Good and negative influences of civilization in our society

By Fayokemi Adedayo
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Without mincing words, civilization is an advanced state of human society containing highly developed forms of government, culture, history and common social norms which also implies sophistication and refinement.

It describes the state of human society marked by significant urbanization, social and professional stratification, the luxury of leisure time, and corresponding advancements in the arts and sciences.

It offers new way to interact with the world, expand your empire across the map, advance your culture and compete against history. It is the education of people in society, enables cultural values to be appreciated and adhered to.

There is widespread agreement in the Western world that civilization is a good thing, or at least that it is better than the alternatives: barbarism and savagery. The more we progress both as a species and as individual human beings, the more civilized we become individually and collectively.

It changed the way in which educated people, looked at the natural world, it also changed humanity, views of itself. However not all scientific advances have been positive.

Mechanical and scientific inventions changed the way in which goods were produced and marketed. The telephone, radio, X-rays, microscope and electricity all contributed to rapid changed  in life styles. Surgeries and medication made remarkable improvements in health facilities as a result of civilization.

Civilization also has its disadvantages in that; it has minimized ethical and moral values. This resulted from adopting western cultures and tradition.

People tend to lose their own cultures and tradition and are evident in the way some people conduct themselves.

Just as civilization has helped our society to develop rapidly, it has also damaged it in some ways, especially our culture and religion.

With the passage of time, the western culture did not only influence Nigeria politically, economically, and socially, but also influenced their minds and culture to such an extent that even subsequent generations have absorbed the influence as well.

Civiliisation has been spread throughout our country through media. The TV channels show various newscasters and different characters in the dramas wearing westernised clothes.

It presents the western world in such a glittering way that anybody can become its victim. Civilization fades away our religious values.

Media shows different programs that leave a negative impact on the children about drugs, disobedience, unnecessary freedom and plays a prominent role in ruining the culture and moral values and also encouraging youth to adopt western culture in the name of Civilisation.

Indeed, Civilization was introduced to get us enlightened and become more advanced, but we accepted and applied it wrongly in some areas, especially by our youths.

In the olden days, both the male and female youth dressed responsibly and in Godly way, but nowadays, reverse is the case.

It is regrettable, that civilization, besides its advantages, has eroded our decent way of dressing and what we have around us is indecent dressing by our youths.

Indecent dressing simply means deliberate exposure of one’s body to the public, a practice that is contrary to the acceptable norms and values of the society.

Indecent dressing is the major cause of the various assault and sexual harassment recorded in the society, over time.

As a result of civilization, Nigerian ladies dress half naked to occasions all in the name of fashion’ and this is contrary to the prestige placed on African women. For instance Nigeria ladies derive pleasure in wearing cloth such as mini skirt, bumper short, armless.

Imagine a lady who dressed half naked and call it “fashion”. You will see some ladies wearing a blouse that shows half of their breast  and the cloth will even be handless, putting on a pant and call that “bumshort” and she will be shameless to wear that on the street all in the name of civilization.

Same goes to some guys who do not care putting on a rag and call name it “crazy jean” and will even sag with the torn trouser calling it swag, you will even see them putting on earrings, weaving their hairs like that of ‘sango’, god of thunder” and look like a mad man all in the name of civilization

All this is the cause of juvenile delinquency. Most of the under age children engage in early sex as a result of what they watch on Television as well as what they saw among their older siblings.

Civilisation, apart from exposing the youths to immoral way of dressing, had also introduced them to early sex, lack of respect for the elderly, believing its the practice in the civilized world.

Hardly will you see a girl kneeling to greet her parents or elderly ones around her or a guy prostrating to elderly ones like it was in the olden days. When you query them, their response will be that no one does that they will say who does that in the modern world.

In olden days, ladies respect their dignity and pride till they get married especially in Yoruba land, but nowadays, most of our youths believe love is not complete without making love to each other and this accounts for the increase in unwanted pregnancies and single mothers in our society.

Gone are those days, when a man of God would practice what they preach, where they pray endlessly for the kingdom of God, where they never bothered about how their church looks like or how many members they have in their church in as  much they win souls for Christ and feed them with spiritual words to make Heaven.

Sadly, most men of God now are concerned about building their Churches with glass to attract more members with a view to swindling them through various forms of donations without feeding them with true words of God and failing to practice what they preach.

It behoves on parents to educate their children more on the needs to adhere strictly to and uphold our cultural values in other for them to safeguard their dignities and live responsible lives.

I believe it will do our society more good than harm, by embracing the rewarding aspect of civilisation and jettison that which has brought doom to the lives of our youths.

It is however, imperative, that the authorities concerned should take immediate actions to curb the negative effects of civilization with a view to saving our precious and historical culture before the situation gets worse.