A MONOLOGUE

In a screen-dominated world, where many individuals are turning away from reading, my blog https://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com serves as a refuge for my thoughts and memories. Each post weaves a thread in my life’s journey, capturing moments that might fade. Writing becomes a dialogue with my past, preserving dreams and lessons, guiding my growth while celebrating my unique journey of past and present. Maybe that's why, when people ask me, "Who will read your blog? You should really start a YouTube channel," I simply respond, "I don't write for others; I write for my own self." However, starting a YouTube channel is one of my new year's resolution, along with several other goals I hope to achieve. 

Photo courtesy Ahsan Butt (Dunya TV)

There is a prevailing notion that we are witnessing the last generation of avid readers, often justified by the argument that the way we engage with books has evolved. However, I contend that many individuals today are reluctant to invest their time in reading, whether it be the pages of a book or the content found online. This reluctance deprives them of the opportunity to broaden their mental horizons, to reflect deeply, and to embark on journeys of exploration and discovery.

As my audience grows beyond 250,000 in a country where the joy of reading is often overshadowed by the erotic pull of TikTok, adult content, and catchy phrases like "program to war gia," I find myself navigating a perplexing terrain. Here, many choose to immerse themselves in coarse entertainment rather than explore material that could truly enhance their lives. A significant portion of our youth—over 64%, a statistic we proudly tout for reasons unclear—remain largely unaware of influential thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Hannah Arendt, Friedrich Nietzsche, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Plato, and Aristotle. Instead, they dedicate their time to dissecting the latest “TikTok stars”, or are absorbed in news about political gimmicks on a one-man show on the issues such as "zamanat manzoor, zamanat na-manzoor," and “dialogue with the establishment”, or “the impact of PTI Dharna and what will happen next”, etc. thereby overlooking opportunities for personal development and intellectual growth.

I embarked on my blogging journey in 2007, driven by a passion for writing and a desire to preserve my thoughts, knowing the fact people are least interested in reading. From my very first post, titled "Enlightened Brother-Sister," published on June 22, 2007, I understood that my words might not capture the attention society deserves. Yet, I persist in writing for myself leaving a room of a debate. Money never comes first, for me. Hence, this blog is about personal contentment, raising awareness, and provoking thought in others.

Continue reading, valued readers, and remember to share your feedback!

Thank you so much.

Mahtab Bashir
Cell: 033 53 63 248
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad