There
seems to be a natural cycle that runs through organised human activities.
They start with small beginnings, they develop and grow, they flourish
and peak, then they decline, gradually at first, ending in decay and
collapse. It happens with empires, with communities, with voluntary
bodies, with religious groups, with sporting clubs and a thousand
and one other organisations.
The
progress of the cycle is not completely inevitable. Organisations
may enjoy a long and successful “silver age” after their
peak, or they may be reformulated and flourish again. In any case,
when one examines large organisations such as nations or cultures,
they are multi-stranded and analysis is complex. But - whether you
agree with me or not - what has this to do with children?
It
is often said that children are less respectful to authority figures
or older people than they used to be, less inhibited in their language,
more destructive, less dutiful to their families, more self-indulgent,
less prepared to accept the received wisdom of religious leaders,
politicians or other figures of authority. Some people argue that
these are signs of a decaying society, the results of the crumbling
of family life, and symptoms of a society which is losing its moral
fibre.
There
are times when I would put my hand up to agree with the cynics - when
I see graffiti daubed everywhere and litter spoiling the environment,
when young people are not prepared to apply themselves to hard work,
when academic standards appear to be slipping, when even little children
feel free to swear in public, when parents fail to control their children’s
antisocial behaviour, when young offenders run amok and terrify neighbours.
It all seems to be evidence of social decay.
Then
I see children and young people applying themselves at school, doing
voluntary work, playing sport, working creatively in the arts, and,
as young adults, contributing successfully to a growing economy, developing
new businesses and learning the range of professional and technical
skills needed to keep society’s services going. If children
were getting in such a moral mess, how come they end up functioning
so effectively as adults?
Clearly,
the educational system today has a lot to commend it, and most parents
seem to do a reasonable job of parenting. Over the last hundred years,
we have moved from learning things by rote and having discipline beaten
into us, and we have adopted self-discipline and learning through
interest. We have moved from accepting what authority tells us to
deciding for ourselves and being sceptical about official statements.
We no longer accept that we have to abide by a class system, but can
carve out our own futures, and “do it our way”. We have
accepted change as a standard feature of our lives.
Yet
I still have a nagging feeling that the greater freedoms and openness
is not all for the good. I still think that it helps children to know
their tables and to spell properly. I still believe in politeness
and good language. I still dislike graffiti. I think we need to teach
good behaviour and expect it of children. I think we need to value
the contributions of great figures of the past, and not simply try
to point out their failings. We should value our cultures more than
we do. We should be proud of our history (whatever country we come
from) and of our national identities.
As
an English person, I think that during Elizabeth II’s reign
the country has been through a change of identity, coming to terms
with the loss of power and empire, and it is only now that the country
is coming to feel comfortable with a new role in today’s world.
Indeed, it has probably been easier for Wales and Scotland to develop
a post-imperial identity than for England. We need to be proud of
our past and achievements (while still acknowledging the country’s
historical failings), and look to playing a different role in the
future confidently.
As
I write this column, England has just beaten Australia in the Rugby
World Cup; it is said to be the first time that England has won any
international trophy since the soccer World Cup in 1966. Maybe it
will mark a shift also in the respective perceptions of the two countries,
with England no longer the centre of the Empire, and with the two
countries being independent of each other, friendly and respecting
each others’ qualities.
That’s
a good start. Now let’s make sure that children appreciate English
culture, songs, nursery rhymes and history. Being internationally-minded,
culturally diverse and respectful of others’ religions does
not mean that we have to dumb down to the lowest common denominators
of culture and education or ignore our own. There will always be those
who seek to destroy what is good, who threaten peace, who want to
seize power and who wish to exploit others. Inaction will permit them
to succeed. Valuing what is positive and good for our children is
not a passive activity; it calls for action.
Whoever
reads this should ask him or herself, is my country declining? is
my culture being watered down? am I proud of my heritage? Let’s
all be proud of what we bring to humankind, and let’s accentuate
the positives. Whether the world declines is up to us, whether we
are adults or children, and the same goes for our countries, our cultures
and our communities. And we need to deal a good hand to all our children,
so that they can progress confidently, respecting the variety of cultures
around the world but valuing their own with pride.
