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| Courtsey: The Hindu |
We need to teach our children the
meaning of liberty. I was talking to my six year old few days back and was
telling her about how we got independence on 15th of August 1947 as we approached our 68th Independence day, and she
was quite confused about what independence was all about. She is not having the benefit of being a soldier's son which I had. I was awakened to the
need of teaching liberty to my little daughter by the confused look at her face
and tried to debate if one, it was necessary and two, if it was possible. Was I
driven by my own dislike of the market-driven media which was pushing the idea
of a generation with exemplary intellect merely on the ground of information
overload flooding the today’s generation or my own idea of why liberty is a
great, even if a lofty idea? Am I trying to make her swallow the sun? But then I thought
and the answers are here about why kids ought to be taught about liberty.
The
Idea of Liberty:
Liberty is the respect of free will. It is the healthy respect
of self and within it is ensconced the respect for others. We are all our life
struggling to walk towards that ever elusive goal which defines our life. Our
kids need to learn liberty and value it. Our quest and love for liberty is what
elevates our existence as human beings above all the other mortals. The early
they learn about liberty and start taking their little steps towards it, the earlier they grow as human being.
Liberty
and Independence:
Independence is the sub-plot, the corollary of liberty.
Liberty thrives on an inherent sense of responsibility. It is important to
teach kids not only the value of liberty but also the price of liberty. Liberty doesn't come for free. We need to teach kids early that they cannot have their
liberty paid by the currency spent by someone else. We need to buy our own
liberty and pay with our own blood. Liberty is always a choice and like any
other choice, comes at a price. It is only with independence, social, financial
and moral, which entitles us to enjoy freedom. Didn't Nietzsche say, to
command, we must first learn to obey?
Liberty and Individuality:
John Stuart Mill states that within the idea of liberty
“Over himself, over his body and mind, the individual is supreme.” The idea of
liberty is tightly bound to the idea of individualism, the idea of free-will. It
is something that our kids need to learn, to hold on to their own individual
thoughts, never to succumb to the force of the mob. An early learning of the
idea of liberty prepares the child to withstand the ridicule which faces every
independent minded person and which in any case, is responsible for any progress
in the society.
Liberty,
patriotism and our roots:
Patriotism seems to be an out of place idea in today’s
cosmopolitan society, a world in which national boundaries are fast fading. We
cannot negate nationalism, denying which would be tantamount to negating our
own self. National pride and the sense of national self is not in contradiction
with the idea of global unity. We cannot mitigate our own roots, deny our
origins and melt in the global humanity. We need to learn about the sweat,
blood and selfless sacrifices of those before us through which we, as a nation
earned the right to govern ourselves. We need to teach our kids their roots and
their origins, to help them find their own place in the world.
Let
us teach our kids the story of our own independence, the value of free air in
which we breathe today, and beyond the nationalistic idea, teach them the grand
idea of human liberty. Their becoming a conscientious citizen and moral,
independent thinking human beings depends on it. They need to appreciate the
world that we live in and our responsibility towards it. As I said, Liberty
means many things to many people; the worst thing would be to not have a
meaning. Next time, don’t merely buy a paper flag; take time to teach your kid
about liberty, of the nation, of the individual. Let us sneak in some stories about Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh, Patriots who laid down their lives for the nation, in between Cinderellas and SnowWhites of the world. The greatness is fast becoming history. All great wars have been fought, all great sorrows have been endured. We will forget what greatness is unless we repeat it to our children and as they say, those who forget the history are condemned to repeat it. Let us teach our kids about
National flag, Nation Emblem, National Anthem, National Song and national
history and maybe in the process, we will learn something. They will not only learn patriotism, they will also learn greater and more delicate things in life- things like sacrifice, courage and love. Let's teach our kids nationalistic value and they will not only become fine citizens, they will become fine human beings. They will appreciate sacrifices of those who still stand guarding us- the greatness of our soldiers which protects our mediocrity. Let us become worthy of their love, let us become aligned with the greatness of the nation we live in. Let us soak in this perpetual and eternal sea of humanity we call INDIA. Wishing you a very Happy Independence Day!!
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