The lack of respect for the aged is worrying. The thinking of no need to respect people older than us is becoming unbecoming.
When no one is ready to correct the anomaly, we should all know that we will definitely reap what we are sowing in one way or the other.
When I was growing up, I was thought to prefix any statement to an elderly person with the word, “PLEASE”. Please, Uncle, can I talk to you for a moment? Please, Sir, is it possible to book an appointment for a discussion?
It has become part of me and if for nothing at all, I talk to my children in that manner. I wish my kids keep this as part of what they are learning from me.
The thinking put forward by human right activists, the proponents of equality and many others have negatively affected us in my view. Respect is never seen anytime you observe a conversation between the young and old. One may say, “respect is reciprocal”. But I beg to differ. No matter what, the elderly must be respected and revered in our speech.
we are accommodating it and even glorifying such behaviour with kids in advertisements, humour and acting. What we tend to forget is that we will experience it too.
I just watched a documentary by CitiTv on open defecation in a suburb of Accra and the poor state of a public toilet facility which require the attention of those at the helm of affairs. In the interview with a young boy who may not be more than 14 years, a call was made to the President of the land to respond to their plight. If not for politics and I was to be the father of this boy, though he has a problem, I would have beaten the hell out of him for the manner with which he made the request. This is to express the extent to which I abhorred his mannerism which I see to be a canker.
My worry is how we are bringing up the children these days. Are we not raising children who will become intelligently deviants? Are we happy if our kids treat us the way they do on TV and Radio without us reprimanding?
Anytime we applaud things we hear and see, it is important to remember that, we may be the next at the receiving end.
Let’s help to shape a future we will be happy with as individuals.