What are WE?

As a friend deliberated on this, I couldn't help but wonder if we can ever describe ourselves in positive terms - as in we are this or that - Pakistanis unfortunately can be somehow better portrayed negatively - by explaining what they are not - simply because there is so much there are not.

1. Pakistani, first and foremost, are not humans. They are still placed somewhere earlier on in the evolutionary continuum and would require a good million years to actually become 'homo-sapiens,' that too, if they do not take on an entirely different course in evolution and end up becoming another species of god only knows what (the chance of this happening is very strong.) The Pakistani animal displays strange characteristics, it is highly volatile and unpredictable, shows very little remorse and does not learn simple tasks as other animals. It is very cruel and has no tendency of affection towards other members of the group, in fact, it tries hard to run the weak and the young over for its own good.

2. Pakistanis are not very intelligent and far-sighted. They live in the delusion of a safety net provided by very expensive Nuclear bomb, which neither gives them safety, not is a deterrent to any attack of the enemy. The recent foray of the US into the holy lands of puristan and the attack of 10 (only 10) rag tag militants on the naval base shows how useless and superfluous the 120 plus nuclear warheads are! They have and will make us only poorer than we already are and take some empty space, that's about it.

3. Pakistanis have no learning ability, if a nation can collectively have dyslexia then we are it. We cannot understand the written as well as the said word, what to talk of history and past events. So, on account of this inadequacy we are doomed to visitations by leaders from hell and beyond who profess to lead us while actually drowning us down in a bottom less abyss. The common man on the street and the privileged one in a room (make that air-conditioned) are quite conversant with politics of the day and display a basic understanding of what is wrong, but come election time they will queue up to vote for one of the same predatory losers who are out to ruin the country.

4. The concept of truth - we are totally alien to. Truth as in telling the truth is an obscure and unnecessary virtue, and the concept of a higher Truth as in what is reality is again a very marginal concept to most of us. We believe in 'what works' and 'connections' and other short cuts, what is merit? what is hard work? what is sincerity to one's work and values? these are not be deliberatd upon and those who are silly enough to take the path less taken and try live according to these futile tenets are laughed upon.

5. We are not authentic. This simply put means we are pretentious and bloated, portraying to the world an image which does not coincide with our real selves. For instance, we pretend to be suave and in control of our lives and the situation around us whereas in reality we are neither too sure of who or what we are and certainly have no grip on the situation which surrounds us. We pretend to be educated and liberal but at heart pay allegiance to our ethnic lineage and look down upon other minorities. Our education merely comprises of reading and writing and not much, it isn't a journey into understanding what is life and what really matters and what attributes count. When we travel abroad we are full of praise on how the other developed societies operate, how disciplined their people are and what rule of law abides, the same people on landing back into Pakistan have a prearranged custom protocol or FIA man standing for them with their name placard to be ushered through the queues at VIP speed and feel extremely self satisfied at this show of connection and self-importance!


6. And lastly, we have absolutely no shame. We just don't believe in an emotion called 'realization' which conveys the meaning of coming into an understanding of something and then learning from one's errors. We do not believe in this kind of guilt-playing and introspection! Why waste time on such things as self-analysis and criticize one's own self? Why ever? Where is the need? Since we are born perfect! There isn't anything wrong with us in the first place?