Together We Stand Divided.

As India moves into the 21^st century, I am faced with certain moral dilemmas of my own. Mostly pertaining to my role and co existence in this new age society of ours. Bound by the Influx of to much information amongst freethinking individuals I stand debating the cultural ideals of the Indian society and how modern it really is.

I cant shake the feeling that no matter how urban we get as a nation, in the end we are still governed by certain archetypes, the kind that even the educated bunch fall prey to. There is a definite patriarchal system of thought that surrounds us.

Which makes me wonder have we really abolished the demons of our past, are we indeed free of social nuances of history? Does equality really exist today?

I beg to differ, even today, with our ultra modern approach to sex, religion, culture and marriage we are still are victims of stereotype. The caste system is just one of the evils that continues to prevail.The desire to stay within ones social group exceeds the chances of interracial marriages.
A selected few have taken the bold step but the core seems to overlook this revolution.

The progressive women of the world are embracing the ideology behind the 3rd wave of feminism and are propagating issues that pertain to race, social class and sexuality but it seems India still lacks the capacity to do so. Arrange marriages are still not free of hierarchal stances, sex is still taboo and pristine is she who saves herself till marriage.

I would like to believe that women today are liberated enough to think on their own, to feel powerful monetarily and emotionally. But do we really use this right or are we still giving into already existing paradigms of Endogamy. There is no denying of its existence. Its tragic, to know that even today as I look around I encounter situations where fathers deny their sons the right to marry a woman below his income group. Who is to decide these things, I wonder.This wrenched portrayal of the wealthy man abusing his son choice should have been banned long ago along with its perverse depictions in Indian cinema.

But it doesn't end here. Just the other day, the government denied the gay right law in India, they claimed that we cannot add a law because of peoples sentiments towards something. We hello there, you corrupt politicians, isn't it you who play on peoples sentiments when it comes to elections. The hypocrisy of it all is foul. Who is the government to decide how one is to live their life.

So again I ask you are we really moving on, are we letting go of our inhibitions. Is traditional thought and action really giving way for liberated deliberation?

Are we even fighting at all? If change is inevitable, why take baby steps. Why not encourage transformation- be it in social attitude and outlook or ethical consciousness. Disregarding prejudices and moving beyond the conventional is the only way forward.