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Chapter VIII
INSTILLING CULTURAL VALUES
MEANING OF CULTURAL VALUES
When we talk about instilling culture-values in our children, we should be clear about one thing: What do we mean by culturevalues? What kind of values do we want to teach? Do we want to continue the present hypocritical double standard in the name of culture and tradition? Are we not keeping alive a culture, devoid of any real values, a mere pomp and show, where in the gap between saying and doing is too wide and deep to cover it? Do we want our children to make outward claims of religion, morality, good conduct and behaviour at places of worship, temples, churches and social gatherings while in the work place and at home, to be involved in deception, intrigue and immoral behaviour? I am saying this because perhaps we have the same expectations from our children.
Today, we want our youngsters to become successful businessmen, officers or politicians. But whether a person having good character and doing what he thinks and says, may be successful presently in any field? These days, corruption is so widespread in politics, administration and business, it seemsthat noone with good character and morals can be successful. Even in the field of so-called religion, the success of such a person is doubtful because there too fundamentalist monks, sectarianism, the blind pursuit of name and fame are so strong that the difference between words and deeds is clearly visible. Our so-called 'good', yoga teachers and masters of religious establishments are clear examples of this dualism.
267 Jainism and its History
