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We know that a society is a group of people who live together. They can have common traditions and collective interests, but they can also be different.
Society has existed since ancient times. In other words, ever since the universe was created, societies have existed. Often, they have a king or a leader who keeps them together and helps them solve their issues.
Every society is unique in itself. It has both positive and negative points, which we as commoners have to accept and live through. Now, ethics and traditions have changed, and modernity has found its place in our society. For modern trends, people have forgotten ethics, and they use modernity as the only relevant thing in our society.
All about Modern Society
Society has changed drastically since its origin. From being traditional and following customs, it has come a long way, and modernity has taken charge. These days, people forget traditions and do anything in the name of modernity. Per my belief, we mustn’t modernise at the expense of our own identity, customs, and ideas.
Moreover, we must not bully anyone if they follow the traditions and are unlike us. Yeah, everyone has their own priorities, thoughts, and ways to deal with society and its norms. But one must not forget that we all come from backgrounds where traditions hold a special place and are respected deeply.
Being traditional or modern is a choice. We must not forget the grace and responsibility that come with our birth as human beings. We must not get so blinded by modern norms and customs that we forget to be the individuals we were born to be.
Modernity is not about accepting Western culture, wearing short dresses, or partying. Being modern hits right when you do something for the development of society and, most importantly, when you grow with grace and do something good for yourself.
Yeah, society always has expectations, but it’s not about pleasing others; it's about pleasing yourself.
Modernity: Boon or Curse?
Since the evolution of society, many developments have taken place. People have evolved from the Stone Age to modern-day life. Modernity comes up with new developments, customs, and traditions. These days, internet resources and technologies are everywhere. Everything has become digital since the coronavirus pandemic.
Aspects of Modernity
Many changes have come with new developments. Society needs to imbibe positivity and throw away negativity. Let us look at some aspects of modernity:
Increasing use of science and technology: Everything in the world has developed ever so gracefully. Science and technology play an important role in the development of modernity. Yeah, we have reached the moon, and almost every little thing is now available online. All you need are the correct devices, and everything will be under your thumb. Technology has its pros and cons. Believing it’s magic, we can’t move ahead without learning the technologies that are in action right now.
Use of mass media: As society has developed, we have seen many types of media come to life. In the old days, there were radios, which further led to the invention of television, and now we have online media. Everything we need to know is available on the web. Moreover, every piece of information you need is available on the internet. All you need to do is put in the correct keywords, and you will get the desired information.
Mass literacy is another significant development in the economy. In modern times, everyone has the right to study and pursue their dreams. Mass literacy is an effort to empower educators and spread literacy statewide. This is what students need around the country. Literate people will make a sophisticated society.
Urbanisation: With urbanisation, people have left the towns and moved to urban cities, and this has led to urbanisation. People have adapted to the culture of the cities, and many of them have lost the essence of their traditions. Even in the current scenario, we are adapting Western culture. Indian traditions have been discarded. For example, the people who visited temples to worship on their auspicious days have now adapted to parties, food, and drinking to celebrate those occasions. This is nothing but modernity. Yet, I again repeat that we must not forget our ethics in the wake of modernity.
Nuclear family: Growing modernity has made room for nuclear families. People prefer living alone so that they can manage themselves, and their expenses. Kids these days don’t know what the love of grandparents feels like. They would rather want freedom. Well, this is not wrong, but this is not the right thing for the development of children. Due to the importance given to individuality,
Taking a stand for yourself: With modernity, people have learned to speak for themselves. Well, that’s necessary. In earlier times, especially women and kids, they were not allowed to voice their feelings. Now that they have had the chance, they have expressed their opinions.
Cons of Modern Society:
Even after a lot of action, it is seen that many people follow age-old traditions, even in the 21st century.
Modernity has brought newness and prosperity to some places, while others are still backward. These places still follow old traditions like child marriage, the dowry system, and polygamy. But modernity will come when people agree to change their thoughts. Usually, even in families where the people claim that they are modern, they still tend to follow age-old traditions. All of it needs to be removed from the roots, yet some people blindly follow the above-mentioned traditions.
Unequal access to resources: The main disadvantage of modernity is that many places have unequal access to resources. Due to the lack of resources, the places failed to develop. The people and society fail to develop up to the mark of modernity.
Education and career: Due to a lack of education, people fail to develop in person, and they tend to follow the old traditions. All of this has also deepened social divisions. Those who are educated are considered rich, while those who aren’t educated are considered poor.
Affect on humans and humanity: Modernity has affected human life the most. Modern ways of living have led to increased populations and broken relationships. People take relationships at an extraordinarily fast pace, and then, at times, the person is left broken. Modernity has brought many insecurities with it. People have become hungry for money and can proceed with any means to earn money. Therefore, trust issues have become a major concern. People find it hard to trust their own family members or friends. Therefore, self-love is important in such times.
How to balance traditional ethics and modern transitions
Modernity and traditional values are both required to lead a happy life. You can’t follow one and sail through life. With modernity, ideologies come that argue with the traditional ones. You need to balance them by truly accepting them. You need to absorb both the positive and negative aspects explained above. and make a life out of it.
Modernity doesn’t mean that you will forget your ethics and accept it. Going to clubs or going to the temple doesn’t make you a modern or backward person. You must know how to balance your traditions with modernity. That’s how life should be.
A mix of traditions, modernity, love, joy, and a little bit of sorrow is needed to create a life that’s to be cherished.
Therefore, both traditional and modern ethics go hand in hand. Life becomes interesting and beautiful with the calm demeanour of traditional ethics and the show-off of modernity.
That’s the true meaning of life.
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