Privacy in Karachi
I am overwhelmed with the lack of privacy and the overwhelming presumptions that exist in our culture. Yes, its has been discussed, how we cannot mind our own business, TV shows and books speak of the gossiping neighbors as an arch type that we all must bear, but why? Why can’t people mind their own business? Do they gain anything at all? A wise man once said “small minds discuss people, big minds discuss events and great minds discuss ideas, genius act silently”. Have we lost all semblance of greatness? We are a bunch of childish grown ups who feel compelled to focus and comment on the person rather than the idea being presented. Is this why we are lagging behind in the race to just be human?
Coming back to my peeve, the lack of privacy… when applying for a bank card here, you are usually asked for your mother’s maiden name. This is a Western idea of security as women usually take on the name of their husbands after marriage and so someone may not know your mother’s maiden name (surname) if they have met you as an adult and so may not be a security threat to you. Recently, when I filled my form for such a bank card, not only could I NOT seal the form, the office admin person actually looked at the form and asked why I had not given my mother’s complete name! The one “secure” question is not only open for all to see it’s also open to scrutiny! (Also the distance between cars is so minimal I do feel violated sometimes just by the sheer lack of distance between my car and my “lane mate’s”! – I say lane mate’s because of course we are so keen on sharing that people feel compelled to “share” my lane with me, no “one lane one car” rule here! Also, before someone starts off with how there are too many cars and not enough space, yes there are, but if you drive BEHIND one another, you will still get to your destination, it will just take a little longer). I digress but I heard how a foreign delegate once said about us Karachi-ites that we are a people going no where in a hurry!! Let that be food for thought, especially at a time when we are supposed to be practicing self restraint and control, during Ramadan.
Also, this idea of asking about people’s salary when was that deemed as ok? It’s not ok to say we are a very close knit society and its ok to share this stuff. No. These are unsaid rules that were once considered a lack of breeding and grooming. Why is everything that we do wrong considered ok now? These are small day to day peeves that I mention here. I am not touching on the big topics like justice for all, irrespective of financial background, that is a quagmire I am not sure I am capable of handling here, but there is a genuine lack of upbringing in our people and it’s time we start acting educated. Even if we did not practice such things earlier, we can change still, (that is the human condition) it may not be too late for us as yet .
If everyone minded thier own language, we would have nothing to talk about!!!
What a vulnerable topic you have picked to pen upon,
but before about the topic – i suggest –
If you have not applied for the card, Please do not apply or get tempted to apply.
USE ATM, but not Credit card, Unless it is your work requirement or mandatory for you to carry one. Credit cards are nightmare if not managed and handled with care. The annoying promo calls at vee hours are real spooky and you can never get rid of those.
– privacy –
No sir, we as nation are curious, inquisitive about others instead of managing ourselves and improving ourselves.
we are quick to examplify others and keen to say -wahan, WOH , Unhon nai, Uss Nai, kahan, kab kaisay, instead of doing LEAST being straight honest to admit that yes IT is Wrong.
(in general ) Your neighbor must be knowing your working hours, place of work, type of work you do, then he is aware of what his daughter / wife does when he is not home….. ! and you I’m sure you may even not be knowing his name and how many children or family members are in his house.
I maintain a respectable distance from others around me (even on road) and yes I’m told that I HAVE an Attitude, but I believe I have my rights. That is what I’m telling juniors to respectfully maintain a line and privacy so you get your own when you are an adult.
– I hope I have not deviated from topic.
well!
Its our Govt policy !! thats all,
Speaking in defense of book Piracy!
A commentator once said on Pvt TV channel that ” In Pakistan there is tax on studies,:Pakistan main parhayee per TAX hay”
Lets analyze, we buy pirated books here from around 100-200 Rupees ! and the print of these books are pathetic!
McGraw Hill is printing books in India, (Low price Editions) but the print quality is great ! and the prices of those books (in India ) are from 100-450 Rs App.
Microsoft recently signed contract With Jacob Book Press (JBD Press) Lahore for Low price publishing of its book, these books (although printed localy ) are way expensive around 500 Rs per book each, and the print quality remains Pathetic!!!!
There is an enormous tax on importing Printing MAchines, which is resulting in such high prices ! So clearly Govt is Responsible! (You can also analyse Newspaper prices in PAkistan and India )
Secondly ! We are well known over the world for Pirated CDs and DVDs Courtesy Rainbow Centre!
What many people dont know is that what we pay for pirated stuff is , apart from being illegal, expensive ! than it should have been ! When we go to buy a DVD of any film ! it costs around 50-60 Rupees, again the Quality of DVD is poor ! (Good quality DVDs are Golder or Silver is color, as opposed to our blue ones), While if you compare that to Prices in India ! the distributors are selling Orignal DVDs (for which they have to pay Royalty too) for 49 Rupees ! which are good in quality (Silver or Golden) and are Fully Legal!
Inshort We in Pakistan are being ripped of at everything!
OOPS Sorry posted at wrong place!
pardon me !
please delete it ! [:)]
This is not just a problem in Pakistan, we are just a lot less subtle about it. It is in the human being’s nature to want to know about others, about things that aren’t their business, and to sit in judgment of everyone else.
The only “solution” is to be rude and not share the information. Doing this can make you seem like a snob, but, if you value your privacy, then it needs to be done. One word of caution: It can be exhausting doing this all the time.
@saba
BASIC men discuss people….
What kind of men are BASIC men?? never heard of them before!
Here is a very simple answer. We look into other peoples business because we are too farigh.
Once we are too busy with our own issues, we won’t focus on others.
As for privacy, you have a choice. Don’t use a credit card! If you use one, stop complaining.
Frankly, even though the post brings up a good issue but the problem is very easy to solve. It has everything to do with the people themselves.
It is not our culture either, that is not true. It is simply the fact that people have too much time to talk when they are farigh, if we were busy all the time, this would not happen!
saba:
sorry for this digression:
…Karachi-ites that we are a people going no where in a hurry!!
every moment of the recent past i spent on the road points to the contrary!…
everybody is in a hurry to reach nowhere fast…from the cart-pusher on shah rah e faisal to the mini bus terror, doped rickshaw drivers, motor cyclists, even bicyclists….
arrrghhh!
there is no road sense…zilch~!…people overtake from left, right…squeeze in spaces that reaffirms faith in god…all in a maddening rush…
and
despite all this nobody is punctual
(thanks for allowing me to rant)
saba:
sorry for this digression:
…Karachi-ites that we are a people going no where in a hurry!!
every moment of the recent past i spent on the road points to the contrary!…
everybody is in a hurry to reach nowhere fast…from the cart-pusher on shah rah e faisal to the mini bus terror, doped rickshaw drivers, motor cyclists, even bicyclists….
arrrghhh!
there is no road sense…zilch~!…people overtake from left, right…squeeze in spaces that reaffirms faith in god…all in a maddening rush…
and
despite all this nobody is punctual
(thanks for allowing me to rant)
small minds discuss people,
big minds discuss events,
great minds discuss ideas,
genius act silently.
i think the quote is this.
on privacy, as a society we dont even know the meaning of that. we’ll stare, and stare and stare. we will ask private questions and what not.
to do something in this regard, i’d say tell people bluntly that its none of their business to ask such stuff.
its the only way they’ll learn
You have raised a very good point, and I have always had this problem as well. But I guess for now, you will have to act as the “rude” or “impolite” one till the rest of the nation come to their senses.
As many people said, it is the “farigh” time because of which people start discussing people. As the saying goes, “Idle mind is an evil mind.”
(or something to that effect)
@ Sooban
Thanks! I knew I was mis quoting but I also knew I needed to get this out there and then someone would correct me! Thanks so much…. no I mean it sincerely. As for the card I mentioned, I was not applying for a credit card, I do not like to live on credit but the basic ATM debit card, I guess I should have clarified! ;-)
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Eleanor_Roosevelt
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
http://bestuff.com/category/eleanor-roosevelt-quote
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