Pornification of Women's image in Western Culture

Sometimes backed I watched a few TED talks (by Gail Dines, Holly Baxter, Jean Kilbourne, Ran Gavrieli) on the impact of the image of objectified women in an advertisement in the west is impacting the well-being of women ...

All of them argued that the women in the west are literally forced in the name of freedom of expression to act more like a porn star, and teenage boys (discovering and becoming addicted to porn at an age of 10-12) are also growing up learning the same, with a growing tendency to dominate, oppress, exploit, abuse, humiliate women in their lives ...

Anarchy on the roads of Karachi

The roads in Karachi are on the verge of converting into parking lots for food outlets, shopping malls, coaching centers and of course elite schools (etc.). Busy roads are also becoming a favorite spot for all kinds of protests, political activities and religious processions.

The broken patches, a common sight on every road, only adds to the problem. Despite the increasing severity of the situation, the slumber of authorities on the mess on our roads is alarming. The public also seems to be losing the little road sense they earlier had.

The parked vehicles casually obstruct the traffic, breaking signals is almost a norm, while going on the wrong side of the road with high beams during late hours is in vogue now.

Mommy, I am Pregnant!

Can you imagine your 14 year old daughter coming and tell you that I am pregnant with the child of my boyfriend? If this happens, God forbids, then what would be your response? How would you react to it even when Pakistani law also doesn't put any sexual restrictions on those who are less than 16 years of age? Do you anticipate such a scenario in near future? If you don't then you better should in the wake of bombardment of liberal values by Media, gradual removal of religious content from schools, whilst the feminist movements gets a free hand by authorities to brainwash women into the oblivion of freedom, and of course all of this is almost at the verge of being idealized through a new youth Idol called Malala Yousuf Zai...

Freedom for Women, or Freedom to Approach & Enslave Women?

It is often argued that idle women workforce is a great loss to the economy, and by making them work the economic growth can be accelerated. It is also argued that this is the fundamental right of the women to be economically independent. In defense of this argument various reasons are given like a financially independent woman is better able to take care of herself and her children, and that she and her children are healthier, more educated and have better chance of coming out of poverty.

The Four Horsemen

Ajj ka Musalman

- Courtesy Aftab Saeed

Redefining Democracy

Note: I wrote this article for Teeth Maestro Blog in April 2009, however even today it's still as relevant as it was in 2009, perhaps even more...

The crippling economy, hostile neighbors, devastated judiciary, shamelessly stubborn and confused government, and a shattering socio-cultural fabric is fueling an outcry that ‘enough is enough’. The Question of “how to bring the change”, how to steer away from the pitfall very much visible ahead? Was never before so hot as it is today. However Despite all the discussions, debates, conferences, and seminars so far any practical and feasible solution seems more Utopian then realistic. Some talk about revolution to be the ultimate solution, some talk about strengthen of democracy, few even back the idea of dictatorship on an assumption that we were better off during the Musharaf's regime, some also talk about Islamization and Implementation of Khalifat, or independence of judiciary etc. however all these discussion and supposed solutions starts and end around the question of ‘what the change should be’ instead of the a bigger issues of ‘how, who and when’, even if there is an agreement on ‘What’.

Our Baby Adults... !!!

When a person is 18, he is allowed by the state to vote and even get married. If there is no mistake in this then technically an eighteen year old should be qualified and able to do these two things, but is it really the case? How many of our youth at this age are in fact intellectually and psychologically mature to do the two?

To get married you need to be earning (or maybe your parents can support you in this thing), but you need to have the maturity to balance between your relationship with your wife, parents, siblings and other relatives, at least. But for some reason perhaps they utterly lag 6-7 years behind in this case. Similarly in order to vote, you need to have the ability to judge the credentials of the candidate and intelligent enough to avoid getting fouled by his flaming speeches...

Who Tells Us What To Think? Does The Mainstream Media = The Matrix?

By Michael Snyder

Do you believe that you really think for yourself? Did you come up with your attitudes, opinions and beliefs on your own, or are they continually being shaped and molded by someone else? Could it be possible that you and everyone around you is actually hooked into a real life version of "the matrix" that is constantly defining your reality for you? Sadly, the truth is that almost all of us have willingly hooked ourselves into a colossal media system that literally tells us what to think. In the United States today, the average American watches 153 hours of television a month. We also spend huge amounts of time watching movies, surfing the Internet, reading books and magazines, playing video games and listening to music. Many Americans are so addicted to being "connected" that they will actually become physically uncomfortable if they are at home and there is total silence. Unfortunately, as I pointed out in a previous article, somewhere around 90 percent of the "information" that we are allowing to be endlessly pumped into our heads is owned by just 6 gigantic media corporations. So could it be possible that the thousands of hours of "news and entertainment" that you are allowing these gigantic corporations to fill your head with each year is having an effect on you? Does the mainstream media have more control over you than you ever dreamed possible? If you want to continue on in blissful ignorance, stop reading now, but if you want to take "the red pill", keep on reading because the further down the rabbit hole you go, the stranger that things get.

Cultural Influence vs. Cultural Imperialism

By Farhan Noor

Need For Reconstruction of Social Order in the Light of Quran

There is justification in growing taunts and ridicule hurled against our identity—or rather at poor imitation of theirs; when cats bark and cows bray, surely, even a modest man cannot restrain himself from a hysterical laugh. Why do we then dress up like clowns and act like pigs? Surely, this nation has more IQ than that of a donkey-cart and more self-respect and dignity than a pea-sized pumpkin—but then why do we behave the way we do: like downright idiots? Why cannot we be just ‘us’? —but then, who are we? I believe this is our national dilemma: identity crisis! It is rightly said: when man does not know his worth—he simply becomes worthless.

59:19 And be ye not like those who forgot Allah. and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!

Sniff. This blatant imitation of the western (pop) and eastern (hindi) socio-cultural lifestyle is a pathetic attempt to become one of ‘them’ as if the civilizations they represent are any models of excellence. It is tempting to unfold my thoughts the way I do…gradually…but I’d rather declare and proclaim at first instant, in single meaning words, lest I am hanged, what this article is not about: contempt for the leper; and what this article is in fact all about: vilification of leprosy. In context—let not the reader doubt my utmost respect for the Americans, the British, and the Indian people. On the contrary, I feel these nations themselves are victims of the socio-cultural system that has left us all farther and farther away from our innate human nature i.e. need for worship of One God. This only makes it more and more relevant to propose an apt alternative against this organization of artificial ethos.

The Industry of Women Rights (Part 1)

By Editor Critic Magazine

Discrimination of and abuse against women comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Pakistan has its own market as exemplified in honor-killings, acid-attacks, the usurious dowry system, and the act of disinheritance. Champions of women’s rights do not champion against these particular varieties of dehumanizing acts simply on case of it being dehumanizing per se, but rather, because, honor-killing is hardly a business venture. Understand that we are all products of this capitalist economic system, and mentality, which regards anything and everything marketable as long as it is profitable, including rights, or as in this case: women’s rights. If not, then, according to Noam Chomsky, why is marijuana illegal but tobacco not, when research and evidence over-emphatically proves the latter to be deadlier?

Answer: because marijuana plant can be grown by anyone anywhere even indoors making it a no-business a no-show. Likewise—though hard-to-digest—honor-killings in Pakistan and elsewhere are condemned simply because not that we should as a matter of principle, or maybe it is, but basically because it is hard to make a business out of it. Again, if not, then why this deafening hoo-hah against honor-killings on the one hand and murderous silence on the business of prostitution and depiction of sexually objectified imageries notably those “adult” programs that run on Cable TV and those readily available pirated DVDs at movie outlets, on the other? Why this double-standard? Is it perhaps somehow ok to see a woman pole and lap dance naked for a man and prostitute for a living than to be killed in the name of so-called dignity and honor? No, the reason being that honor-killing is our marijuana and prostitution and pornography, our tobacco!

The Malaysian Experience, Lessons for Pakistan

This wasn't my first trip abroad, however first one to another Muslim country and when I landed at Kuala Lumpur I felt I haven’t just arrived to a different place but also have travelled centuries ahead in time…

The trip to Kuala Lumpur was loaded with shock and awe. I couldn't help but comparing the difference between Pakistan, the country to which I belong, and Malaysia on uncountable dimensions. The public calm and civilized behavior, the sense of profound security (almost everyone carrying a tablet, a laptop or a high end smart phone and using comfortably in public places with no fear at all), the economic development already done & underway, the high end cars on the road (Lamborghini Aventador to top the list), the driving etiquettes of the drivers on the road, the political stability of 3 decades, various ethnic groups with a violent past but peacefully living today etc... In Malaysia you are given a death penalty for bearing a gun and dealing in narcotics in Malaysia specially if you are a foreigner and perhaps this is the reason there is peace and tranquility prevalent everywhere... theft is almost nonexistent in most parts of the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Symptoms of Hope

In Karachi are you remembering death and reciting dua before leaving the house; reciting Qalima when filling in CNG (just in case someone's cylinder explodes); remembering Allah in difficult times and seeking his forgiveness; Strengthening our faith on Taqdeer in the times of uncertainty i.e. Allah s.w.t will provide rizq in due to quantity, hardships will be a test and death will not come before it due time; refraining from showing off valuables in public, restoring to a simple lifestyle to avoid getting noticed; refraining to wear revealing cloths in public (if you are a woman);  discrediting and rejecting ethnicity, sectarianism on the basis of violence; discrediting democracy (institutionalization of the herd mentality) for it being a revenge of dominant minority against the majority; helping and educating poor to save them from becoming a criminal; developing courage to stand for justice and against the criminal atrocities of the corrupt feudalism & its heinous crimes... etc. etc. etc? Then it means Allah s.w.t has brought circumstances to you to bring you closer to Him! If you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms then there is still some hope left.

The Undemocratic Path toward Democracy?

Note: The argument in this post will axiomatically assume that democracy is liberal in nature, as illiberal democracy has no place in the international political scenario. The respective set of axioms is itself contestable and incoherent; however this would be explained separately in another post. 

Democracy requires a homogenous society, where each individual is wise & morally strong enough to make unbiased choices keeping in view the wider implications of his decisions in future. Homogenousity is the key, particularly at intellectual and ideological level as otherwise democracy can only divide a nation into many small ethnic, racial or sectarian fragments, and this happens in a violent fashion as witnessed in various placed in the world in last few decades. Another key ingredient is the economic stability, as otherwise economically deprived class is vulnerable enough to be manipulated. For details check Robert D. Kaplan 'Was democracy just a moment' published in The Atlantic, and later in his book ‘The Coming Anarchy’. Pakistan is just another case in point, where a technocratic government can better manage the state of the affairs of the country, suggests Kaplan.

Pakistani Media, Stop Glamorizing and Highlighting Crime

There is substantial evidence which confirms that crime when highlighted in the media leads to more crime, as it triggers the angry or desperate people, and some of them actually make attempts of actually committing the crime ...

For example, in Pakistan, since the first news about a child committing suicide due to bad grades and pressure of studies was highlighted in the media and was given exclusive coverage, many similar cases of suicide has followed among children of similar age since then... simply because the coverage of first instance allowed many other teenagers to imagine the same. 

Sponsored BrainWashing

Come on dudes, its a sponsored media, it private enterprise to maximize its bottom-line, its objective is first and foremost, like any other private corporation, is to maximize profits, which depends on the money it receives from other corporations in lieu of promotional campaigns or advertisements, which depends on how much viewership it has ... so what do you expect it is going to upheld the neutrality principle? How much they would get if they remain neutral? Come on there is no rocket science here Media gets the money to convince its audience or public to hold some kind of opinions beneficial for those who paid for it ... let it be buying a particular type of product or changing ones perception or even beliefs 'Parhne likne-e-ke siwa Pakistan ka Matlab Kiya' in lieu of USAID funding ... I mean what difference is there really is in a prostitute, a private entertainer ... perhaps not much, perhaps its intellectual prostitution is at its best ... but who cares about moral values, when Money become everything ...

Adultery not a Crime, UN

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1-138344-
Adultery-is-not-a-crime-UN

For all those who attempts to find similarity in modern conception of human rights, and that of Islam. Also for all those who expects a this modern conception to respect their rights defined by their religion. What we need to understand is, the foundation of this modern conception of human rights is grounded in human rationality which rejects anything unless it is rationally and empirically verified to have a worldly benefit. This approach toward knowledge is limited as not everything, particularly in the domain of social sciences cannot be explained completely through rational and empirical analysis. Religious doctrines focus on the same social domains of life and provides a methodology with rewards in hereafter for those who comply. This doesn't make any sense from the rational perspective, and the claims about hereafter cannot be tested empirically. Therefore it is senseless to accept this modern way of thinking to understand the standards of religion. Those who will do so, will only get furstrated.

Domination of Social Scientific Discourse as a Threat to the Survival of Islam

This is a snapshot of a 3-day workshop conducted by Dr. Wahab Suri which he delivered in Sahiwal, Pakistan. This workshop was about the Domination of Social Scientific Discourse over Muslim world and its implication on the Survival of Islam. Dr. Suri explained how knowledge base of western world is making it irrelevant for Muslim societies, who have adopted a westernised system of governance of society and market, to look into religion for solution of the problems which are specific to the adopted system. If the social scientific discourse matures at any point in future, it will make it irrelevant for the the public to ask from religion the important questions of life. 

Macaulay's Children of Pakistan

What can you really expect from this class, other then westernization of Pakistani culture, society, values, if God forbids they manage to assume some influential positions in corporate world or government institutions?
This is definitely Lord Macaulay's dream come true, as such examples conform to the description of 'Macaulay's children' about whom Macaulay himself said:

"We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect. To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population." (Click here for complete document)

It is ironic that our educational institutions even after 65 years of independence (read in dependence) are still following the path laid by the very colonial masters, who freed us physically though kept ruling our minds with the help of institutions they left behind. If the trend continued, would we embrace freedom ever in its truest sense?

The Women Rights Hoax

By Omar Javaid

Both men and women are living together since the very beginning of history, they have lived and survived in equal proportions throughout, and even today their proportions in the world population of around 7 billion is almost equal[i]. This makes a curious mind eventually asks after looking at the present day mantras from women empowerment and liberation, that how come womankind has survived since thousands of years in equal proportions, despite all the supposed atrocities, oppressions, and wrath of men's domination, if there is any? 

There can be multiple answers to this question: 

1) If the hypothesis of men being 'brutally against women's wellbeing' is correct then definitely we can assume that she has the capacity to survive those hardships as otherwise her percentage in population must have been significantly lower than that of men, which eventually would have increased her importance or value due to scarcity but more men would be left without partners which would have in turn caused frustration, rage and subsequent conflicts and disturbance in the society. If the hypothesis of men being brutal 'in relative terms' is false then we should ask what really the fuss is all about?

2) If the birth ratios of men would have been less than women, which is not really the case in reality[ii]  then we could have assume that men's brutal attitude actually serves a noble purpose rather, i.e. to balance out the proportions among the population of both genders, as otherwise there would have been more women than men on the planet, their value would also have decreased due to abundance; and an even larger number of women would have left without partners (read husbands), 'an even larger' because survivability of male is lesser then women, to be very precise 1.07 male births are there for each female birth but while the babies turn into adults, the ratio is reduced to 1.01 males per female[iii].

So what the fuss is really all about, let us then find out ...