Count the number of beauty parlours and libraries

While we talk of getting modernised in last 62 years of country's indepedence, comments of 85-year-old women, one of the first lady in Ludhiana city to get graduation degree during pre independence time are very significant.

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"If you ask about whether people of the city have gone more intelligent, count the number of beauty parlours and libraries," she said, during interaction with me at local Government College for Women, of which she was the first student in graudation dates back to 1943.

She said that while during last 62 year the number of beauty parlours increased over thousand, hardly any public library got opened during this time. Even, those in the education institutions are least used by anyone. Her reply was clear indication that most us care more about external apperance under influence of consumeristic culture promoted by media, than growing as an intelletuals.

She also pointed that under consumerism, we have lost independent and logical and analytic thinking, at least partly. And are behaving the way suits to their production cycle. Under the consumer driven culture, we have also lost compassion for follow country men and living very self centered life. In other words, material has taken over relations, values are no more important.

Her answers bothers me lot. It make feel that we lost more than gained. Though, now our markets are better filled with luring goods, but our hearts less weep for others. Most of us are in the circle of calculating and buying. I think in the modertime we need to again look for the role models like Mahatma Gandhi. Need to respect the people, who speaks great, think with compassion, but wear simple. Say no to consumerism. Feedback at preetinderworld@yahoo.com