Reflecting on our country from afar, variety of things come to my mind - some good and some not so good. We have a lot to offer to the world, but at that same time, we have a lot to learn from the world outside.
Let me highlight some of my reflections.
Most of the world seems to be consumed in globalization, but Bhutan has managed to remain a unique country of rich tradition and pristine natural environment. We appreciate this uniqueness more profoundly as we look at ourselves from a distance.
How lucky are we to have a well-preserved environment, a rich cultural heritage, a benevolent King and a peaceful society! Our unique culture and tradition does not only give us a sense of belongingness, but also identifies us as a sovereign country located between two giants in the world.
However, the huge cultural influence of Indian TV soap and cinema on our people should be a cause for concern. One foreigner returning home after a 20-day stay in Bhutan remarked to me, "I was surprised to see that my Bhutanese host family watched Indian TV serials daily and could even understand the language. I felt like I was in India sometimes."
What seems like a harmless entertainment may have a negative influence in the long run. We need to counter such influence by encouraging our own television and entertainment industry to grow and become more vibrant.
We feel grateful to our founding fathers of education for their foresight to introduce English as the medium of instruction in our schools, while not neglecting our own national language. For a small country like Bhutan, we would be deprived of almost all modern information if we did not understand English.
But English is just a tool for our needs, not a part of our culture. There is more pride in using our own language among ourselves. So there lies the importance of Dzongkha. To foreigners, it might look absurd if two Bhutanese speak with each other in English in front of them as if we had no language of our own. We also see some of our shortcomings more clearly looking from a distance. For example, we are so careless when it comes to keeping our surroundings and public toilets clean. We need to be a little more careful in disposing off our wastes in proper places after consuming potato chips, sweets or soft drinks. Public toilets, be it in the towns, schools or in the offices are grossly neglected. It gives a very bad impression to visitors. A little more effort by way of employing more cleaners or having permanent water supply can remove this eyesore. Often, our simple folks are not treated properly by our civil servants. In developed countries, the staffs of public offices are very polite. What will it take for our civil servants to realize that serving the public, irrespective of their positions in society, is doing their job, not doing a personal favour?
Corruption is now showing its ugly face in our society. It is amazing how many corrupt practices are committed or condoned using the cliché “we are a small society”. For instance, we let a contractor who has done a poor job go because he is a friend’s uncle. We cannot hurt a friend’s sentiment because ours “is a small society” and we may run into him or have to ask for his favour any time. The connectedness in Bhutanese society is so strong that it is not just used for good purposes, but also for many corrupt practices. Yes, ours is a small society; so can we afford to let it be destroyed by the cancer of corruption?
We have a construction boom now, but the quality of civil works undertaken by our contractors is appalling in most cases. Cracks appear no sooner than they are completed. Issues are raised but things continue to happen the same way. Can we let a nation suffer with unsafe and substandard infrastructure for the sake of a few businessmen’s profits?
We have many good things to offer to the outside world, but at the same time, we have a lot to learn from them too. Are we ready to learn? Are we ready to do away with the annoying habit of entering a living room without taking off our shoes or slippers? Are we ready to work hard honestly and stop looking for an easy way out by engaging in fronting and other corrupt practices to get what we want? Let us preserve the good that we have, shed our shortcomings, learn more from others and work hard with honesty for ourselves and our country as we move into the future.
Let me highlight some of my reflections.
Most of the world seems to be consumed in globalization, but Bhutan has managed to remain a unique country of rich tradition and pristine natural environment. We appreciate this uniqueness more profoundly as we look at ourselves from a distance.
How lucky are we to have a well-preserved environment, a rich cultural heritage, a benevolent King and a peaceful society! Our unique culture and tradition does not only give us a sense of belongingness, but also identifies us as a sovereign country located between two giants in the world.
However, the huge cultural influence of Indian TV soap and cinema on our people should be a cause for concern. One foreigner returning home after a 20-day stay in Bhutan remarked to me, "I was surprised to see that my Bhutanese host family watched Indian TV serials daily and could even understand the language. I felt like I was in India sometimes."
What seems like a harmless entertainment may have a negative influence in the long run. We need to counter such influence by encouraging our own television and entertainment industry to grow and become more vibrant.
We feel grateful to our founding fathers of education for their foresight to introduce English as the medium of instruction in our schools, while not neglecting our own national language. For a small country like Bhutan, we would be deprived of almost all modern information if we did not understand English.
But English is just a tool for our needs, not a part of our culture. There is more pride in using our own language among ourselves. So there lies the importance of Dzongkha. To foreigners, it might look absurd if two Bhutanese speak with each other in English in front of them as if we had no language of our own. We also see some of our shortcomings more clearly looking from a distance. For example, we are so careless when it comes to keeping our surroundings and public toilets clean. We need to be a little more careful in disposing off our wastes in proper places after consuming potato chips, sweets or soft drinks. Public toilets, be it in the towns, schools or in the offices are grossly neglected. It gives a very bad impression to visitors. A little more effort by way of employing more cleaners or having permanent water supply can remove this eyesore. Often, our simple folks are not treated properly by our civil servants. In developed countries, the staffs of public offices are very polite. What will it take for our civil servants to realize that serving the public, irrespective of their positions in society, is doing their job, not doing a personal favour?
Corruption is now showing its ugly face in our society. It is amazing how many corrupt practices are committed or condoned using the cliché “we are a small society”. For instance, we let a contractor who has done a poor job go because he is a friend’s uncle. We cannot hurt a friend’s sentiment because ours “is a small society” and we may run into him or have to ask for his favour any time. The connectedness in Bhutanese society is so strong that it is not just used for good purposes, but also for many corrupt practices. Yes, ours is a small society; so can we afford to let it be destroyed by the cancer of corruption?
We have a construction boom now, but the quality of civil works undertaken by our contractors is appalling in most cases. Cracks appear no sooner than they are completed. Issues are raised but things continue to happen the same way. Can we let a nation suffer with unsafe and substandard infrastructure for the sake of a few businessmen’s profits?
We have many good things to offer to the outside world, but at the same time, we have a lot to learn from them too. Are we ready to learn? Are we ready to do away with the annoying habit of entering a living room without taking off our shoes or slippers? Are we ready to work hard honestly and stop looking for an easy way out by engaging in fronting and other corrupt practices to get what we want? Let us preserve the good that we have, shed our shortcomings, learn more from others and work hard with honesty for ourselves and our country as we move into the future.
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