That means the expertise gained by our local artisans, folks, labourers and artists carries a tremendous quantum of unparalleled practical wisdom that has the potential to kick-start a badly needed culture of innovation and research in Pakistan. This suggests that it would be too naïve not to expect innovation from people not holding formal degrees such as painter, carpenter, dish washer, cook, barber, plumber, tailor, car mechanic, gardener, cobbler and so on. What if these people are given the opportunities to share their practical knowledge in incubation centres and even deliver lectures in universities? As a tax commissioner and a student of economic planning, I could immediately see the theoretical and practical relevance of the notion of oral tradition with Pakistan’s faltering economy and falling economic growth rate.

There are several examples in which the accentuating superiority of oral tradition could be acerbically analysed. Right or wrong, there is a famous story about the contribution of an illiterate blacksmith in Gujranwala who reportedly helped Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission develop a complex gas centrifuge machine for its nuclear programme. The Pakistani scientists, including Dr AQ Khan, had reportedly failed to make this machine despite their vigorous technological knowledge on the subject. The blacksmith’s informal knowledge on metallurgy was basically an oral tradition based on the principle of practical wisdom gained through experience. The fundamental problem with many developing countries including Pakistan is that policymakers expect innovation from the educated class only. However, most of the callow educated class is not mentally prepared to start independent businesses and come up with innovative and out-of-box solutions because they are desperately looking for jobs. Furthermore, the economic successes of countries like China and Bangladesh are usually cited in Pakistani media without investigating much about processes and the cultural history of oral tradition in these countries. There is a highly mistaken approach of applying the world’s best practices in Pakistan’s economic and business policy approaches without understanding the local culture, institutions and geographical advantages associated with these practices. The hodgepodge policy has not only placed Pakistan in a state of cultural, regional and religious confusion that has stalled independent thought, but also posed a direct threat to the country’s intellectual minds.

Against this backdrop, a basic question is how to use and optimise the advantages of Pakistan’s oral tradition in augmenting economic growth. In this regard, policymakers, economists and planners must not solely depend on such factors as capital, labour, technology and human capital but also take into consideration long-run determinants of economic growth such as culture, institutions and geographical advantages. That clearly means highlighting oral traditions in everyday businesses. The innovative part in businesses is not copying the other countries but to showcase Pakistan’s indigenous culture, informal values, norms, ethos, expertise and other intangible sociocultural determinants that could play a pivotal role in rejuvenating economic growth. Recently released movie The Legend of Maula Jutt is just an example how original folk stories and oral tradition could attract the people and clients all over the world. People and international markets are more interested in Pakistan’s oral tradition rather than imported modernism. Here, the argument is not to oppose modernism but to right-align it with Pakistan’s oral tradition. The success and popularity of Indian film industry has also drastically increased its exports volume in international markets. Discursively looking into the audio and visual components of Indian films, one could easily observe the propagation of soft values of Indian culture that attracts the international markets. As a result, Indian film industry is fetching billions of dollars to the national kitty.

In this regard, following Growth Pole Theory, there is need to carry out a countrywide survey in which areas known for their local specialisations be identified and establish small industrial undertakings there as per their requirements. Every deputy commissioner in the district may be tasked to identify the products that are associated directly or indirectly with local cultural values. Once the list is prepared, a team of planners and economists may carry out an exhaustive survey in which the business potential of these cultural and local products be investigated both in national and international markets. The findings of the survey may then be shared with Trade and Investment Counselors/Trade Officers posted in Pakistan missions abroad. The trade officers may be given the task to further explore international markets using modern techniques and submit their reports to the Government of Pakistan through the Ministry of Commerce. The same may then be shared with the local diaspora through the provincial governments and the concerned deputy commissioners. The recommendations of trade officers should be considered in establishing local industrial poles aimed at promoting agglomeration economy. The findings of the survey and the recommendations of trade officers may also be made part of the planning process of establishing Special Economic Zones throughout the country. Furthermore, National College of Arts in Lahore could initially be advised to open a new Department of Corporate Oral Tradition where the entire focus is on exploring the business potential of local and cultural products of Pakistan. This could be a way through which Pakistan can effectively counter the so-called fifth generation warfare that has kept Pakistani intellectual minds under the threat of cultural confusion. This is a better way Pakistan can bring people associated with oral tradition into mainstream economy and aggrandise long-run economic growth in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2023.

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