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| Crisis in Culture | | | Shallu Gupta | 2/16/2012 12:04:51 AM |
| Culture a Complex Concept denoting different things to different people. Basically it is what differentiates man from beast. Civilization and culture worlds often Confused in reality, though related concepts; their significance different civilization has a materialistic connotation' culture has something of spiritual and Intellectual quality about it. Modern times seeing an erosion of culture - growing arrogance, selfishness, materialism, all alien to culture which first of all requires man to be self-restrained and consider-ate towards others. Culture includes a way of life essentially balanced where real and false values are not confused and a certain knowledge of or interest in things which are not directly utilization.
The earlier hope of accelerating development and realizing the moral and material solidarity of mankind has vanished in thin air and developing country can no longer rely or external aid for the solution of their Problems. This may Perhaps be good for developing countries themselves but we cannot, both the developing nations and the economically advanced countries, afford to love without friendship and Co-operation without a deep concern in each other's welfare; for we share a common destiny now and indeed live from day to day in an interdependent world joined together by so, many inescapable links which could be transmitted into powerful bonds of human solidarity and creativity. 'These major elements of the Prevailing crisis of our Contemporary Civilization are shared, by all and confronted even more sharply by the affluent Societies at Present.' Poverty and misery continue in the midst of material opulence and along with spectacular achievements of science and technology, man achieves his fantastic visit to the moon while powerless to abolish slums on earth. The means and modes of destruction and violence multiply rapidly, threatening disaster on a global scale, while peace and disarmament remain as distant as ever.
Culture like love will always elude definition and remain an awareness beyond
Words and concepts a precious belonging that is within us and also around, linking us to a whole expanse, of life, and retain its own uniqueness in time and space. For each one of us it will have a special meaning and significance. In general, the culture of a particular society is comprised of three distinct elements; ideas, aesthetic forms and values, largely molded by the tradition of the Past and the aspiration for the future. Ideas give rise to habits and beliefs there by Perpetuating themselves through social Institutions that Provide Stability; aesthetic forms reflect the artostic expression a culture in its visual arts, music and poetry as well as the sense of beauty manifested in the day to day living of individuals arid social groups and the values of a culture are formed by the interplay of both ideas and aesthetic forms and Provide norms of conduct, standards of behaviors and sources of faith and vision. Of these three elements of culture the values are of the greatest importance; values develop the Precious assets at wisdom and discrimination in specific culture; and they also provide the dynamism for action and change and impart vitality and quality to the' life of the people. The Understanding of a Particular, Culture requires a correct Comprehension of the, Ideas underlying it and a measure of intelligent appreciation of its aesthetic forms, it is; however, the values of a culture that contain its essence and offer the best way of understanding it and participating in it. A living and vital culture is rooted in authentic and healthy traditions, has the capacity of continuous renewal and adaptation, and is developed by new aspirations and bold innovations, in this way the past, the present and the future are reflected together in that life of the mind and the spirit that is the indefinable complex of culture. The fantastic growth of knowledge and the rapid pace of change in all spheres of life make it necessary to initiate, deeper reflections on the content of culture, the role of cultural values and the nature and, methology of Co-operation such reflections should take place both inside each living, culture and among them together in a spirit of Co-operation and friendship.
The developing societies need culture as much as the material goods in order to bring about social change, to accelerate the Process of modernization and to strive for a better quality of life. The neglect of culture in the developing societies threatens to undermine and erode the very, Process of development. Plans of economic and social development, are often left to economists whose horizons are limited by the out-dated notions derived from the west and their implementation become the 'responsibility of rather stuffy and, timid bureaucrats; steeped n the habits and traditions of the Colonial Past.
The result is that the immense Potentialities of indigenous cultures to rouse the People to action, to cement national unity, and to open out to the wonderful realities of our time lie dormant and the process of development continues to be slow and lop-sided. The Vast, Untapped treasure of human resources and the almost limitless Possibilities of the spirit of man remain untouched. Apart from the neglect of culture as a factor of development, there is a serious Problem of finding sufficient resources in conditions of scarcity and Poverty. Admittedly, it is not easy to promote cultural activities and exchanges when all available resources solely needed for the basic necessities of life. The Problem of resource is, however often exaggerated. Both at the local and the national levels the community can find sufficient resources if there is strong enough interest among the people and the necessary determination on the part of the leadership.
We need to make culture an integral part of national planning. This is rarely attempted in the formulation of national development plans by the elitist leadership of Developing countries, so sadly estranged from the, traditional culture of their larger community. The crisis of culture in the developing societies partakes of the larger ciris of our contemporary civilization. This crisis is composed of three main elements in the world situation today. In the first place, we are being overwhelmed, even being eliminated as' persons by a process of fragmentation, dominated by an obsession for analysis, mechanization and over specialization. We see around us a continuing fragmentation of life, of man and of knowledge, undermining the unity of living, the identity Z1nd integration of the individual and the wholeness of truth, which is bigger than mere factual data and Patches of Knowledge.
This process leads to uncertainty confusion and loss of faith, and man', becomes a helpless subject to his own computer. There is an urgent need for a fresh synthesis and a new vindication of the wholeness of man, of a more unified order in his inner and outer world, and of the basic and fundamental truths and values. We need a much greater and more conscious emphasis, upon synthesis and convergence towards a new humanism. The Second element in the crisis of our times is that of a terrible unreality, a widening gulf between thought and 'action, which is even wider and more serious than the gap between material affluence and poverty. Splendid Professions, majestic formulations and Powerful manifestoes from the establishment are, daily manufactured and magnified by the manipulation of the media of communication.
The abundance of thought is matched by a Pathetic Paucity of action, what is more dangerous is that it is accepted, even taken for granted that we Profess will not be Practiced and what is Promised i:, not intended to be fulfilled. In this stage of unreality which verges on dishonesty and cynical hypocrisy, can we blame the youthful dissenters. The third element is that there is insufficient stress on the moral and ethical element in Promoting Peace and development.
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