Civilised!!!

While on the topic of culture in my last post, I remember thinking about the so-called 'civilisation' of the British. Whenever I read some English novels written in the era of the Bronte sisters, I find quite a few references to the 'uncivilised' people of India whom the Missionaries believe their imperative to 'civilise.' Civilise in the sense of worshipping Christ, wearing long robes and full-body clothing as per their custom, speaking English, eating meat, drinking wine... the list goes on.
This is like the age-old story where four blind persons touch an elephant and describe it as they feel it. Why should what somebody sees as the truth be the ultimate truth? There may be truth beyond our reckoning.
The British did not stop to think about the moral values of the Indian culture, the systems prevalent here and the reasons (practical and religious) behind such customs or even the innate qualities of Indians. They just saw our colour, dress, habits and customs. Weren't they quite superficial? I believe so. And then they taught us 'civilisation'! How ironical! And we are following them. How stupid. It's like a freshly-bathed person seeing a man in mud taunting him and jumping in believing the dirty man's dirt to be cleaner than him.