I Rather They Suffer Than We Suffer

“If one keeps on neglecting creativity, but works in a context of acceptability, as according to that school of thought which taught them, then we unconsciously stunt our inner easternmost expressions by paying homage to western literal and artistic ideas, subconsciously elevating them to iconic towkay status making them relevant, but in turn, reduces our own chances of making our way to the top.
Schools of music till today still stresses on Brahm and Bach. Schools of writing still pays homage to Shakespeare and Wilde, not Tagore or Han Suyin. Schools of visual art history conveniently branded us as offshoots of abstract expressionism. We have been suppressed for the longest of time, if not, being denied our own language and identity. And until we assert our own brand, we can’t flourish as unique individuals. With this, our arts and literal history should thus be rewritten and pushed further back to the time where our ancestors began it all. To say that our arts began during the Islamic age is an unforced error. There are many other dynasties that we should reckon with that even the aborigines should not be discounted. They are the unique individuals that did not begin their existence feeding off western classicals as we have always been, and that’s the reason why we are conveniently placed into neat identifiable parcels ready for the slaughterhouse and many a time, being labeled as ‘aliens’. If I may say, that was our own doing.
Western ideas propound that without education, one would fail. That is untrue. Because we have seen that with great acumen, being led by the teachings and philosophy of wise men from the east, many uneducated local rich has proven them wrong. That without the infiltration of western ideals, imperialistic China has thrived way longer than many from the West.
The westerners also has an uncanny habit to device all sorts of courses and tailor them to suit their own ideals whilst we in turn, enrolled ourselves into their classes, many a time earning a degree studying about our own culture, tradition and way of life through them. Should this continue?
The profoundness of a language is also not important as our forefathers has time and again, proven. Living with different ethnicities, we never have trouble understanding each other, or getting our messages across, despite the littlest we know about someone else’s language.
If I may repeat, we need that paradigm shift. Of thought and execution. Classical eastern writings, performances, and visual expressionism should in the future, not be assessed by western standards and principles, or risk being lumped into pattern moulds set for us, and be forever regarded as an off—track or an off—shoot of the western system. How close are we to the Africans if I may ask, that when one studies Asian, we are conveniently lumped alongside theirs?
Thus, to get rid of being stereotyped, we, including the academicians, should all rise to the occasion and be ourselves. We should write as how we write according to how our natural senses evoke us, and be as distinct as how our ancestors are, listening to our own folktales, swaying to the rhythm of our own wayang, and paint with the scurried soul of an easterner.
Our works should overwhelm them with just that tinge of ourselves, and we should all by now, live as how we are, being accorded a rightful place on the map of the world since time immemorial.
What I just lamented may sound discomforting to the westerners, but I rather they suffer than we suffer, the earful.”