CULTURAL LITERACY Iqbal Syed Hussain Cultural literacy is an important prerequisite for a progressive, enlightened society. Societies and nations which are not aware of this requisite are doomed to decline. With “Books & Cultures” we want to create environments conducive to cultivating the culture of book reading. Books and media play an increasingly significant role in creating consciousness of the meanings and values of human life. We have to inculcate cultural literacy to comprehend the socio-cultural complications and economic, political constraints that cause tensions and lead to rupturing the fabric of socio-cultural harmony and integrity. In order to understand the complexity of varying situations we have to know how the world operates and how communities co-exist. Societies must evolve and individuals ought to imbibe the essence of social, cultural cohesion. When we perceive the process of evolution and human cultivation, several patterns emerge which help us discover the elemental powers of Nature. From this power emanates the blooming colours of conception and creation. But when we are confronted with the conflicts and confusion enveloping the social, cultural structures of Pakistan we are despaired to see the yawning divergence and differences dividing our nation. It makes us feel that something somewhere is wrong. People have become so egocentric and narrow-minded that wider horizons are obscured and proper perspectives are muddled. Young girls like Malala are attacked with brutal barbarity for pursuing the course of education. Schools are destroyed and canters of learning are demolished for spreading knowledge and enlightenment. Under these circumstances we have no other option but to shatter our dreams and wait for something more catastrophic. This makes it clear that a process of decadence which has been going on for centuries is now assuming more awful dimensions. The cultural literacy has lost its meaning and is now being taken over b y illiterate orthodoxy. There is a sense of awe that this process is not coming to an end. On the other hand, the conditions are getting so worse that the process of degeneration is accelerated with growing feelings of dread and destruction. Nevertheless, despite varying ideological differences the citizens of Pakistan should be true to Pakistan. Cultural literacy will make it clear that anachronistic approach could not be a desirable notion It must impart to us the need of healthy and constructive attitudes. These attitudes must be oriented to appreciating the meanings and values of human life. Narrow mindedness and obscurantism are the fatal flaws in the collective makeup of the nation. These flaws should not be allowed to push us into a flea-pit of marshes and mudslinging. If effective barriers are not erected to stop the flow of these flaws, we will soon be living in dark ages and darkling divide will be the fate of our nation. We should not be scared of these negative notions and must redefine the humanized landscape with corrective measures and remedial receptive ideas. This is how we can preserve our history and culture. Malala , the sixteen year old student from Swat, should be congratulated with kudos for strengthening the idea of cultural literacy in a depressed region of Pakistan. She must be admired for the fight that she launched for developing the process of education and literacy especially among the young girls of the country. This is the correct approach for preserving the history and culture of Pakistan. Without books and pens, as she observed, we cannot combat the onslaught of ignorance and decadence. The darker shades will continue to contaminate our environments if we do not extricate our masses from the confines of ignorance and orthodoxy. The misinterpretation of religion has been a very unfortunate development in our country. Religion does not teach to be ignorant and illiterate. Islam is a religion of growth and development, knowledge and enlightenment. Those who burn the schools and kill the young girls are the criminals of the worst order. They are far away from the teachings of Islam. In order tm change the world and create enlightened perspectives we need more and more books and a strong awakening for spreading cultural literacy. This is the only way to fight the present pestilence perverting the mindset of semi-educated people of Pakistan. This is the only way to helping them to seek effective solution and eventual salvation. Dr. Iqbal S. Hussain Managing Editor, “Books & Culture” 14-krishanagar, Gujranwala. Pakistan Tel: 0092-55-3842583 Cell: 03007792452 Email: [email protected]. Dr.iqbalsyed50@gmail
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 02:09:25 +0000
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