CHANGING SOCIETY

Of late during the past year, I have observed a remarkable awakening in society. The bar has been lifted. Topics concerning social behavior norms which always used to get shoved under the carpet since long in this country have all of a sudden been transformed into ‘ah-that’s-not-a-big-deal’ kind of subject. I am referring to a) gay sex and marriage, b) same gotra marriage, c) live-in relationship and d) pre-marital sex. The agency showing the way and providing protection is the Supreme Court of this country. The Supreme Court has single handedly allowed fair discussion and arguments to come into the open and stood like a rock for personal freedom of the citizen as long as he or she is not harming another. Wow!

For starters, such behavior is taken for granted in the west. It has absolute acceptance over there since centuries. The west thrives on individualism and they recognise individual rights as paramount in all business of social living. Therefore they are fiercely competitive as individuals. The thought process is unique to the individual and therefore they shine as personalities like the richest, the most beautiful, the fastest, the funniest, etc. So you have the Guinness Book of World Records originating from the west.

In India we have always had the family to support us, the family to fall back upon. In India we have always had the panchayat raj where the elders decide on any argument and their view was accept as final. The family and the elders have now given way to the courts of law. Call it the aping of the west, or promulgation of wrong policies by government, or the pressures of modern living; we are seeing in India that society has been fragmented to such an extent, that the old value system is no more in place.

Industralisation and economic reforms have brought in the wealth which is now shared by the poor and the middle class also. Now everybody thinks that they have an equal opportunity to compete and shine. We are seeing the poor having television at home, talking on mobile phones. We are seeing the middle class going to Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore for holidays. We are seeing more houses being built, more two wheelers and four wheelers being purchased. We are seeing students applying to foreign universities for studies. When there is so much of aggressive competition and resultant change in every sphere of social life, why should the private life of individuals be left behind in the stone age?

Fragmentation of society has also occurred due to movement of people from one state to another for jobs and better prospects. In the past mass movement of people was always preceded by environmental upheaval like earthquake and flood. Even in that joint families and groups moved together. Sadly in the current days, a nuclear family moves out and has to fend for itself. It is all alone in its struggle for survival.

So now nobody cares for past traditions and beliefs. The Supreme Court in its wisdom, probably sees this change and is of the opinion that for the citizens to be happy in this present day tough life, they need as much freedom as they can get within the four walls of law. As long as they do not harm anybody else, the people should be permitted by law to do whatever they want.