By Mowahid Hussain Shah
One criticism of Pakistani culture is that it caters to a monopoly of means and genes. Family structure is tightly-woven and interlocked. Its good part is that it is a safety net for those family members bypassed by society’s benefits; additionally, it venerates elders who are seen as respected sources of wisdom and not as flotsam. Its not so good point is that it reinforces the culture of overfeeding the favoured few at the expense of the many.
Embedded in our society is a value system tilted towards the pursuit of power, paisa, and privilege. This value system has not been questioned adequately, partly because of the resigned passivity of the educated youth and partly because of the perceived clout of the stakeholders.
The pre-eminence conferred on kith and kin over broader community interest takes its own toll. Take the issue of education. We say education is a plus, indeed, a must, yet we do not accord importance to those who pursue it. To appreciate the dichotomy between what we say and what we do, one only has to observe the priority given to lineage over learning.
In-gathering and hoarding within the family circle of benefits reinforces the VIP-centric culture that blunts not only merit but also the inner sense of fairness.
Predictably, the status quo-oriented democratic electoral system disproportionately favours the wealthy at the expense of the middle classes, who are the sheet anchor of most developed societies. In public life, the tendency to concentrate power, privilege, perks and patronage in one’s family rather than spreading it around sends a message that Pakistan is not for all Pakistanis.
The aforementioned furnishes a partial context for why community is not often seen as an extension of the family and why there is little sense of belonging or, for that matter, identification with the woes of the common citizen who, bereft of contacts or placement, is often left powerless.
At its best, the kith and kin culture reinforces family stability -- the corner stone of a society. But at its worst, it comes at the expense of community-building, which is the bedrock of nation-building.
In other words, personal interest supersedes team interest and even national interest.
A critical review and questioning of the prevailing value system would be a step toward redressing some of the imbalance and inequities present and inherent in the kith and kin culture.
