MAN – A CURIOUS AND INTELLIGENT SOCIAL ANIMAL
The landscape of this world is ever changing ,right from the explosion of the Big Bang, to the continental drift, then to the rise and fall of civilization, revolution and war, destruction and Peace, rulers and dictators, anarchy to monarchy to polyarchy. people of this planet the so called sixth sense animals are the vulnerable Victims of situations and circumstances synthesized by themselves, as they unfold challenges for their own existence. Man for a better socializing environment disseminate his time and energy in building a world class future for his generation, expecting that imaginative happiness , joy and entertainment born out of his dreams. The reality is in that world man has to lead a life of insecurity , confusion and agitation. Man with his curiosity and intelligence developed technologies to construct a world of his desire to live a life of betterment that guarantees advanced standard living conditions, but in that process the price he pays is unimaginable because , most of the time the cost is he and his generation himself. He gets trapped in the web that spins around himself.
GALLERY OF MEMORIES
When I started writing this article as the strokes from the pen dampened the paper with ink, my thoughts were prepared to knock my gallery of memories. When I was a teenage boy resources were very limited, books were the only source of information and teachers were placed in hierarchy as the ultimatum of knowledge. Even though the life just passed shunting between school and house. The environment in the classrooms was never preset as they were developed indigenously with emotions and life as per the requirement of the subjects taught and learnt. We were never taught in smart classrooms, all that we taught were to be smart and class. Misconception of the lessons learnt were never a constraint as it generated curiosity that provoked Imagination, necessitated investigation which in turn complimented the highest virtues of mankind gratitude towards the fellow beings and respect for what we possessed. The world outside the school was beyond imagination a house was never just a dwelling place, it is a divine assembly of elderly people to guide and young ones to get guided. The place for instrument that meant to entertain (a radio, tape recorder, television) then available was just corner of a room not the house itself. Is that world available for our children today the answer is NO. Why? To know, keep reading…..
MEDIA, INTERNET, ONLINE GAMES ETC. - A CHOICELESS CHOICE FOR CHILDREN
Internet is an ocean of information a potential source to shrink the world at our finger tips. The waves from that ocean are very severe on children. Children Trusting nature and naiveté make them perfect targets for perpetrators both people they know and those they don’t. Eager to know and try new things make them enter in to the world of virtual reality. Children are increasingly becoming rebellious, independent and attention-seeking from people outside.
Print and electronic media got deviated from their codes down the line by exposing to unwarranted competition in the industry that has led to sacrifice their common good and ethical practices binding them. Newspaper once considered as a real evidence of what happens in the world, is now in the verge of delivering adulterated news to readers, mind disturbing expansions of select news , paid news, etc., Truly electronic media the mass media had it’s wing spread in the post independent India and contributed to many development process. Today they crystallized on complicated business ethics of commercial Operations via liberalization and globalization , their agenda is simple to broadcast shows capitalizing the emotions of man. Projecting the Exceptions in life with exceptional precision. To inform the world of little ones the unreal as real. Increase their TRP ratings.
The development of communication tools, social network platforms and their advancements primarily aimed at bridging the truncated world and bring people closer , but today we have toiled hard and elevated it to a next level a web world, e world, smart world a world of mystery for young children. The social media platforms What’s app, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn believed as a channels to express and voice our views in the issues centered on society, development, education, health, policy matters of government and about the atrocities and happenings that demand global attention, are now the forums for uploads, downloads, forwards of unessentials.
My concern as teacher over media, internet, online gaming etc., influence over children:
• Reality shows the projection of unreal as real , the bias on the name itself strengthens the thoughts in children to practice the certain exceptions of life.
• 24x7 news channels that dare to telecast terrorist attack, crime , violence, agitations, brings home to the children the world happenings , even though a information but need to be scrutinized.
• Online Gaming - for instance the recent menace blue whale. Children played games to win prizes in their lives , but today children play life as game to win death as prize. Is human life not precious
• Internet, excessive surfing, videos ,unlimited downloads harm the children as excess information is not learning, it is just knowing more things with less understanding.
• Media sensitizes the most sensible issues, creating mental agitation, exposing to stuffs that never guarantees a joyful life.
PARENTS: A MAGIC LIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD
“ values in life, is the value of life”
In Hindu mythology, the story of Prahaladha a young lad who astonished every one with his eminent wisdom. He is the son of the king Hiranyakasipu . The devas isolated the queen and made her experience the vedanta knowledge day in day out during her last three months of pregnancy. Prahalada gained the knowledge when he was still in his mother’s womb. This story illustrates about neonatal education. Parents need to spend quality time with the children and practice what they preach and inspire them. In society family is an esteemed institution where the child nourished and inherits every value assets to live a life of honour. In the nuclear family set up and increasing private space and accumlation of gadgets has blocked the channels of informal learning in the child. Researches has well established, the character traits of a individual is well decided when they are 7 year old. In the process of material accumulation let us not erase our responsibilities of bringing up children who are morally upright and turn as an asset to this nation. Members of the family should feed the need of the child, lend shoulders and be a pillars of support and extend warmth and confidence all through our their lives.
TEACHERS: A BEACON LIGHT
Every child in the warmth of the teacher understands life lessons through education and it is with them the children learn to combat the challenges and distinguish the good and bad , the real and the unreal, true and false. Schools has to play a major role in monitoring the child and extend the support for rescuing them from the influence of media, by engaging them in proper careers of opportunities developed in their areas of interest. Educators and teachers should not convert the school as an area of achieving targets and centers for grooming children towards competitive examinations. As learning is purely not for earning. Educators should guarantee the process of teaching and learning will happen in an joyous environment , an environment safe and secure for every child.
SOCIETY: A TEMPLE FOR LIVING
Man a social animal fear of living alone and joy of living in groups developed society. The heterogeneity in society arising out of caste, creed, religion, language are all masked by bountiful love that one shows on the other. Thus society is an institution to sow the seeds of good deeds and harness the potential of children in right way. It is worrying, as today the walls that fragment the society and generate heartedness, perpetuate crime and establish divisions are much prevalent. We should sooner are later overcome the differences and to a common consensus in nourishing values to the next generation as they are “our children, our future.”
SPIRITUAL INSTITUTIONS
Children at their young age at house and school should be taught and made to practice the noble values. The faith and belief over god will always win over any negative and odd feeling that arise in the child. Stories from histories and spiritual context need to be told to children as they develop the establish cultural heritage should be encouraged . Spiritual institutions in the society should play a major role in fructifying the energy of the children and drive the nation to its pinnacle of success.
SAFE MEDIA, SAFE CHILD
“Arise, awake , and stop not till the goal is reached”
Man should have been the most inspired and choicest of creation by god as man identified himself as a sixth sense animal. Evolution was not just a simple task that nature threw on every organism to test their ability to survive , but for long years of time evolution was very severe and tough. As it is a battle to prove the strength and capacity to take life further ahead. Evolution the battle ground was drawing the curtains down for many organisms as they lost the battle, many perished and now they ceased to exist. Man has a different story of combating the challenges and making his existence more meaningful with his curiosity and intelligence he elevated to take his life to next dimension by developing technologies and constructing a world of his desire.
Children's safety will never be a failure of the system we developed if there is “Right use of all inventions, with right intentions."
To conclude: "What has taken us thus far, will take us further ahead" - HOPE.
About the Author:
Mr. K. Durai Chandran, M.Sc., M.Phil., B.Ed.: I am a Post Graduate teacher of Chemistry at Chinmaya Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School, Virugambakkam, Chennai. I stepped in to the ladder of this noble profession in the year 2006 with my dearest choice. I'm a passionate teacher when I teach subject and compassionate mentor when I deal with children. The joy of the 12 long years in my career I owe to my children as I learnt a lot from them. My only objective I ever strive to strengthen in my professional career is teaching and learning should happen in a joyous environment as learning is a joyful experience.