I am an Indian and I have become hyperaware of the people and the culture that surrounds me and I am beginning to see the flaws in it. One of the flaws that trouble me the MOST is how most Indians behave when they encounter any authority figure (mostly higher class or “higher” caste or the wealthy or the bureaucrat class).

When an average Indian walks into a Government office with a corrupt bureaucrat in it, he begins treating himself as an insect, he is way too afraid and he is way too submissive and slavish, this doesn’t end here however, if you meet someone of a higher social status than yourself you become slavish and submissive there too and this happens every time an authority figure is in the room and even with people who think very highly of themselves(at their homes, with their families etc.,) I dress well and look somewhat well so once I had a guy who is my father’s age call me sir and use language which is reserved for “the higher classes”. This is not ok! I wish he had a spine, I don’t want to be him when I grow up, but I know he didn’t choose to be that way, it’s the environment he was brought up in and not being aware of one’s own slavishness.

I am not blaming my people, but I do detest the culture which caused this. And don’t be fooled, I am not an observer, I (used to) do this too and I hate this

It’s like our bones melt and our brain switches off and we become in our own eyes the lowest form of life on earth. Probably justifiably because the education we have received is subpar (counter-productive) in most cases. And you can’t think highly of yourself if you are capable of doing anything productive, but it’s not just that, it happens with those people who are productive members of the society, but to a lesser extent.

I have heard many Southern Asian countries are like this in this aspect. So, I was wondering how you treat authority in your culture and if you thought it was healthy. I would be very much interested if your culture is similar to mine and what you think might have caused it.

And most importantly, how do you think I can get rid of this disgusting habit, is it even possible in India? (fellow Indians jump in here)

edit: Thanks to everyone who replies! :)

  • denshirenji@lemmy.world
    2·
    6 months ago

    1. British colonialism bad.

    2. This goes far before the British. Before the British, there were the Mughals. This part of the indian culture is old and predates either of these two. The caste system has been around forever.

    Edit: Bit of clarity.

    • Ganesh Venugopal@lemmy.mlOP
      1·
      6 months ago

      The caste system has been around forever

      Yeah, I guess we can trace a lot of this behavior to that. Good catch there. “Some people are more equal in others” even after the constitutional gave everyone “equal” rights.

      British colonialism bad.

      I don’t know! I see many of my rich friends desperately flocking to Britain and people in India being tribal as hell that I am beginning to think maybe British rules would have suited us better. i.e., I want more free-speech in this country, I want more freedoms and better legal system in this country. The legal system in UK is objectively better than ours in many ways, I won’t mind that tbch with you.