When I was passing a village road, I overheard an old man talking to his fellows about the effect of foreign films. He frowned and indicated that his granddaughter wants the same models of clothing worn by actresses whom she watches on TV. The old man was railing against this bitter fact. He sighed with deep grief and wished for a return to the rustic and simple clothing of the past life. I was engrossed in the story while walking, deep in thought.
The issue of culture is mind-boggling in Afghanistan. Foreign films are threatening the whole fabric of society such as cultural norms, religious values, social attitudes and moral standards. Meanwhile, our children and younger generation show great tendency to adopt new styles of clothing and their vulnerability in this direction is a matter of great concern.
The process through which children or new members of a society learn the lifestyle and social norms of the same society is called socialization. Moreover, it is a fundamental channel for passing our culture to the next generation in course of time. There are some agencies of socialization, where the process of socialization takes place and they play a crucial role in the life of children and younger generation.
The family is one of the factors, called primary socialization, which affects the lives of children tremendously and helps them to be socialized. Children are born with blank minds knowing nothing about life; however the family helps them to learn the values and norms of the society step by step. In the meantime, the family puts its impact on the character and personality of children. In other words, the family is the basic factor which can improve or spoil the children.
The other factors worth mentioning are called secondary socialization which are the second steps taking place from the time of childhood to maturity by which social interactions help children to learn the values, norms and beliefs which are shaped by cultural patterns.
The second factor which helps children in the process of socialization is their playmates. When children grow bigger, their playmates help them to be socialized and they spend much time with one another. During playing, they learn lifestyle, social interaction and independence from one another.
School is the third factor which plays its role significantly. In school, children find new friends in new environment which is the same as an organization. They learn the social hierarchy gradually and also learn and practice upon new social values and norms.
Social environment is another factor providing chance for children to get socialized. As children spend part of their time in social environment such as streets, bazaar and the area wherein they live, they acquire social norms and values there.
The last factor is our media. Nowadays, children spend almost their entire time watching television programs such as cartoons, comedies, tragedies, dancing, serials, etc. Moreover, the movies put a great negative or positive impact on the character of children and are highly effective in the process of socialization.
The five agencies of socialization mentioned above are tremendously significant in shaping the beliefs and personality of children in a society. In addition, our culture and moral values are influenced through foreign films, serials, music, etc. The children, who watch violent programs today, put on the same aggressive faces and act violently in the street tomorrow. Our younger generation, especially females, put on the same fashion and mode as they are shown on TV or worn by actors and actresses. Hence, they show tendency to like foreign styles and adopt the same styles and attitudes. In this regard, their lifestyles will not match with their traditional culture or the elders’ frame of mind. Moreover their mentalities are also different from others. So, all the reasons behind these changes are foreign films.
Unfortunately, our country is bombarded with several varieties of culture through media which lead to the confusion of our younger generation and put them in dilemma whether to choose the fashion and style of Europe, or Asia such as Turkey, South Korea, etc. Ultimately, they adopt mixed styles which put our own culture to the risk of elimination.
Such disorders which have roots in three decades of war, led the country to social fragmentation. In other words, we live in cultural and political crises, which mean that the law and order of our society are eliminated and no new rule and regulation have been institutionalized. This situation is a big tragedy. On the other hand, nobody cares about the current crisis or is willing to control the situation and repair the effected culture of the country.
In addition, our actors, actresses and singers are entirely westernized. They are emptied of religious beliefs, moral standards, cultural values, social norms and Islamic rules. The actresses are not putting on Islamic veil at all and follow the very style and fashion of Western countries. Meanwhile, most of the singers are singing western songs such as Rock, Jazz, Pop, etc, rather than Afghani songs. So, how is it possible for them to reflect our culture through their arts while they themselves are absorbed in Western culture. Of course, we do not need actors or actresses or singers who are trying to reflect the cultures of others in our country.
I justify the old man who was worried about his granddaughter for her change. If all parents worry about their children, they will certainly control their attitudes and guide them to the right way. They will make the family a moralistic atmosphere for socialization of their children in an ethical manner. It is the moral responsibility of the parents to prepare their family environment in harmony with religious beliefs and moral values. Otherwise, if their children be spoiled morally and behaviorally, it is not them to be condemned but their parents who neglected their responsibilities.
Anyhow, let’s hope that the parents will fulfill their moral obligations and our younger generation attaches importance to its own valuable cultural values. It is time to do our best for the betterment of the social agencies which are mentioned above and have to improve their qualities in the best possible way.