Retrieving Diversity in The Global Village

There were times when people adhered and lived by their ideas, social norms and customs. And, we started calling it 'culture'. In India, especially in the past, a foreigner would have experienced a cultural shock for every hundred miles s/he traveled. Such was the case in most of the continents. But the only downside of the diversity was that people were less open to other cultures and considered their own culture as the supreme one. There was celebration within the people of one culture but not between cultures.

But what do humans do? Evolve. A human is said to be more evolved than he was a year ago or just yesterday. Thanks to the technology and globalization that made the strings that are connecting all of us stronger and making us more unified. In the process of amalgamation of cultures, we forgot the distinctiveness of each culture. What we adhere to now is totally chaotic to persons we had been as children and what we are being as adults (Refers to the people born in less than three decades before the internet boom). And, the people belonging to this group want to explore and find "distinctive" cultures to capture and experience for a while. A culture that is unique and authentic is always exciting to us. Couldn't this be the reason why 'travelling' has become a hobby for most of the people. I do not have exact statistics for what percentage of people who belong to this sect, but travel fever is quite evident on social media platforms. One might be duped to believe that one loves travelling just to see different terrains and the world-famous places, experience different climatic conditions and nature. A human's fondness to experience a culture is as much equivalent to as all the other reasons combined.

While culture was a way of unique lifestyle back then, now we're crossing oceans to find an authentic one. World would be boring if everybody liked the same thing and if everybody lived the same way. If the diversity of animals is disturbed, the whole food chain is being affected. I wonder what impact deterioration of cultures will have on us. 

I found myself taking my own culture for granted because it was more comfortable to be one among the global village. It is good to question the customs and traditions that are illogical and nonsensical, but it is also important to preserve the ones that might make you feel good and be proud of. While I was going to Kerala about a month ago, I asked myself why I was going there despite visiting that place just one and a half year ago. Kerala is undeniably beautiful but what is more beautiful about that place is its people. I could go to a place that is more beautiful and scenic than Kerala is, yet, my heart craved for experiencing culture. The people there are forward in terms of literacy and development, yet, very much concerned about preserving their culture and traditions while many of us are taking a blind eye for our own cultures.

Having tolerance and respect for other cultures while being responsible about one's own culture looks like a balance to me. Will you be a hero who'll celebrate your culture?