The need for changes in behaviour and lifestyles
Traditions: I am always impressed when I witness signs of respect
toward older generations of Sri Lankans. The traditional bowing and
touching and elder’s feet; addressing elders as an older family member
regardless of whether they are related or not, the number of households
that take elderly parents and grandparents into their homes - all are
widespread and remarkable traditions.
In my opinion, while this respect is incredibly admirable and
worthwhile, I wonder whether elders could use their influence to show
respect to younger generations. By listening to youngsters’ knowledge
and trying to understand their way of life could elders encourage
communities of young people to make a contribution to “sustainable
development” in the villages and cities of Sri Lanka?
In my conversations with both villagers and Colombo city-dwellers, I
have heard from all generations that Sri Lankan society is slowly
adapting to the times, but not without challenges, especially opposition
from older generations.
I once interviewed a group of women, ranging between 19 and 50 years
old from several villages. These women had just sat through a seminar on
how to deal with social challenges in their daily family lives.
All admitted to learning new and important information that they
would like to use at home. For example, they learned strategies for how
to resolve disagreements with their family members and information on
health care in the household.
Yet when asked if they would share knowledge they had learned with
their family members or neighbours, they agreed unanimously that sharing
and even using the information would not be very successful. The group
explained to me that people who are used to a certain way of doing
things tend to judge those who do things differently.
The 19-year-old in the group, who is pursuing her university degree,
conveyed to us her experience of her parents forbidding her to be
friends with males in her class. At first, her parents approved and
trusted their daughter to pursue genuine (and innocent) friendships. The
young woman had trustworthy friends, both males and females, as a
result.
Eventually, neighbours began to judge and create rumours about this
young woman and her family because of her friendship with young men in
her class.
This made it difficult for the family members to conduct their daily
lives and ultimately influenced the parents - who otherwise approved of
their daughter’s behaviour - to impose protection of their daughter by
controlling her life and choosing whom she should spend time with.
The young woman told me that educating people to think for themselves
was a good thing. Still, she asked, “How is it possible to make change
if only a few do it at a time and it results in always being judged - or
reverting to how things were done in the first place”
The women of the group all agreed that this situation was unfair.
They also established that in today’s society change cannot happen from
within a community because people fear their neighbours will judge them
as different - and associating with neighbours is an integral part of
daily life.
Alternatively, they said if someone takes a stand within a community
against what is accepted as the norm within the culture others who do
not recognize the purpose of the stance in the first place may think it
is simply invalid or assume that the information is meant for specific
people in a community - and is potentially insulting to them.
“Change and sharing information must happen from people outside the
community,” I was told by the group.
They explained how they enjoyed having educational classes available
on ANY topic and how they hoped to have more in the future. They
appreciated in particular the topic of managing their daily interactions
within the household. Yet, I wondered whether it was sustainable for
outsiders to tell a community how to handle life.
Once the seminar is over, then who will pass on the information?
Shouldn’t knowledge come from within a community? Will members of a
community accept ideas that deviate from what has been done in the past?
UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization) has declared a plan for “Education for All” as part of the
Millennium Development Goals that lays out six goals to achieve by 2015.
In the third goal, UNESCO raises the importance of “Promoting Learning
and Skills for Young People and Adults.”
This goal reminds us that “education is about giving people the
opportunity to develop their potential, their personality and their
strengths. This does not merely mean learning new knowledge, but also
developing abilities to make the most of life.” Creating opportunities
for people within a community must include a willingness to accept new
information and change.
This group of women - along with their fellow community members -
want opportunities and choices in their lives. They hope to gain more
knowledge through education and to have the freedom to share what they
know with their family and neighbours - without fear of being judged for
having ideas that are different from the traditional way of life.
UNESCO’s report on “Educating for a Sustainable Future” highlights
that achieving the goal of sustainable development will depend on a
transformation of ethical values through adapting traditional ways of
life in order to bring people within a society together and achieve
their potential for development.
The document declares that means for sustainability in a society
requires “changes in behaviour and lifestyles, changes which will need
to be motivated by a shift in values and rooted in the cultural and
moral precepts upon which behaviour is predicated.”
The women with whom I met - and others like them - have the potential
to make real changes happen. In order for socio-economic sustainable
development to take place, UNESCO also calls for governments to
“recognize and actively advocate for the transformational role of
education in realizing human potential...”
My impression is that in Sri Lanka, while educational programs are
essential, support for communities reaching their potential will burgeon
once a mutual respect from all generations overcomes judging others who
try to do things differently.
In order for change to take place, young generations will have to
face the challenge of standing up for what they believe in, while older
generations will have to invite youths to think for themselves whether
they like them or not - learn to accept the new ideas and ways of life
that might come up.
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