Risk culture

Sultan Ahmad

Is culture at risk or risk is becoming our culture? A genuine need to ponder, deliberate and communicate at large!

The perennial issue is about the willingness to embrace risk naïvely. This is not a recent phenomenon but the trend is more on the rise. Being uncertain about a particular risk may be considered lack of knowledge or the substance to understand any potential hazard that could turn into risk. But the most intriguing thing is the situation of being wary of the risk but still embracing it for the sake of fun or joy.  In a risk society where technologies have already brought havoc, inviting new risks must be a matter of deep concern and serious investigation. Now we have come to a stage that people are ‘selling’ risk on cheap prices. We happily buy the risk without realizing how much it would cost to our own lives, families and the society at large. Does this mean that as a society we are numb and paralyzed to even interrogate the RISK DEALERS?

For the elders, the youth, and leaders; this is high time to think carefully and go back into the debris of the social and cultural edifice which is wrecked and needs pillar and the fabric of cohesion, self-control, care and respect for life. We must build that again on strong footings. We must make its OLD values work. We must define for ourselves what the youth means to us and the youth must realize what it means to the society. May I dare to say that by dint of risk games, it is not just loss to the lives of individuals- this is death of the culture. This is time to stand still and ask the authorities- what is going on?

We must also turn to the elements with greater risk appetite having hidden hands in valorizing such acts that turn to be detrimental. We must now interrogate those who deal in risks and lives over and again. This is time to re-think about the parent-child relation, the family values, the responsibilities of elders, relatives, friends and teachers. We must realize that exposure to other cultures is a tool to understand cultures and build on your own values. To this end, the social activists, media and the reasonable minds should join hands for a renewed commitment to the norms and values of our society and make sure that our youth understands its worth and value. We must reduce those risks through a process of dialogue and mutual understanding while bringing the risk dealers to the rows of justice.

May peace prevail on our dear homeland!