The overly practical person thinks that pursuit of practicality in terms of fulfilment of material need and greed is the only way to live and pursuit of the refinements of culture is an altogether unnecessary occupation. He, accordingly, goes about imposing his practicality on all those who are attuned to the beauties of life and makes their life miserable through his constant carping, criticism and fault-finding when he does find them engaged in the pursuit of their own art-forms. This is so unfortunate a situation that culture is dying a gradual death and humanity sinking to the abysmal depth of a coarse living devoid of the sublimity of a higher sensibility.
Population explosion, proliferation of a low standard of education, the rise of the proletariat with no prior experience in the cultural refinements, the struggle for bread and the coarse competition involved therein, the fall of feudalism and the consequent extinction of royal patronage of the classical arts --- all these have contributed to the growth of this coarse clinging to material culture and have sown the seeds of the demise of artistic excellence. It is sad, indeed, to behold the death of everything that we considered lofty and great in our tradition, and the trend seems to be on the rise with every passing year as culture plummets further. It is important to reflect how we may alter the scenario in the days ahead, that is, if at all it is possible anymore, considering that we may have already acquired the critical mass of degenerate tendencies in society for such a reversal to be possible. But we can never give up hope and it is now up to cultured people to uphold the banner of the finer arts and the sciences so as to help humanity forge ahead in the right direction towards regaining what it has thus far lost. Excellence is the watchword, culture the key.
Written by Sugata Bose
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