Kissing and Prudishness

While blogosphere has its periodical topics of interest, there is a consistent self righteous indignation over perceived prudishness of Indian society. While not debating the whole issue as such I will like to comment on one subject.

That is of kisses, when traditional people object to kissing in public, the instinct of liberals is usually to term it as moral policing, and giving example of west where kissing in public is acceptable.

There is a distinction in this case between India and west, because while in west kissing has always been a social gesture, in India it has been considered to be intimate.
In west relatives will greet each other by kissing, which is never the case in India where kissing is only reserved for small children. Therefore I think the parallel between west and India is unjustified.

For example while Japan is very much westernized (what with way too short skirts and dyed hair), so far I have not seen any public display of intimacy.
(This is a anecdotal evidence and a poor one at that)

I think there is no absolute rule for this, some societies accept kissing as a social practice, and some do not. It is more of a matter of social convention than any “prudishness”. Ultimately as far as judging societies are concerned we have to consider time and place and even then it can be only a thumb of rule. Any attempt to draw water tight compartments can only lead to slippery slopes one way or another.

Ironically for the short time I was in USA, I came to know that if males were to become too friendly in public they can be considered as “brokeback cowboys”. Fortunately in India there is no such danger of misunderstanding.