Re: “You STILL eat with your hands.” by Oprah Winfrey
Originally Posted by
Jetavan
India paints itself to the world as a rising and booming economy; its people compete for the highest positions in almost all walks of life on a global scale. Indians wear Western clothes, watch Western movies, seek out Western educations and even try to birth their children in the West to allow them Western passports. It is within this very Westernized idea of India that the paradox falls: Indians still eat with their fingers. So I ask you again: is it really that insensitive to assume that this increasingly self-Westernizing India would also Westernize in its table manners?
I disagree with the above. Have you considered the fact that the entire humanity is driven by similar instincts and one of the most important of them is the desire for comforts and fine living? Given that, if you move the entire West to the East and the East to the West, the Westerners would - just as simply as you have stated - be doing all of the above. Even with all the comforts, the Westerners have been colonizers and Britishers have been the worse - they have subjugated many contries under their control. And people - Indians - have been doing the above not because they want to colonize or control other countries - but only because they procure a better living standard for themselves and their beloved ones.
And are Indians given to Western standards solely to the point they have to give up eating with hands? NO. Wherever Indians are, they are still building temples, educating their offspring in Indian music, dances, culture, having Indian friends, celebrating Indian festivals.
The mass of India that is given to Westernization these days - the British rule, popularity of English language globally and popularity of mastery in it gained through Convent educations are the ones to blame. India has still held up to its cultural heritage, proudly, inspite of all (attempted) detriments to it.
jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar
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