Re: Double standards
Be more specific. What kind of ideas do you think would be deemed as “being traditional and in touch with their culture”??? I’ll give you an example. An aunti…educated…and has lived most of her life in the US…her kids were born and raised in the US…didn’t want her daughter to get a Masters Degree because she thought it would hinder rishtas (didn’t want the daugther to appear too smart). I consider that jaahil thinking regardless of where she lives…I don’t associate that thinking with nationality…because I know of some people in Pak who don’t hold such views and are more open-minded. For example, I know of parents in Pak who struggle financially but still urge their daughters to get a higher education.
I’ll give you another example. My uncle, in Pak, has two very bright daugthers. Maybe one of them was interested in studying medicine…but he didn’t allow them to go outside of their city to get that education…because of the fear that “laug batain karain ge ke larki ghar se bahar rahi hai…and GOd knows what she might have gotten up to.” I find the mentality backwards…I would also find it backwards if a desi living in the US felt the same way. Interestingly, my other uncle, who also lives in the same city (both of them are brothers)…had no issues with sending his daughter outside for education.
I think we often over-simplify things and attribute behaviors and views to nationality. I know that I’ve done that as well. But it’s more complicated than that…because there are exceptions to the generalization. Some of the jahil thoughts can stem from fear…some can stem from lack of education/awareness/oppportunities/experience…and some jahil comments and behaviors are the result of human nature (jealousy, greed, etc).