We Must All ‘Teach The Children’

I AGREE with Gwen Lister’s opinion about corruption as published on November 10 in the ‘Political Perspective’ column.

I especially like the suggestion that our children’s value set be altered to give more prominence to the simple things in life. She mentioned, among others, that children should be taught that money is not the measure of man, that a good book can be more fulfilling than TV and computer games, and that a home-cooked meal is better than a luxury dinner that costs a fortune.In addition you mention that “parents have to deal with children who feel serious peer pressure to get the latest in cellphone technology, designer jeans, and other material goods.”Please allow me to mention that the state of mind of today’s children is a result of the influence of westernisation, globalisation and/or capitalism.It is, most importantly, the result of their systematic conditioning by the media through the propagation of the symbols of greed.It is the result of this teaching that has transformed the very soul of our society into what it is today.It is by this teaching that, not only our children but society as a whole, have broken down into individualistic, extravagant, selfish, and thieving capitalists.I’m mentioning this because your opinion appears to put the onus of redressing the effects of global capitalism on the family (parents).The globalisation of western values has, however, reduced the family to a weak construct known as the nuclear family.Some would argue that the nuclear family too has been replaced by the even weaker single-parent or child-headed units.As such parents or families are also victims of global capitalism and are incapable of redressing its effects on its own.Because this is an ideological battle I agree that we must fight it in the mind.But those who convey information also help in forging opinions, beliefs, traditions, identities, etc.As such the media, churches, and policy makers, as agents of social change, should be at the front of this battle.They must ask themselves, each time they run an ad, preach, or draft a policy, whether they are perpetuating the values and symbols of greed and corruption or the better human values of love, peace, harmony, Godliness, etc.Finally, the answer is in religion – if only people would be true to its teachings.But that’s an entirely different matter, isn’t it? Elton Witbooi WindhoekShe mentioned, among others, that children should be taught that money is not the measure of man, that a good book can be more fulfilling than TV and computer games, and that a home-cooked meal is better than a luxury dinner that costs a fortune.In addition you mention that “parents have to deal with children who feel serious peer pressure to get the latest in cellphone technology, designer jeans, and other material goods.”Please allow me to mention that the state of mind of today’s children is a result of the influence of westernisation, globalisation and/or capitalism.It is, most importantly, the result of their systematic conditioning by the media through the propagation of the symbols of greed.It is the result of this teaching that has transformed the very soul of our society into what it is today.It is by this teaching that, not only our children but society as a whole, have broken down into individualistic, extravagant, selfish, and thieving capitalists.I’m mentioning this because your opinion appears to put the onus of redressing the effects of global capitalism on the family (parents).The globalisation of western values has, however, reduced the family to a weak construct known as the nuclear family.Some would argue that the nuclear family too has been replaced by the even weaker single-parent or child-headed units.As such parents or families are also victims of global capitalism and are incapable of redressing its effects on its own.Because this is an ideological battle I agree that we must fight it in the mind.But those who convey information also help in forging opinions, beliefs, traditions, identities, etc.As such the media, churches, and policy makers, as agents of social change, should be at the front of this battle.They must ask themselves, each time they run an ad, preach, or draft a policy, whether they are perpetuating the values and symbols of greed and corruption or the better human values of love, peace, harmony, Godliness, etc.Finally, the answer is in religion – if only people would be true to its teachings.But that’s an entirely different matter, isn’t it? Elton Witbooi Windhoek