Book Title: Family and Nation
Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya, A P J Abdulkalam
Publisher: Harper Publications India

Previous | Next

Page 164
________________ 150 THE FAMILY AND THE NATION partiality in distributing wealth among his children. Such action may give rise to violence as a reaction. It also makes the environment in the family full of disgust and agony. There is an intimate relationship between behaviour and distribution of wealth, etc., in the family. If the distribution of resources happens to be unbiased and equal, the father's behaviour will be considered just and congenial. If not, it will shake the foundation of concordance in the family. INTOLERANCE In the context of modern familial relations, should we not accept the reality that the virtue of tolerance has been lost? Tolerance is seen as a weakness. It certainly reflects the egoistic psyche of this age. However, let us be clear that economic and intellectual development without tolerance are not going to yield auspicious fruits. There is an old story but the truth embodied in it is not outdated. Once, a king asked his prime minister to find out why the business community in his kingdom was healthier and happier than him. After thorough research, the prime minister submitted his findings. The king was astonished to know that the businessmen of his kingdom were very tolerant. Reflecting on this, the king's behaviour underwent a change. His health improved and his joy reflected on his face. There might be multiple factors responsible for the disunity of families today, but the root cause is intolerance. Two individuals can live together and still be unable to tolerate each other. Is it not cowardice camouflaged? Whether it is business failure, examinations, or family discords, people tend to go to the extreme, endangering even lives. In the context of social development, this condition is reflective of shared degradation of community living. The family is an institution. What do we gain if it exists and what do we lose if it fumbles? Both aspects are worth Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232