It is but natural for any society to deviate from the past. But one has to check whether such a deviation is for good, especially the way the children are growing. Let us take our own Indian society for example.
Just 50 years back joint family was the most common system of families.
A vast majority of the people lived in villages or small towns.
Now it is rare to see a joint family system and most middle class families live in cities with the upper middle class even going overseas.
In the past, children used to go to school at the age of 6 or 7. Now many children are put to school right at the age of 2 ½ years. And yet the older generation could do any arithmetic calculation in their mind (manakkanakku). Now children use calculators even for simple calculations. I see children who cannot even give the answer for 50+40 without using calculators.
Older generation was visiting people. It was then post, then to e-mail and now social networking. That is good. But what happens to grammar and vocabulary. Social networking site users have their own language rule where ‘for’ is 4 and ‘to’ is 2 and ‘the’ is ‘da’ and the list goes on. I wonder whether these people can write in chaste language.
Family time in yester years was a joint task in the house or a visit together to the temple, etc. Now family time, if you can term it so, is watching T.V. Children are sunk into video games or cell phones. We may talk to each other. But do we share? We may see each other but do we understand?
Food habits is another area. Children prefer junk food. I was pained to see children not being able to identify bitter guard in a T.V. show.
I am intentionally skipping issues like teenage behavior, party culture, sex before marriage, living together, etc.
Where did we go wrong?
Pursuit of material objectives?
Competition and associated pressures?
And would we ever come back to the real networking?
I am not pessimistic but I have my fears. Members may like to share their views.
Just 50 years back joint family was the most common system of families.
A vast majority of the people lived in villages or small towns.
Now it is rare to see a joint family system and most middle class families live in cities with the upper middle class even going overseas.
In the past, children used to go to school at the age of 6 or 7. Now many children are put to school right at the age of 2 ½ years. And yet the older generation could do any arithmetic calculation in their mind (manakkanakku). Now children use calculators even for simple calculations. I see children who cannot even give the answer for 50+40 without using calculators.
Older generation was visiting people. It was then post, then to e-mail and now social networking. That is good. But what happens to grammar and vocabulary. Social networking site users have their own language rule where ‘for’ is 4 and ‘to’ is 2 and ‘the’ is ‘da’ and the list goes on. I wonder whether these people can write in chaste language.
Family time in yester years was a joint task in the house or a visit together to the temple, etc. Now family time, if you can term it so, is watching T.V. Children are sunk into video games or cell phones. We may talk to each other. But do we share? We may see each other but do we understand?
Food habits is another area. Children prefer junk food. I was pained to see children not being able to identify bitter guard in a T.V. show.
I am intentionally skipping issues like teenage behavior, party culture, sex before marriage, living together, etc.
Where did we go wrong?
Pursuit of material objectives?
Competition and associated pressures?
And would we ever come back to the real networking?
I am not pessimistic but I have my fears. Members may like to share their views.
