The Changing Social Etiquette
I can straightaway say that change is more constant today than it was in yesteryear. Some call it Americanization; some call it Westernization, and some modernization. Everybody calls it globalization. Some predicted globalization would be inevitable and inescapable; some predicted it’d come knocking at the foothills of a landlocked developing country and would stay here. Some even made emphatic predictions that it’d not only stay here but would act as a catalyst for change in human and societal behaviour as well.
Whoever predicted that globalization would not just come and pass by without a trace but would bring about psychological, physiological and cultural change in our not-long-ago foreign-shy society hit the nail on the head. The predictions are already ringing true. Globalization has been here for sometime. We woke up to globalization.
Today’s vogue for ‘plunging neckline’ and ‘rising hemline’ is only one of the visible side effects of globalization-cum-modernization. Strictly speaking, it’s not a side effect actually. This facet is part and parcel of daily existence almost across the board. Most of the time, we are simply carried over, and there isn’t always more to it than meets the eye in those scantily clad women. Just take a peek at those boobs and bumps and bulges – a sneak preview, that’s all. Today one wears or wears less to expose oneself and impress somebody rather than to cover oneself. What’s not perceptible but changing undeniably is the order of rungs on the social hierarchy.
Only a decade or so ago, any civil servant is a Dasho (the accomplished) or Lopon (the teacher), but actually means – incorrectly, though – much more especially in rural communities. Those days, Dasho or Lopon or neither in reality, anyone rightfully called so or only so-called commanded respect, and deserved as well as demanded privileges. In fact, many demanded unduly! It’s no exaggeration that anything that bore the seal of approval of a Dasho or Lopon in a remote, far-flung locality was final and binding. There was neither room nor time and courage for discussion and debate. Few could or would crosscheck, nobody could overturn without dire consequences. Those days are fast fading away today!
Today, boss is not always right. Many times and more than he would actually like, he is told he is not right. It’s not always ‘Yes Sir or laso la’. If caught between a rock and a hard place sometimes, staff take directives with a pinch of salt. Two-way street is uncommon still, but two-way communication is gaining momentum in all organizations. Incidentally, this is what is encouraged in schools. One boss or one signature was or meant the ultimate powerful go-ahead earlier. Today, we hear as many counter-arguments as we see counter-signatures. Counter-suits are also not unheard-of.
Not necessarily always impolite and disrespectful, we’ve become a bit stiff in our demeanour. We bend down less and higher than before. Today’s is a ‘hi-bye’ society.
We’ve certainly come a long way in so short a time. We’re in transition. In the changeover, many are misled and mistake freedom for license or right. It’s where the righteous principle of equity and justice comes into conflict with our age-old mechanism of social hierarchy and network, which engenders our society. Drig Lam Nam Zhag blinks. We need to harmonize drig with the present lam so that it’s truly a “way of conscious harmony”, each in sync with the other.
Difficult as it’s, each change should be put into perspective to make an objective and a fair judgment. Some changes are functional and necessary; some are only attractive ‘can-do-withouts’.
I can straightaway say that change is more constant today than it was in yesteryear. Some call it Americanization; some call it Westernization, and some modernization. Everybody calls it globalization. Some predicted globalization would be inevitable and inescapable; some predicted it’d come knocking at the foothills of a landlocked developing country and would stay here. Some even made emphatic predictions that it’d not only stay here but would act as a catalyst for change in human and societal behaviour as well.
Whoever predicted that globalization would not just come and pass by without a trace but would bring about psychological, physiological and cultural change in our not-long-ago foreign-shy society hit the nail on the head. The predictions are already ringing true. Globalization has been here for sometime. We woke up to globalization.
Today’s vogue for ‘plunging neckline’ and ‘rising hemline’ is only one of the visible side effects of globalization-cum-modernization. Strictly speaking, it’s not a side effect actually. This facet is part and parcel of daily existence almost across the board. Most of the time, we are simply carried over, and there isn’t always more to it than meets the eye in those scantily clad women. Just take a peek at those boobs and bumps and bulges – a sneak preview, that’s all. Today one wears or wears less to expose oneself and impress somebody rather than to cover oneself. What’s not perceptible but changing undeniably is the order of rungs on the social hierarchy.
Only a decade or so ago, any civil servant is a Dasho (the accomplished) or Lopon (the teacher), but actually means – incorrectly, though – much more especially in rural communities. Those days, Dasho or Lopon or neither in reality, anyone rightfully called so or only so-called commanded respect, and deserved as well as demanded privileges. In fact, many demanded unduly! It’s no exaggeration that anything that bore the seal of approval of a Dasho or Lopon in a remote, far-flung locality was final and binding. There was neither room nor time and courage for discussion and debate. Few could or would crosscheck, nobody could overturn without dire consequences. Those days are fast fading away today!
Today, boss is not always right. Many times and more than he would actually like, he is told he is not right. It’s not always ‘Yes Sir or laso la’. If caught between a rock and a hard place sometimes, staff take directives with a pinch of salt. Two-way street is uncommon still, but two-way communication is gaining momentum in all organizations. Incidentally, this is what is encouraged in schools. One boss or one signature was or meant the ultimate powerful go-ahead earlier. Today, we hear as many counter-arguments as we see counter-signatures. Counter-suits are also not unheard-of.
Not necessarily always impolite and disrespectful, we’ve become a bit stiff in our demeanour. We bend down less and higher than before. Today’s is a ‘hi-bye’ society.
We’ve certainly come a long way in so short a time. We’re in transition. In the changeover, many are misled and mistake freedom for license or right. It’s where the righteous principle of equity and justice comes into conflict with our age-old mechanism of social hierarchy and network, which engenders our society. Drig Lam Nam Zhag blinks. We need to harmonize drig with the present lam so that it’s truly a “way of conscious harmony”, each in sync with the other.
