By Our Reporter
Shillong: The emergence of troubles in the society and unrest in the state can be traced back to the insensitivity shown by the people towards culture, Archbishop of Emeritus Assam Most Reverent Thomas Menamparampil observed.
“The emergence of serious troubles in human life these days is because people have the insensitivity to culture”, Most Rev Menamparampil said.
The Archbishop of Emeritus Assam was addressing a one-day Regional seminar on “Philosophical Understanding of Culture and Festivals of North East India” organized by the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures (DBCIC) and sponsored by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), New Delhi at DBCIC, Mawlai here on Thursday.
Stressing on this note, Most Rev Menamparampil said troubles such as agitations, violence, protests, demanding of justice besides others are all culture related problems.
“Unless attention is paid to the compulsion of culture no changes can take place”, he added.
Referring to culture as a ‘Decisive Force’, Rev Menamparampil said culture and traditions marked the identity of any community and race of human kind.
“Today no one will deny that culture is a decisive force in every area of human life such as politics, economy, social development, education, religious search and even expansion of technology”, he stated.
Highlighting that culture intertwined with people’s aspirations and anxieties, he said, “It is becoming evident that the struggle for justice cannot limit itself to a concern for economic self-sufficiency of individuals or communities, but needs to extend also to their ethnic identity and cultural heritage of which people are legitimately proud”.
“It is from discovering oneself, one’s cultural heritage and the collective strong points and weak points imbibed within, that one can take the needed steps towards shaping a worthwhile future”, Most Rev Menamparampil added.
He also said that if it is done with no ill to anyone and no injustice to weaker communities, it adds to its own growth and enables the community to make a contribution to the development if the larger society and humankind as a whole.
