Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

The Social Network

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The Social Network

We are in living in the so-called information era. Information revolution and globalization are two main topics discussed thoroughly across the globe. The earth is shrinking too fast, changing into a small village. Resistance does not work. Countries, which try to build cyst around, finally understand that the most they try the most pressure would be mounted. That would be similar to construction of tight-sealed dam against flowing water. The ultimate result is clear what would succeed and who will fail.

I cannot forget how the traditional front of the society horrified about the prospective of Televisions and internet. Elders and religious scholars were lambasting people and warning them about destructive outcomes of the so-called Cable and Dish Antenna, which are capable of receiving channels, broadcasted from stations other then respective countries.

During that I was a teenage boy and I used to live in Quetta Pakistan which is quite a conservative society. People ware alarmed by religious scholars to avoid buying Satellite Dish, telling that families would shatter down and youngster would be the main victim of those un-Islamic and Immoral channels, which, according to them, guided by west to destroy Islam and Muslim. Moreover, their daughters would not follow the lead of her mother rather would learn from channels and would loose decency and virtue.

I faced quite a similar situation in a district of Ghazni province when Taliban regime collapsed after US military intervention in 2001. During second half of 90s, Afghan people used to live under the harsh Islamic regime of Taliban, which was interfering to very personal sphere and giving directions about what to do and what not. People did not have the least right to decide about their personal sphere of their lives, instead they used to be told what do and how to do.

Wearing turban, a traditional clothing style of Pashtun ethnic group, branded as Islamic and all students were forced to wear them. Adults must had grow mustache and kept their hair short. Because it mustache branded as tradition of Prophet Muhammad and obligatory for all Muslims to follow it. Same was with the turban. It is quite interesting that how those actions were justified on the basis of religion, because you know that a kind turban which prevalent among an ethnic group is not similar with turban which Arabic style of today as well as history.

Anyhow, after the collapse of the regime, people were celebrating through shaving mustache and beard. Perhaps it was just with beard and mustache. Suffering too much under the regime, people became tired of such interpretation and were looking for a political establishment to provide them sphere where they can decide and do for themselves.

The reaction was quick and based on sense of enmity and revenge. Because many tried to throw away what they were forced to do. Televisions, which were banned soon restarted. Music and movies soon became wide spread. People for hours started staring at Televisions in restaurants and hotels many of which were competing to broadcast movies with nude scenes in order to attract customers.

This reactionary move was visible in all most everything. Democracy was welcomed with enthusiasm. As I frequently wrote about the level of participation of people in the first parliamentary and presidential election was far better the level of participations last year.

Now back to the first point. In 2002, when returned to Afghanistan, people were buying satellite dish and others were hearing about the channels it was able to receive.

Traditionalists and religious scholars were resisting asking the people to avoid buying Dish Antenna which would destroy their families and immortalize their sons and daughters. Seemingly, the resistance though effective but it became increasingly normal. In another word, the tradition taboo erased and people increasingly have become familiar with contexts of those movies and films. Even there are out religious scholars having dish antenna and are not lambaste by people.

What I want to tell is the "information explosion" will not leave any village in the most remote and conservative society without giving a strong electric shock. What happened with Televisions is repeating with internet, which is far more effective to challenge the tradition.

It provides updated information. I can clearly remember, about what was going in my Afghanistan or even the province, we are informed by BBC or Radio Dari of Mashhad, Iran. After few years, now even the small local radio station informs people about who wins the inter-party election of the United States! Is not amazing? Students who during his high-school did not hear anything about internet now follows online courses and takes degree through internet! Guys what is really happening? Now we are moving in a speed which is far faster then earth speed around sun.

Meanwhile, many notice nothing. Standing aside and exclaiming Oh! How the world is changing around? The process is further fuelled by, if not revolution, fundamental change within the information explosion: emergence of social network.

The term generation of the Facebook is occasionally used for new, talented young generation, using Facebook, twitter, Hi-fi and other social networks and lead changes and revolutions in their own countries. the power of social network is visible in last years uprisings and protests across the globe, particularly in Arab world which led to collapse of several other regime and some are on the list of fall or grudgingly bring fundamental changes in the political and economic establishment. The short-term prospective of the social network is good too. It would continue its dominance in human society.

It is likely that countries which embark to restrictions and censor may not be able to resist indefinitely and finally would yield. And fallout of information explosions continues affecting and shaping the human society directly or indirectly.

Jawad Rahmani is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at jawad_rahmani2001@yahoo.com

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