Do Kazakhs Need “Uyat”?

In every society, whether primitive or modern, Eastern or Western, there are certain norms of behavior. These rules can vary greatly in different societies, but they exist in any culture. And Kazakh “uyat” is a restraining factor against violating established norms of behavior in our society. For example, walking naked or relieving oneself on the street violates Kazakhstani norms of behavior and may lead to public condemnation. In such cases, people say “uyat bolady” (“it will be shameful”), signaling a crossing of the boundaries of acceptability. However, if the same expression is applied, for example, to a girl in a mini-skirt or lovers kissing on the street, I find it to be an excessive restraint. Such boundaries should be fought against because they are outdated or do not correspond to the spirit of the times. The moral is this: the boundaries of decency have always existed and will always exist. But this is not a frozen dogma that must be followed forever. At each stage of society’s development, it is necessary to maintain reasonable, modern rules of behavior and get rid of outdated patriarchal traditions that restrict freedom and hinder societal progress.