Modernisation is very big concept in today’s world and time. The word modernization has been taken from the word modern which means new, present, contemporary and many other meanings.
While modernisation means change, renovation, highest development and newness. Modern, modernism and modernisation is a very old concept. They are unclear and indistinguishable.
People have been talking about this concept from very long time back. The concept of modernisation started to get important after the end of World War II and also during the French Revolution.
We can read and find about the concept of modernisation in the literature as well.
Many novelists, writers and poets have talked about modernisation in their own specific way. They have explained the concept of modernisation in their own way how they have understood this concept.
There have been many times when the writers, novelists and poets have faced a lot of criticisms for what they have expressed about modernisation.
But still they have continued with their work despite the criticisms and contradictions. It is said and believed that modernisation began during the period of Renaissance.
During that period literature, science and religion: everything underwent change and there was development.
Modernisation does not only modern technology and machines. It is a wider concept more than just the developed technologies and machines and people should clear this concept they have about modernisation.
Until and unless they clear this, there will be always confusion and wrong understanding about modernisation.
Modernisation includes development in every field. Every field in the sense political, social, religious, economic, science, technology, education. The development of all these includes in the concept of modernisation.
Modernisation does not mean the old beliefs and customs will also change with time and with the development of the society. No, this does not happen.
This is another wrong concept which people have about modernisation. The old traditions remain the same. It depends on the person what they want to adapt, whether it is the old days one or the modern day one.
In fact, both of them are interrelated. Most of the societies include both of them. It is like a mixture of both of them. But no matter there is a mixture of the two; there is always a bridge or a gap between both of them.
This is why the concept of modernisation always has contradictions. People keep shifting from tradition to modernisation.
This is because there is continuous urbanization, economic development and urbanization. These three are running at such a pace which is making the people shift from the traditional one.
Even though they shift from traditional one, there are many concepts from the traditional ones which still remain the same. The concept of modernisation cannot affect or bring any change on these concepts of the traditional ones.
This is because the traditional ones have been formed and created centuries back and no matter what happens there people who still exist to keep these traditional ones alive. No concept of modernisation can replace these traditional concepts.
Another concept of modernisation which people understand the wrong way is that they think modernisation only means westernization. This is a very common wrong concept about modernisation.
People think by following the western culture they think they have become modernised. They believe by speaking English, following the western habits and lifestyle they become modern people.
They think these things will make people consider them as modern people in the 21st century. Just by adopting new cultures and habits does not make anyone modern people. By adapting the new cultures and habits, they should change their mentality about different things as well.
If their mentality about various things does not change and they just follow the new cultures and habits, still they are not considered as modern people.
What is the use of adapting the new cultures and habits, if they still have the same thinking and opinions about some of the things?
People think that if a girl and a boy are roaming together at night, they are in a relationship. Even they roam during the day they still think the same.
They should change their thinking about this because a girl and a boy can be friends as well. It is not necessary that they are in a relationship.
Even if they are then they should not have any problem because they are not getting themselves involved in wrong things. It is absolutely no wrong in a girl and a boy roaming together.
Not only this people also think girls wearing short dresses and exposing their body are cheap and they do not have any respect in the society or they are provoking the males to come to them. People should change their conception on this topic.
If any girl is wearing any particular dress, obviously their parents or family members will know about it because they are the ones who purchase them. Even if they have not purchased, they know what their child is wearing as they stay in the same house.
If parents do not have problems what their daughter is wearing inside or outside the house, others too should not have any problem and not poke their nose or interfere in other people’s life and lifestyle.
People also think that when youth or the adults go to big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore or anywhere outside their home, they change and spoil themselves. Nothing of that sort happens.
No matter people adapt to a new lifestyle, they do not forget their traditions, culture and beliefs. They still remain the same. It is just that their way of thinking has changed.
It either becomes broader or narrows down. But for most of them their minds get broaden.
Most of them feel that sometimes it is necessary to get out of their daily and also from the comfort zone, see the outside world, broaden their minds and change the thinking about various things.
Thus, modernisation is not just new things, industrialization and urbanization. It means change and development socially, culturally, politically, economically, intellectually and also in the demographic way.
All of these different ways have their own distinct or specific features which must be given proper attention and importance. Politically it means there should be more political participation.
People must learn to be secular and learn to solve all types of political problems by coordinating with each other. Democratic must be given importance.
The political system must clear cut objectives. There must be economic development everywhere. But we cannot see this everywhere.
Only some of the places get economically developed and other places are left untouched. People must improve intellectually too and broaden their minds.
All the social problems must be solved and there is socio-economic development.
Modernisation is a continuous process. Just like time never stops, the concept of modernisation also does not change.
It goes on with time. Modernisation does not mean we will forget and eliminate all our traditional values and adapt the present ones.
This is not what modernisation is all about. Instead we should keep those traditional values always with us no matter how modernised the world becomes.
We should not forget our heritage, culture and beliefs. We should learn to respect and support each other’s views and opinions.
When we are doing all these things, we will face problems and we will be forced to forget our values and beliefs. But it depends on us how we tackle them. We need to be strong, tackle all of the problems and be firm in our beliefs and values.
We also need to understand that everyone needs to progress in life. But in order to get that progress we do not have to give up on our beliefs and values. We must learn to balance between the both.
People often think being traditional and modernised or modernisation is like North Pole and South Pole. Actually the reality is that both of them exist together. They go hand in hand.
We need to become modernised as well as maintain our traditional culture and values. There should be a proper balance maintain between the two.
The concept of modernisation has both positive and negative effects. It depends on us how we take this concept and adapt things.
Modernisation is a part of our development and achievement but we should understand that if we do not understand the concept of modernisation properly, this concept will bring many major disadvantages in our life.
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