Striking cultural balance — can moderation and modernization go hand in hand?

Several academics and sociologists have analyzed the social transformations currently unfolding in the Kuwaiti society, stressing the importance of adopting moderation in addressing these changes.

They cautioned that modernization should not be outrightly rejected in all aspects of daily life, but rather approached with awareness and balance, to avoid being a victim of the cultural influences and external pressures affecting the region.

The experts pointed out that Kuwait’s identity has long been shaped — both before and after the discovery of oil — by its customs and traditions, Al-Rai reports.

Some of these traditions, they explained, are tied to specific social contexts, while others are rooted in personal behavior and lifestyle.

However, they emphasized that such customs are not universal or fixed; what may be seen as acceptable in one society could be dismissed in another, and what one culture values as beautiful may be viewed as undesirable elsewhere.

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