Cultural adaptations in Pakistan are leading to peculiar situations. Western influences are overwhelming Pakistani minds. People here admire, take pride in, and encourage following the footsteps of the West.

Following the West is considered a form of modernization. Speaking English is perceived as prestigious, and wearing jeans and shirts is seen as advanced. From a sociological perspective, modernization involves the transformation from a traditional, rural, agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial one.

According to classical modernization theory, modernization refers to a progressive transition from a “pre-modern” or “traditional” society to a “modern” society.

There is a significant distinction between modernization and westernization. Westernization is the adoption of Western European practices and culture by societies and countries in other parts of the world, whether through compulsion or influence. The West has long left us, but it has colonized our minds, and we have yet to break free from its influence. 

What the populace is trying to adopt is westernization, not true modernization. Modernization is not merely changing one’s external appearance to resemble the West; it also involves changing one’s thoughts. It is not a process of transforming only the external while leaving the internal unchanged since the dawn of Pakistan.

My question to the people is, why do you want to be a duplicate? A duplicate can never be better than the original. Originality has its own beauty, uniqueness, and prestige. Don’t try to be like the West; be true to yourself.

JAHANGIR JAMEEL,

Balochistan.