Sweet Fruits from Strong Roots: Right, Wrong, Unrestricted.
The goal should not be one wherein we push an individual into thinking from a more liberal perspective. Neither should it be one wherein the individual is compelled to think from a more conservative angle. To do either is to attempt to control one’s ability to think through the rational of a point of view, a means that is akin to social engineering based upon our own perceptions and conceptions.
Granted, we are bombarded with information to change our behaviors and beliefs constantly in our media saturated age. Such information encourages the development of different beliefs, which we continue to debate for and against if they do not conform to a particular narrative. And while being influenced in that manner is not necessarily impossible to curb since as we are born into a world wherein we act based upon what we sense around us, we can provide guidance for others. Guidance in the sense of tools. Tools that can allow an individual to critically think for him/herself without a bias input to force a change in behavior or character. The proverb, “you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink it” comes to mind.
Children, as I will always continue to say, are the future. It is noticeable, always and obviously, that they look to adults for what is right and what is wrong whether through brightly lit screens or in the context of physical interactions beyond the screens. We must tell them, but we also, at the same time, must explain and demonstrate to them the reasons for a right and reasons for a wrong. We must also provide them the means to think through the logic of such explanations and assertions. Sometimes, it is best for them to simply walk and learn on their own. In other words, they must learn to think and struggle through thinking to becoming better at such a super-power. As Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds, “great minds are those who realize that thoughts rule the world.” It is simply a reminder that if one uses their mind, one controls their reality.
And while this may seem obvious to many, I encourage us to think about the inherent issue at hand – how best to influence others to change and grow without forcing them – which reflects itself in the very things that entertain or inform us, among other things. Should a movie about killing exists despite it imitating reality? Does imitating reality through art results in a manifestation in real life, thus imitating reality in art: a non-ending cycle? Of course, the conversation about showing history will arise. By the same token, the conversation about learning from history will also become apparent. Historical amnesia is continuously apparent as well which shows itself in the maxim – “history repeats itself if we fail to learn from it.” A maxim that implies, we forget it and thus we repeat it. One would argue that the lack of thinking through history is also a reason to forget it and then repeat it. That maxim also becomes fatal when it is coupled with the maxim “art is an imitation of life.”
The question thus remains however, are we just being entertained by art (the creation, or imitation of what is already present), or are we really learning from history – (the art that has already been produced)?
Among the other things that we must relay to children at a young age on right or wrong, is the understanding of the preciousness of life. What is the logic in taking a life juxtaposed against the claim of protecting one’s home when thousands of stakeholders with varying information are involved? With that consideration, then one should explain the value of oral language. Why even have the ability to talk, to discuss, to connect, to be persuasive through words, when action can be taken to obtain desired results? It must be stressed as well, that if the spoken word is used, how must one go about using it? Each individual has his/her own viewpoint on life. To step in and try to change that viewpoint by any means is to condemn one’s own desire to change a person’s viewpoint. In other words, the pain of empathy and understanding might be a necessity to take in. Empathy and understanding, are just among the few.
In a culture where taking accountability seems like a painful act, where do we go from here? To accept fault for a wrongdoing is to be accountable. To be accountable is to become introspective and focus on one’s own behavior, not one’s character; it encourages one to reflect and think about how to improve and modify their behavior for a better result for themselves and others. Thus, understanding is developed.
It must be understood also that sympathy (the act of feeling for someone), thus evolves into empathy (feeling with someone) when one starts to realize where a wrong may have occurred. It is painful, but it is refreshing to learn. (Sidenote: Brené Brown’s videos and other works on empathy is useful to engage in).
In the end, one must stand by their values with a critical thought. To accept when you are wrong, to be humble when you are right, and to be able to choose both sides within reason is a journey toward thoughtful growth. And to grow, decisions have to be made with strength of mind which stems from strong values being upheld.
And as Bob Marley once said “when the root is strong, the fruit is sweet.”
