Taking Stock
As parents and teachers, many of us often wonder why today’s children are different from children of 25 years ago. We also wonder why today’s children are so different when it comes to values and behavior. We know they are always on the go, always moving or fiddling with something. They are more stressed, can’t control their anger, and lash out at the drop of a hat. Our childhood and that of today’s children are so different as to be from almost two separate worlds
The continuous decline in moral and ethical values of our society is baffling the minds of all. We all wonder why so many young people resort to unethical means and immoral ways to get what they want. In view of the continuous decline in the moral quotient of children, it would not be wrong to assume that the archaic and regimented way of teaching has somewhat failed to achieve the objectives of holistic education. As a testimony to this, here are some facts showing our progress or our hurried march to extinction.
- Our progress have created a world where less than 5% consume more than 50% of the planet’s resources while 900 million people are on the verge of starving, or actually dying of starvation. And 2 billion people are malnourished.
- 28 countries faced civil unrest due to food shortages in 2008. The World Bank reports that 80 countries are experiencing water shortages serious enough to threaten agriculture, and their water shortages may soon become food shortages.
- Worldwide, 2000–2009 was the warmest decade ever recorded. If the earth keeps getting warmer, up to one-fourth of the entire world’s plants and animals could become extinct within 100 years.
- In the past 30 years, we have consumed 30% of earth’s natural resources. According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80 percent of the earth’s natural forests have already been destroyed.
- The continuous decline in moral and social values proves that the human race is not evolving, it’s devolving.
We want a great future for our future generations. But when it comes to sacrificing our indulgences, many of us become skeptical. We come out with many arguments. Why we should care about future generations? They don’t relate to us. They don’t even exist yet, and we’ll be dead by the time they do. Parents may care about their children and grandchildren, but why bother about anyone beyond that?
We must keep in mind that all our efforts in the education and other areas will be useless, if there is no future for the humanity.
Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike. — Theodore Roosevelt