The social media has introduced many trends to present era. The thing that goes viral on Facebook, twitter, Instagram or any other social network, is taken as an obligation and is followed by all its users. One of these trends include jokes regarding the cast such as Pathan, Sheikh and Sardar.
Everyone is born free with the right to freedom of expression but this does not give us a leverage to mock someone. Pathans are often criticized for their dull mindedness. However, they are one of the bravest group of people. Such kind of jokes are not merely a source of amusement, rather they carry a subliminal message of hatred and discrimination.
Being a literature student, I am more exposed to analyzing things critically, whenever I read any of these jokes they make me feel sorry for the people who are supporting them. They are unintentionally supporting the concept of superiority on basis of cast which is strictly forbidden in Islam. Following a trend is not wrong but following a trend that demoralizes and devalues anyone is certainly unpardonable.
In today’s world, people do not use their mind, they rather prefer to ‘google’ everything. They have failed to recall the fact that google cannot tell them the subliminal messages behind their so called sources of entertainment. Therefore, such kind of jokes have created an stereotypical image in the mind of masses that people of a specific group are alike.
Following a social trend is not bad as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. The need of the hour is to stay united and we as a nation should seriously ponder upon it. Stereotyping others on basis of assumptions is absolutely wrong. It just represents an individual’s narrow mindedness and primitive approach towards others. Just a thought of acknowledging wrong can surprisingly bring revolution among the ordinary people to transform into an extraordinary nation. Let’s stop stereotyping others from today.