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POST MODERNISM AND PAKHTUNE SOCIETY: ANALYSIS OF ITS IMPACTS FROM CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
1DR SADIA FAYAZ, 2DR SUMAIRA GUL, 3DR ZARMINA BALOCH
1Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University. Peshawar.
Email: sadiafayaz@sbbwu.edu.pk 2Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University. Email:
sumaira@sbbwu.edu.pk.
3Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University. Email:
dr.zarminabaloch@sbbwu.edu.pk.
Abstract
Society is a web of social relationships. When changes occurs in society all the social institutions automatically adopt these changes. The family, religion, education, economics, government, science and technology, media and communication and politics are the considerable or paramount social institutions. In Pakistan society is going towards degradation. We morally, politically and even religion- wise are inconsistent. Frustration has been increasing in our society day by day. Pakistan from its independence was weak and was largely underdeveloped institutionally, economically, and socially. The present society is marked by uncertainty and chaos. Consumption, frustration and self-seeking pleasure had become key features of our society. We blindly adopted the values of postmodernism. Our society did not pass through the transition stages of modernism, because as such no liberal movement came, less industrialization took place in Pakistan due to lack of visionary leaders. In our society postmodernism came direct and we only adopted its values of frustration and consumerism. That's why it has affected all aspects of our society very badly. The Present situation of society is very fragile; it can be prove more fatal if the conditions remained the same. This study's objective is to find out the impacts of postmodernism on Pakistan's society, that how much post modernism affected our society. This research is qualitative in nature, for which both primary and secondary data is collected. Data collection methods include interviews for primary data and reviewing of already existing materials for secondary data. Key words: Impacts, post-modernism, society, Culture, Pakistan.
INTRODUCTION
Consumerism and frustration has been increasing in our society day by day. Society is lacking stability and harmony which is weakening people to people bond. The uncertainty of the present Pakistani society is leading it towards anarchy. The contours and dynamics of our society could typically be understood and analyzed within the context of unwholesome postmodernist values that have pervaded our culture. We blindly adopted the values of postmodernism. Our society did not pass through the transition stages of modernism, because as such no liberal movement came, no industrialization took place in Pakistan due to lack of visionary leaders. A research effort, according to Farghani (2015), is an attempt to remedy the unconsciousness that prevails regarding a certain issue. This study will identify the impact of post modernism on society from cultural and political perspective (Farghani, et.al. 2015).
Impacts of postmodernism on our society remained part in the discussions of the intellectuals from a long time. In this article, views and past works of many intellectuals on the impacts of postmodernism have been gathered. Before going into detail we have to explain Postmodernism and to highlight the views of its pioneers.
The postmodern word got famed when Jean-Francois Lyotard published his book "Postmodern Condition" in 1984. He analyzes the notion of knowledge in postmodern society as the end of metanarratives which is the essential feature of modernity. Our working hypothesis is that the status of knowledge is altered as societies enter what is known as the postindustrial age and cultures enter what is known as the postmodern age (Lyotard, 1984). He criticized the metanarratives. For Lyotard modernity lacks reality therefore it invent different realities. Jacques Derrida is another postmodern
thinker who questioned the notion that there is an objective truth. Rather, social reality is highly subjective and prone to abuses by powerful, self-serving elites who use their power to help society construct dominant narratives about reality (Mittal, 2020). Unfortunately, these grand narratives are used to oppress or enslave social Minorities, non-elite workers, women, and the poor, among others. Michel Foucault is another postmodernist thinker. According to Michel Foucault power and discourse is the instrument of postmodernity. He wrote that modern institutions like prison, hospital etc. are used to control us, he is of the view that enlightenment is important, but in fact it controls our society and individual. He talks about power, knowledge and discourse (Burrel, 1988). Anthony Giddens is the thinker who in "The Consequences of Modernity", confronts the issue of whether we are in a postmodern period, as Lyotard and others argue, or whether we are experiencing a type of radicalized modernity in which modernity has simply accelerated its pace. This radicalized modernity is primarily fueled by the disembedding processes of globalization, best characterized by global, cultural homogeneity; the disappearance of tradition; the erosion of place-based community; and the erosion (and shifting nature) of trust in persons, institutions, and abstract systems. In sum, radicalized modernity, although postmodern in a temporal sense, is not postmodern in a theoretical sense, because it is simply a continuation of modernity, not a temporal epoch that will usher in a dramatically different type of social order (such as the transition between pre-modern and modern societies (Giddens, 1990). Role of Media in Post modernism:
The postmodernity changed our behavior. One of the most important tools of postmodernism is Media. Media plays a great role in socialization. In present time social media is considered the most important part of our lives. Social media manipulate us but we do not understand. Now we have to realize that many of us are being unconsciously manipulated through it. People looking for joy and happiness to be find online rather than looking for joy in their practical lives. Now a days social media plays a positive role in creating awareness and providing them opportunity to speech, but on other hand there is less reality. The things showing in social media is totally different from reality. Media manipulate our ideas from different perspective. Through cyber bullying many of the people got depressed. In postmodernism it is complex for individuals to determine that what is real (Kashaf, 2018).
Identification of reality in postmodern era is a complex job. People blindly following the social media which created conflicts and chaos in society. These different kinds of social media apps when used by our young generation affecting them in a different way because any type of content is available without any censorship for all the groups. Misuse of social media not only created differences among the people, but also cause damage to identity of the users (Maqsood, 2017).
Young generation considers that social media is a tool of relaxation, but they are unaware of the fact that it would cause several problems for them like mental health issues. Sometime many of the teenagers and adults using it for criminal purposes. The use of social media currently rising the problem of anxiety and depression in the youth, it pressurize and influence the young generation because they thought that the internet community is the only source of honor and prestige and to get fame on social media they can do anything. Majority of the people are busy on YouTube, Whatsaap, and Snap chat which created in turn social distance among people which aggravated the anxiety and depression. It also increased cybercrimes. Social media paved the way to individuals for freedom of expression but also split the society and promote misperception among the people towards each other. There are many issues that should not be discussed on social media because people share their opinion without any correct knowledge. These create instability and unhealthy environment and antagonism among people (Naeem, 2019).
Social media plays a critical role in the evolution of culture. In contemporary era there is cultural hybridization. There is a phenomena of celebrity culture in which the celebrities promoting things which opposes the traditional values of a society. The young generation blindly accepts it without understanding its prospects and consequences. In the current scenario one can easily notices that social media has changed the content of every message which is directly influencing cultural values
in negative dimensions. The things which irritate the one segment of society is the way it continues to receive media attention. (Ovais, 2020).
Everything has negative and positive aspects similarly social media also have some of the advantages and disadvantages. It is utilized for communication and also considered the most common and rapid source of information. But on the contrary it has some flaws like social media creates rifts in relations and increased the concept of fraud. Social websites contributes significantly to the spread of hostility, strife and envy. Face to face contact is being eroded by the rising concept of social media. We have to use social media when it is absolutely necessary and must limit our reliance on the internet community. In postmodern era media spreading information in seconds all over the world. We are promoting western values through social media. Our culture is completely dominated by the western culture. Culture invasion is the first step to weak a country or society. While revamping different programmers and shows, shown on our TV, a question arose in the minds of author that what kind of role the media is playing in our so-called Islamic society. Is it promoting positivity or negativity? Is it contributing to the development or decline and falling of Pakistani culture (Rizvi, 2019).
Impact of Post Modernism on Society: Change in Values Social Media role in the prevalence of postmodern values:
Participants views when the researcher asked them about the role of media in the prevalence of postmodern values:
"When the rationality of human being are occupied by other factors then humanity collapse. Allah gave humans the faculty of reason to make distinction between right and wrong. As postmodernists think that there is no objective truth and reality and nothing is based on reason. Reason collapsed and instinct took start. This phenomena create the feelings of "do what you want and that give you pleasure not to care for others" In this situation only hedonism guides the people and set their directions. Postmodernism does not believe in institutions and taught that individuals are all in all and can be guided by their instinctual drives. The most important instinctual drive is pleasure and it's led to Hedonism and imposed pleasure-seeking culture. The media is the basic tool of promoting that pleasure-seeking culture because today people look for hyper reality and the media give us hyper reality. For example, people take images using a different kind of filters after then upload them on social media different apps and when people admire that image, they feel happy but in reality its different and not even real but still, we get pleasure from it and do it just for pleasure. The media created culture is a postmodern culture, we considered that only these would give us pleasure and comfort but in reality, it depressed the people to cope with all of this" (Yasmeen, Social Activist, 2022).
"Social media is one of the agents of socialization and it has influences on socialization and manipulation of our thoughts because majority of the individuals have access to it. Social media is a source of information it has negative and positive aspects but mainly in the socialization process, it has negative impacts. It confused and mislead the people by unrealistically showing the things. Now for parents, it's difficult to handle their children and it resulted in tension due to misinformation. The role of media in political sphere and socialization is very alarming in our society and its role is very important in politics. The news and other channels support and promote that political party which gives them money and the people blindly follow them because the social media has a great role in making of public opinion in this way media manipulate our opinions in a wrong way" (Khan, S. Assistant Professor, 2022).
The contemporary social media has a vital role in the socialization and manipulation of public opinions. Like agents of socialization, family, peer groups and workplaces media has also an eminent role in socialization. Media had a great influence on socialization because majority of the adults and children spent their time on social media and have no time to spend with their parents which confused the parents on how to escalate the children? The media also playing a vital role in making public opinion which is fatal in our society because the media only promoting the parties which give them material benefits which is highly alarming for a society where the literacy rate is low and the media can easily manipulate public opinion in a way which only goes towards destruction of the society. For
politicians, it's a great task to gain more votes to win elections, to gain more votes politicians have to attract a large number of individuals so they through social media attract people by showing false information which is so far from reality which resulted in chaos and instability in our country. "The media also contributing to the increase of rape and harassment, on one hand, it exposes the things but on other hand, it promotes nudity and made accessible everything to everyone easily. Social media, its sexual content, and advertisers who follow the nudity to sell and promote the products contribute in promoting rape" (Haq, Advocate, 2022) Joint Family Lost Their Significance:
The participants were asked about the traditional institution of Joint Family system in the context of Postmodern Values and their responses were,
"Postmodernism has impacted our values of joint family and forces the individuals to go away from their traditional values of the joint family which give birth to emotional and economic crisis. In joint family system the decision were taken collectively which was fruitful, and in contrast in the single or cell family system, the decision is based on one's personal experience which may be fatal. This weakened the concept of solidarity, unity, responsibility and loyalty" (Khan, S. Assistant Professor, 2022).
The participants stated that recently people prefer nuclear family in our society than a joint family system which is one of our traditional values. It gives rise to the emotional and economic crisis. The emotional crisis means that individuals have no more loyalty and tolerance which resulted in violence and uncertainty. Solidarity is too important for a societal social integration. In our society, there is no solidarity, reason is that the family is one of the social institutions if there is no unity, so there is no possibility of integration at a societal level. Everyone is limited to their gratification. Unselfishness is essential for individuals, like the justice has high value for a society. The emotional crisis is at on its peak in our society, no one is excluded either a child or adult. In simple words, the emotional crisis here means lack of love and respect towards others. On the other hand it also resulted in economic crisis, in joint family people were dependent on each other and have less mental and economic pressure as compared to the nuclear family, where everyone is independent with high economic pressures i.e they have to pay the gas bill, electricity bill, and also faced the other needs alone. The nuclear family also increases the problem of having more shelters in the joint family many of the people were living in a single house. (Naseem community engagement supervisor, 2022) Participants also talked about the decisions in joint and single family. People have to take decisions and choose what is best for them individually in nuclear family. Individual decisions are based on person self- experience and he/she only focus on self which resulted in violence and conflicts of interest. While in the joint family decisions are based on many opinions, everyone gave their idea, so there was fewer chances of chaos. Islam also teaches us to take the decisions collectively which creates a sense of responsibility and reduces clashes of interest. A decision which is based on individual own experience has only the motive to achieve what is good for him and what provides them more benefits and pleasure and never think in terms of a society whole development which create uncertainty and violence in a society.(Khan, J. 2020)
"Postmodernism brings a change in our values like people do not even meet most of their relatives on the religious festival of Eid. The relationship between people is over to some extent and now just online communication is left. Due to this extreme individuality people has less tolerance for each other and are less responsible. The postmodernity erode the traditional culture and values like the prominent culture of Hujra is now only remained by name" (Khan M. Z., Assistant Professior, 2022). Peoples no more in position to spent time in Hujra which plays a prominent role to learn ethics i.e to respect the elders, listen to the other opinions, give respect to other opinions, and understand the grievances of each other and how to tolerate each other's. Participants said that at present maximum peoples spent time on cell phones and its left as a source of communication which is not as effective as face-to-face communications which strengthen the bond of understanding among the peoples. Electronic communication has negative impacts on face-to-face communication and relationship particularly with family and relatives. People have no awareness of the role of family and peers in the process of socialization, both are very important in socialization.
Hujra culture in Pakhtun Society lost its identity
In the society of KP Hujra has a prominent place, its ties the villagers together. Its history can trace 5,000 years ago. The Hujra grew up with Pakhtuns social life "Because hospitality was second nature to them and to be hospitable, they needed the Hujra" (Ali, I. 2020).
The present prevailing conditions threaten this old institution. It was a good place for discussion. "People used to learn ethics in the Hujra, such as respect for elders and avoiding idle talk. A person well-versed in the norms of the Hujra is called Hujra passes," Pashto culture and literary experts, agrees that "Even if a person has a PhD, if he is uninformed of the Hujra's ideals, he is seen as someone who has not understood Pakhtoon culture's ethics" (Yousafzai, Professor, 2022). But instead this long history, the institution is under threat. In many Pakistani areas, noble, learned and experienced people stopped patronizing Hujra and the neglected Hujra. Hujra were abandoned to drug users, gossipers and illiterate individuals. This has endangered the very existence of a centuries-old and exceptional institution associated with Pakistan.
"In the past, people had more leisure time, which was spent in Hujra, as there was no radio, television or mobile phones," Abaseen Yousafzai states. "In today's busy, technology-driven life, the role of the Hujra has naturally declined (Ali, I. 2020)."
Presently each and every body is busy on mobile phones and social media's others sites. In light of the societal consequences of militancy, the Hujra institution, resurrected as a great school, can assist in reconnecting or reuniting the youth to their roots. The presence of ancient Hujra culture will contribute to the development and creating of peaceful culture in which people tolerate each other and solve their issues through peaceful measures than violent means. It would be helpful in diverting young generation from violence and terrorism to peace and tolerance. (Shah. DRC Member. 2022). Identity Politics changed political scenario
It is a political strategy in which individuals of a certain sect, religion, having the same social and economic origin, status, or has other similar element form political objectives and organizes around the interwoven oppressive institutions that influence their existence and are the result of their various specification and identities. Postmodernism implies an uncontrollable subjectivity i.e lack of objective reality that is troublesome for our comprehension of political phenomena and the upkeep of a cohesive social structure. Postmodernism, on the other hand, is a philosophical approach to analyzing current political occurrences that might be beneficial. For example: The effects of globalization on social connections inside a society, and like its influence on the conduct of our politicians and different institutions like family, media. Our current political system is characterized by insecurity and instability. Majority of political leaders struggles for power concentration despite the fact that stabilization of the system is most important. Postmodern political culture values that we have adopted are responsible for all the chaos and instability. These values have started pervading our society, including the country's political culture, whereas the modernist values, which our society has not largely experienced include industrialization, urbanization, individualism and democratization. The pervasion and gradual proliferation of postmodernist values into our social and political system is due to the phenomenal rise of information and communication media, specifically television. It is through TV that postmodernist values pervade and thrive within a society (Khan, D. R. 2017).
Social trends have positive as well as negative impacts on politics. The contemporary Political situation in our society is the result of the intolerance which our people are experiencing. This cause instability in our society and a new postmodern culture established as a result of this instability. The postmodern culture is also a trend in our society; consumerism resulted in extreme social trend as people wants access to more products, this increase the gap among the rich and the poor. Here the politics of identity is on ascendance which resulted in ethnic conflicts. In KP Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement led by Manzur pashten is the current example of identity politics.
Some political experts are of the view that we now live in a post ideological society where Identity politics has reduced the social integration. Political scientists argue that the identity politics rather than the ideological one dominated the modern politics on a national and international level.
According to classical ideological political movement the present should be scarified to achieve a perfect society in the future (Ali. Z. 2020). Research Outcomes:
The cultural plurality is trending at present time in our society. Individuals pick and mix the other culture values with their own. This is not beneficial for society it just increasing anxiety and confusion .They are addicted to material things and consider these material possessions would give them leisure. Materialism is so alarming that even relationships are based on give and take and lost its importance which gives birth to a dangerous problem of society in the shape of lack of solidarity and responsibility. Individuals prioritize the leisure activities overwork and basic needs and thinking to have latest goods and food which is far above of the basic needs. People are becoming more frustrated; everyone tries their best to fulfill their own needs instead to look for the development of the whole community. They spent money on useless things like million on marriages and other things. Individuals consider that foods and dresses are a source of luxury, majority of the people focus on their own needs and never care about the rest of the community.
Traditional institutions lost their importance like joint family to nuclear family. A joint family creates a sense of responsibility and tolerance towards each other in individuals. Nuclear family gives rise to emotional crisis i.e lack of responsibility and zero tolerance people cannot tolerate each other more. Individuals got depressed and have no respect for the emotions of others and playing with the emotions of others. In a joint family, they seek to respect each other and one had to fulfilled responsibility.
Our politics is also influenced by postmodernity ideological politics is replaced by identity politics. Today we see the uncertainty and chaos in our politics, reason behind it, our politicians and individuals prioritize their interest than general interest. This corrupted the political system to fulfill their personal interest. Everyone consider that solving their issue is important than the issues of others. Individuals and politicians have lack of tolerance; they cannot tolerate the opinion of others which is the essence of democracy and necessary for the development of a country. People do not tolerate each other at the societal level so our politicians are also from that society and belong to that society and cannot bear each other position and their position at governmental level. In this way, identity politics reduce social integration and cohesion which is important for the development of a country.
Media pervaded the postmodern culture into our society because it's the basic tool of late modernity. Media is an agent of socialization and has a vital influence in the formation of public opinion. Its playing a negative role in our society by showing hyper reality, just remained a tool of advertising food, clothes and other trending things and spreading of propaganda. Media promote nudity in the young generation by its sexual content when advertising items to sell their products and promote the concept of rape and harassment. It made everything easily accessible to each and every one which resulted in spreading nudity and cultural degradation. Media role is important in the formation of public opinion because the majority of the people have access to it. In our society literacy rate is low and people blindly follow what social media shows. The media only work for those parties which give them material benefits and manipulate the public opinion in a defective direction. Recommendations:
1. Individuals should promote the sense of responsibility because in a society an individual cannot make progress without stability and certainty. Stability and certainty need political maturity and political maturity comes from the sense of responsibility. Responsibility will create social cohesion and work for general interest than personal.
2. People should promote their attachments with their values because there is no room for morality and ethics in postmodern world like honesty loyalty and many more.
3. Intellectual revolution is the utmost need of the society which is possible only through quality education. Only education can change the mind set of people and can make them capable to differentiate between right and wrong.
4. There is a need of institutional change and without this change we cannot expect cultural and societal uplift.
5. Individuals should invest in the way which bring prosperity not only to their family but to the national economy.
6. Individuals have to promote their values to tolerate each other and respect the opinion of each other. It will create a society of mutual trust.
7. Media should play a positive role because the media is an important agent of socialization and had a great role in the manipulation of public opinion
8. Government should ban some apps and apply strong conditions for using social media and its different apps.
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