Y – Ying & Yang: Making children open to listening to both sides of the coin
Post #25 of the series: Instilling Social Equality in Children
I am trying to recollect people in my life who have showed profound insights into two sides of an issue. Not surprisingly there are hardly a few.
Of the parents I interacted with, specifically for this series, one friend reminded me the necessity to weigh the concerns of two sides of a subject of discussion.
One of the classic examples is the reservation for backward classes. In education and employment, this system has been and is still uplifting many social classes who have not gone to a college. But here’s a point of a view from someone belonging to the forward class:
“My grandfather had to take care of a large family. He did not spend anything for himself or on unneccessary things. Full focus and message to children was their studies, getting into a college, and getting a good job. Fueled by insecurity there was always a pressure to be on top because if you don’t, you cannot get admission into college – it will all be grabbed by the BC/OBC/SC/ST candidates who can get through with least efforts. Do you see where this is coming from ?
Both sides have a reason for and for not establishing this reservation system. But it is easy to fall on any one side, mostly depending on which gives us more privelege.
When I heard him, I felt the need to cultivate this quality in our children, for great decisions of the society and the world can come only from fair understanding of the several sides that make the big picture.
But, how do we do it?
It feels like it is human nature to be selectively biased toward one side only. Is it then possible to raise an individual who takes a willing interest to listen to both sides of the coin?
I don’t have a definitive thought on this yet because I think the ability to see both sides might stem from a gradual process over several years or decades if not instilled during the growing up years. And it might not be something as straight forward as other moral values to make children learn at face value. It is a culmination of many factors that can be more about the individualistic nature than upbringing.
I am leaving this post open for discussion and inputs. How do you think adults can influence children to get to see both sides?
I feel very lucky that I have not been influenced in any way by my parents or elders in shaping my opinions and view points about social issue. I was just inspired to read a lot of types of varies books. That helped me develop as my person gradually. I think children should be given that latitude to develop their own opinions.