The World- We Call Modern.

Fashion, latest trends and style statements have created immense magnitude in our lives. However, in this rat race to keep in check and to follow up with the latest “Ins and Outs” of the fashion and most up-to-date trends, we are leaving behind the relevance in chalking out the genuine necessities of life.
For some people, fashion is “everything” near them. Every half a year, they spend a fortune changing some tiny detail sequentially, to maintain their partisanship of the exclusive tribe of the rich... The wife moans in solitude because her mates have the branded clothes and diamonds and she doesn’t have the money to obtain them. The father works overtime to be able to purchase his son the newest trainers, for the reason that if his son doesn’t have a pair, he’ll be ostracized at school. The youth, instead of learning the real morals of hope and faith, dream only of becoming movie stars or the rock stars.
 Nonetheless, if they were to visit the Silicon Valley, where the billionaires of the IT industry wear plastic wrist watches and the worn out denims, they would comprehend that the world has revolutionized now. It’s not plastic or all about the latest shoes, the leather bags or the clothes.
A world that is ought to be directed towards integrity is contrastingly more prone towards the material things, which however, shall be worthless in a span of six months and be replaced by another “In-thing”. The modernity of the world lies not on the latest trends or on the “Ins and Outs”. Though, on the fact that if we are concerned about the human rights, the importance of justice and tranquility and the fact that our youth is acquiring the best education and that we live in a peaceful society, where the brotherhood and love and care exists for one another.

Flight Mode-A Myth By Nida Siddiqui

“All cell phones must be powered off all through the flight, as they might hamper the on-board system.”
And all of a sudden, all the cell phones, which would never be powered off even on the repeated request, during a meeting or a seminar etc, will be switched off. We all believe this and do as the flight attendants ask us to do so.
Conversely, has anyone ever wondered that what exactly is a flight mode? If mobile network signals can hamper the on-board system than, how can the passengers use laptops with the internet access, using exactly the same transmission system as cell phones? And we forget the possibility that on every flight, there were always at least two to three passengers who forgot to switch their phones off.  And then there has never been any accident reported ever in the world that a plane has fallen out of the sky because of the hinder in the on-board transmission due to the cell phones signals.
This myth has been created for years now. Airlines had been putting in their best efforts to induce travelers to use the phones attached to their seat. These outlays $10 per minute and ironically, exercise the same transmission system as the mobile phones.
This strategy didn’t work but the myth lingered on; they had simply forgotten to eliminate the warning from the roll of “Dos and Don’ts” that the flight attendant has to read out before the flight takes off. Though, now with the innovation of the unexplained concept of “flight mode” in the cell phones, one can use his/her cell phone as long as they desire. But does that really make any difference? Ironically, not at all. . .

Flood-A Disparaging Episode By Nida Siddiqui.

The recent disparaging episode of flood has caused intense destruction in the areas of Sind, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhuwan. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 14 million people, almost one in every 10 Pakistanis, have so far been affected by the flooding, which began late preceding month in the stir of profound monsoon rains.

More than 1,200 people have lost their lives, and at least 2 million left destitute, by the catastrophe which has also destroyed homes, farmlands and major infrastructure in large parts of the country, most conspicuously the north-west province of Khyber Pakhtoonkhuwan (KPK).

In the current scenario, when Pakistani nation requires the unity, love, care, respect and the spirit of brotherhood to help the flood victims and in order to support them emotionally and morally, many organizations and NGOs have came up to contribute their efforts for the betterment of the flood victims. Countless volunteers belonging to various political parties, civil societies and charity organizations have stepped forward in attempt to enroll in the flood relief activities.

Numerous stalls have been set up on major thoroughfares, streets and narrow lanes to facilitate donors to deposit the relief commodities at whichever one of their choice. Volunteers working on these booths are serving in the packaging of food, clothes and sanitation items. Some of these parties, groups and organizations engaged in the relief work have been sending the relief consignments to their destinations on their own while, the other simply entrust their collections to the NGOs for the allocation among the needy populace.

Hence as, every cloud has a silver lining, it’s a heartily hope that, Insha-Allah soon the nation recovers from the lost and the victims recover emotionally, psychologically and socially, let alone the financial factor.

Critical Thinking as a Phenomenon

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. It requires intellectual, innovative and explanatory form of thinking. Robert Ennis defined critical thinking as “a reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do.”

The term “critical” is often give a negative connotation, however in context to critical thinking, the term critical has been derived from “criteria”. A criterion is generally to form perception about any subject matter and to be rational in forming an opinion about that matter. It requires questioning your own thinking and then providing answers and then believing the answers, one attains after a sound, reasonable, reflective and constructive thinking process.

In third world countries, likewise Pakistan, it often sounds perverse to mention critical thinking as a phenomenon to ponder over. A common man has a lot more to think over and worry about rather analyzing the causes of power failures or rate of inflation. His mind is captivated with the thoughts of what and how shall he feed his family or foot the bill.

However, critical thinking is a necessity in Pakistan. With the rising rate of inflation, natural calamities and economic loss, it’s high time for not only the authorities but also the common man to put on their thinking caps and to analysis the scenario. Critical thinking is indeed necessary in Pakistan as, it leads to new approaches and new insights. We shouldn’t just be focusing on the immediate effects of any inauspicious situation but instead, the reasons which led to the cause of any unfavorable situation.

 For instance, the recent flood has caused a menace in the whole country. The recent flood has not only destroyed the villages in the southern Punjab, but has brought down the economy of the whole country to halt. Thousands have become homeless and the economy has faced a major set back as, not only the infrastructure has shattered as well as, farms, lands , livestock and cultivation have also been obliterated. At this point, the analyst should realize that the heavy rainfall wasn’t the cause of the flood that the dams overflowed. However, if the precautionary measures would have been taken beforehand, then the rain wouldn’t have been perceived as curse.

There are many other issues such as political instability, social instability, which requires brain storming. The question to be asked is not just why have any incident took place, Or why is the facing issues such as increasing crime rates, however, the aim of questioning should be how, why and what caused any incident and what measures should be taken ton eradicate such scenarios in future.

All in all, critical thinking holds immense importance in any society, it helps in reshaping the society to bring tranquility and justice. It also helps in establishing a democracy and for every member of a society to work and think critically for the betterment of the society.

Unsuitable Wording in the Songs

The recent trend of using the unsuitable words in the songs has caught my attention. The trend of rap music has always been quite popular among the youngsters. However, rap music was initially based and limited to the English music only. Few eminent rappers like Eminem, 50 cents etc earned a lot of reputation through their raps.

Nonetheless, this fashion has now started in the east as well. It started from the misplacing of the similar sounding letters like “k” for “c”, “Z” for “S”. Etc. And now the current drift of using abusive words in a plain song, in order to make it sound catchy and so-called “cool”. Even if the rest of the song is in Urdu, this one abusive word will be highlighted and played back constantly in rapid beats.

Now my focus is on the fact that through such bogus in style elements, we are not only promoting the use of abusive words among the youngsters but also spoiling their language. Music is the easiest medium to transfer the knowledge. The catchy beats help in memorising the lyrics faster than any lesson. Yet, the use of such words is causing the youngsters to adopt such words in their routine language, considering it a “cool” thing to do.

Hence, such words shouldn’t be used in the songs, as one, that isn’t “cool” at all. Second, it is corrupting the young brains. Songs can be made catchier with the beats and the right lyrics and it is not necessary to use abusive words, as used in current songs likewise “Bullshit” and “Ullu da patha”, ironically, these words are the song titles additionally.

Fashion Statements-At a Glance.

Modern fashion industry has brought along different trends, different style statements and unique cuts and designs. As, it is asserted that the fashion statements flies from the west and lands at the east, this to some extent doesn’t seem to be an incorrect avow. The western influence doesn’t seem to fade, no matter what the designers claim and how unique they allege their designs to be.

Today, we follow the western cuts. Even in the eastern traditional wear, we seem to have some weight of the western wear. Well, this can be argued about with the account that, it is always good to experiment with trends and “modernize” clothes.

However, the question here raises that why do the fashion makers design the west influenced outfits, which are indeed inappropriate to be worn? One can’t wear them around the streets, let alone to some gala. These clothes labeled to be the “high street fashion” are mostly just a “wan bee” attempt to come up to standards of the western fashion industry.

Why designers are so engrossed in the do or die attempt to reach the international standards by designing clothes which the general public can’t wear? Does the west ever initiate such attempts? They design what their people can carry around. Then, why are our designers swinging the western cuts which are “vulgar” enough to be worn and don’t promote our local culture. It is good to be experimental but what is the point of experimenting when the local values fade away?

In my perspective, one should attempt innovation yet shouldn’t move ahead to the extent that one leaves behind the former values. In east, where the culture doesn’t shore up extreme western cuts, added we don’t have that figure to carry them around then what is the gain behind investing energy and money In creating such outfits and holding ramp walks in super skimpy clothes? One shouldn’t fore go their own values in the race to modernize.