Trailing End of the Middle Class at Shaadi Online

My father often comments that the average Shaadi Online participant is earning 10-20000 bucks a month. He thinks that`s strange, but reminds us how life is for most people out there.

I think it`ll be worthwhile to give the link of hte website for further comments.
[b]www.shaadionline.tv[/b]. Alternately, a mirror version (which somehow has a slightly different interface) runs at [b]www.geo.tv/shaadionline[/b].

Enjoy!

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Thanks for all the kind comments on the article. I guess, the question that I have posed is ``If we can overcome the shortcomings of the people of Pakistan that they suffer because of the intellectual and social lifelessness of our downtowns, by building efficient online communities for all to come and join (like Shaadi Online) with any and all constructive themes, we might be able to speed up the growth of our middle class. Any takers?``

It would be nice if some of you can throw in some ideas about setting up online communities aimed at solidifying and increasing the middle class in Pakistan.

nikki,

I think the reason you manage to offend so many people is that you persist in making sweeping generalizations that amount to ``India Good, You Lot Bad``. We all know no one here is a saint, but when you make generalizations about , for instance, south asian women and contrast them with the new crop of Indian women you`re so proud of, you sound, well, a bit thick, really. Are there no women who fall into the `traditional south asian woman` category in India? Are there no socially conscious young women entering the work force in other south asian countries? Expressing opinion is one thing. Expressing ignorance of facts is quite another.

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re: this article
A good read.
re: #4 by kewlfi and # 7 by bongdong
Both of u are right in your own ways.
India is justified to be proud as it is one of the few democracies in that part of the world but it has a long way to go to be an egalitarian and just society.
My brother once said it in jest that God intended USA to be a role model for everyone. May be he was right.
India`s biggest problem is the baggage from the past. Caste is one big minus. Though democrazy should have done away with caste, this has not happened. Elections are fought on caste-lines. A Yadav (however good he/she may be) cannot stand and win on his/her merits alone from say a Jat domintated region.
Marriages are also caste-based. I am not sure what happens after a boy and girl meet over internet and decide to get married. Do they then go back and arrange the marriage thr` their parents? Internet has sadly not done away with the caste system. It reinforces it in everyway.
India is a society in transition. It is however on the right path. It wil take a long time to transition to a modern society where individual efforts are valued more than caste and place of birth. The good news is that the growing middle class in big cities are forging ahead and shedding the old baggage that i talked about.
In India (as well as in Pak), historically a lot of importance is given to family, family honor etc. Family has preserved the age old customs and culture but today that role is no more needed. Just like joint family is not needed anymore, the age old family affiliation is a liability today. I know of people who think it is O.K to take bribes to put their children thr` a private medical school. It does not dawn on them that this is unethical. Indians place more premium on family than on the country and its institutions. Few pay taxes. Few follow civic or traffic rules. They will do anything for their children but will not cast a second glance on a poor man dying on the street. One of my colleagues who is hispanic and goes abroad to do charity work (he is a surgeon) was shocked to see so many homeless on the streets in India. It is not just a govt` s job. It is people`s job.
People in USA are more patriotic as they care more for the downtrodden, give more to charities, are more law abiding, pay their taxes etc
Anyway, i will stop here. I think i have made my point.
Sridhar

nikki7777 So true, although when we talk about the region we represent same region but mentality across the borders are so different.
Wondering how come he was happy with maxima…. He got such a shity taste…
Contrary to that my ex-roommate who is grandson of a famous ex chief minister of Gujarat returned back to India without paying his university loan… coz all he needed was a picture in graduation gown to put in his office….. such a smart Indian huh??

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I totally agree with urstruly at 1. there are no shortcuts in life, creating a healthy and vibrant online community cannot happen unless we try and address Pakistans fundamental issues of poverty and discrimination which have permeated every sphere of our existence.
I still support Shaadi online as it does bring the message of some hope to countless millions
in atleast one aspect of their miserable life.

Nikki...censuring free speech is one thing. Stopping people from verbally abusing each other for the hell of it is another. Your post, which I have copied and pasted unedited below, does not, to my mind, serve any useful purpose. I am just trying to point out that, if we choose to interact with one another, we need to be more civilised.

Your post:

According to an elderly pakistani gentleman who lives in the same building as myself, all pakistanis do is ``eat and make babies``.....end of quote.And, i might add, this comment was made this August , after he had returned from a month long visit to karachi.Some of his other comments are``.....the punjabi-log have destroyed everything in pakistan, they used to kill indian immigrants and take over their businesses in the old days etc.``......He`s not a `mohajir` nor a punjabi, nor do i know how true all this is.I just find it amusing. hehe.

My deepest condolences to all Pakistanis on the death of writer Ishfaq Ahmad. May God bless his soul and comfort his loved ones. The one and only sufi writer in Pakistan has left us.

HE

You are right. I was too quick and too harsh to judge my own people. I was so wrong. I apologize to all.

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Yeah, Nikki, I am shocked! he should have at least changed his model of car every year, doncha think? :)

And India surely is in any top 10 list of corrupt countries in the world. Do you really think all of the things you accuse others does not go on in our own country. We really can not afford to throw stones at others my dear. This has little to do with the article but my experience with Arab cultures and peoples have been amazingly good. I have many North African and Middle eastern friends- they are really the nicest people. I have my cribs, an Arab employee can often be a pain, but they are the politest and friendliest people in the world. Really.

Like I said rudeness is our forte. Its nothing to be proud of either. Someone says something nice about India and you are rude and insulting to people in his forum? Crash course in manners is sorely required.

Nice article Raza!

Btw...nikki7777 needs to be banned. He/she/it doesnt bring anything useful to these discussions.