I always thought that life would be different for me; that it would be possible for me to choose what I wanted to be. I thought Maslow's hierarchy of needs would classically apply on me. I was never a top student, although a lot of people thought of me as one. I never had clarity of vision or mission or even an aspiration to be someone. But now when I have started to see through with unprecedented clarity, I am split between tradition of doing what is expected of me and to pursue my dreams.
Not that my dream is to become a rock star, I simply dream to be a business leader [by making a career up the corporate ladder]. But even if I had chosen to pursue a career in music or other forms of art I am sure I would have come across a lot of resistance from family, relatives and society.
Its not only that talent is unappreciated here, it is that people have double standards when it comes to performing arts and mainstream media in Pakistan. Even the bearded mullah knows who Reema and Meera are but sadly even the most liberal families will forbid their young ones from acting in a theatrical production. It is that as a nation we envy, aspire and even worship movie stars but wouldn't want our children to become one. For our own children it becomes a forsaken profession.
I ask you, how can you thump to the beat of Asaan Tey Jana Aye Bilo Dey Ka`r but can't allow our children to become the next Abrar ul Haq? When will this bigotry cease to exist? We as a nation discriminate, probably not to the extent to what the white man did to the black race, and probably not as violently as the Hindu does to the minorities of India but we discriminate - without knowing that we do. And there is nothing that can justify it and this is probably the most dangerous form of discrimination.
Not that my dream is to become a rock star, I simply dream to be a business leader [by making a career up the corporate ladder]. But even if I had chosen to pursue a career in music or other forms of art I am sure I would have come across a lot of resistance from family, relatives and society.
Its not only that talent is unappreciated here, it is that people have double standards when it comes to performing arts and mainstream media in Pakistan. Even the bearded mullah knows who Reema and Meera are but sadly even the most liberal families will forbid their young ones from acting in a theatrical production. It is that as a nation we envy, aspire and even worship movie stars but wouldn't want our children to become one. For our own children it becomes a forsaken profession.
I ask you, how can you thump to the beat of Asaan Tey Jana Aye Bilo Dey Ka`r but can't allow our children to become the next Abrar ul Haq? When will this bigotry cease to exist? We as a nation discriminate, probably not to the extent to what the white man did to the black race, and probably not as violently as the Hindu does to the minorities of India but we discriminate - without knowing that we do. And there is nothing that can justify it and this is probably the most dangerous form of discrimination.
1 comment:
If we have one collective trait as a nation, it has to be hypocrisy
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