Is development always for the better?

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Development, whether infrastructural, economic, or social, can be a powerful tool for progress. But it is important to acknowledge its potential downsides and unintended consequences.

Cultures are defined as distinct meaning and practice systems that are shared by a community. They create, function in, and emerge from environmental conditions. Humans have developed distinct livelihoods and corresponding patterns of thought, language, expression, dress, worship, manners, and cosmos, shaped and reshaped by their surroundings[1].

Cultural erosion in the face of development is a complex and multifaceted issue that has captured the attention of scholars, policymakers, and communities worldwide. It presents a critical question: how can we achieve progress and prosperity without sacrificing the unique threads that weave together the tapestry of our identities and traditions?

Large-scale projects, often driven by globalized models, can lead to a homogenization of landscapes, architectures, and even social structures. Local practices and customs can be overshadowed by standardized approaches, eroding the distinctiveness of cultural identities[2]. Development projects can displace communities from their ancestral lands or disrupt their traditional ways of life. This is certainly not to say that development is directly proportional to cultural erosion, but some large projects although done for the betterment of society, do not consider how big of a damage can be caused if not implemented carefully.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam Project on the Narmada River in Gujarat was envisioned to provide irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectricity. However, its construction displaced thousands of tribal and marginalized communities from their ancestral lands, disrupting their traditional livelihoods and cultural practices[3]. The project submerged sacred sites and ancestral burial grounds, leading to a sense of cultural loss and identity displacement for the affected communities.

Resettlement programs faced challenges, often failing to adequately compensate or provide culturally appropriate living conditions. There are more examples close to home. Rapid urbanization in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru has resulted in the displacement of low-income communities and the destruction of traditional neighbourhoods to make way for new developments[4].

Bengaluru especially has taken the heat. Overpopulation and overdevelopment have overshadowed its culture and is becoming more and more westernised as the years progress. Brigade road, which was once a business destination, has become the party destination[5]. The youth in urban areas is more influenced by global trends and Western cultural elements, impacting their preferences in music, fashion, and lifestyle choices.

Environmental shifts have an impact on the diversity of human experience. Although it is difficult to measure cultural decline rigorously, the global decline in languages serves as a decent indicator. Every language has a distinct vocabulary with its own ontology, and every grammar form has a model of causes and effects. These languages offer us a unique means of understanding the world. Lost languages are lost cultures even if the vice versa of it remains untrue. Furthermore, the numbers do not look good:

It is estimated that between 50 and 90 percent of the languages spoken today will be extinct by the year 2,100. It disappears every two weeks or so[6]. For example, the decline of Irish is often attributed to various historical factors, including British colonial policies. However, urbanization, particularly in Dublin and other major cities, has accelerated the decline of Irish as English became the dominant language in urban centres. This is true even for Indian languages such as Odia, as Hindi became a dominant language[7].

Another important aspect of culture is food. Urbanization and development bring with it a shift in the quality and types of food consumed. With more and more cultivation lands becoming unusable because of land and water pollution which are a product of development projects, and while pesticides and modern farming equipment have been considered products of development, they are the real cause of declining food quality. Asian diets are drastically changing away from staple foods and toward more livestock and dairy products, fats and oils. These patterns are being strengthened by the quick expansion of international grocery stores and fast-food joints[8]. The dietary preferences of people, especially the younger generation, is towards western foods. Thus, traditional foods are being cooked and consumed lesser and lesser. This is how cultural foods are being replaced as a result of development.

To deny the impact of cultural erosion is to turn a blind eye to the vanishing languages, displaced communities, and fading traditions. We must acknowledge the irreplaceable value of these intangible treasures, recognizing their role in shaping our values, fostering a sense of belonging, and connecting us to our ancestors.

The path forward lies not in halting development or romanticizing the past, but in charting a course that fosters a symbiotic relationship between progress and preservation. The Government and the Corporates must do their part in promoting cultural awareness through education, media, and community engagement. This can shape a presentational attitude that values and preserves cultural practices.

Encouraging open dialogue, celebrating diversity, and fostering a sense of pride in heritage can contribute to a positive shift in societal attitudes toward cultural preservation. The first step towards that change is acknowledging the losses, embracing adaptive strategies, empowering communities, to ensure the continuity of the vibrant tapestry of human cultures.

[1] Paul Robbins, Eroding Cultures and Environments: What a Rapidly Changing Earth Means for the Richness of Human Experience, 16 Georgetown Journal of International Affairs 132, XXXX (2015).

[2] Adrienne Grêt-Regamey & Marcelo Galleguillos-Torres, Global urban homogenization and the loss of emotions, 12 Scientific Reports, XXXX (2022), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27141-7.

[3] The Narmada Issue: An Overview, Homepage | Cultural Survival, https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/narmada-issue-overview (last visited Jan. 6, 2024).

[4] ‘Bengaluru will go down in history as one of the best examples of how we can ruin a city’, The Hindu, https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bangalore-will-go-down-in-history-as-one-of-the-best-examples-of-how-we-can-ruin-a-city/article67134421.ece (last visited Jan. 6, 2024).

[5] From boxing arenas to shopping complexes: How B’luru’s Brigade Road changed over the years, The News Minute, https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/boxing-arenas-shopping-complexes-how-b-lurus-brigade-road-changed-over-years-73415 (last visited Jan. 6, 2024).

[6] Nicholas Evans, Dying Words: Endangered Languages and What They Have to Tell Us XXXX (Wiley & Sons, Limited, John 2009).

[7] Odia language experts oppose imposition of Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states, The New Indian Express, https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/apr/17/odia-language-experts-oppose-im.html (last visited Jan. 6, 2024).

[8] Prabhu Pingali, Westernization of Asian diets and the transformation of food systems: Implications for research and policy, 32 Food Policy 281, XXXX (2007), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.08.001.

-By Yuktha Suresh