[04]
MORAL DECAY
Moral decay is already
evident in our midst judging from the number of social problems, namely
drug abuse, loitering, bohsia and lepak culture among youths, illicit sex
etc. From a study conducted by the Youth and Sports Ministry on 5,860
youths, 71% smoke, 40% watch pornographic videos, 28% gamble, 25% consume
alcohol and 14% take drugs. Eleven juveniles from various detention
centres throughout the country have been identified as carriers of the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. Ten of them are in
fact below 20 years of age.
The authorities are
concerned about the juveniles being confirmed HIV carriers and are closely
monitoring the situation. Initial checks showed some of the juveniles were
not drug addicts but had been involved with them. The majority of the
cases were discovered through counselling and voluntary medical tests.
This unhealthy trend can
only be curbed with direct influence from parents. Parents should monitor
the movements of their children to ensure that they are not involved in
any immoral or illegal activities.
Without early monitoring
and control, children can become easy prey to unhealthy influences. If
this is allowed to continue, the teenagers will move on to more serious
crimes. The emergence of various social problems must be addressed
urgently. Hence parents must strengthen the family institution to
withstand the demands of a changing society.
PUNISHMENT
In law, according to our
Penal Code, 'Nothing is an offence which is done by a child under 10 years
of age. Further, nothing is an offence which is done by a child above 10
years of age and under 12, who had not attained sufficient maturity of
understanding to judge the nature and consequences of his conduct on that
occasion.'
There is a conclusive and
absolute presumption in law that a child below 10 is incapable of knowing
right from wrong although in truth, the child could have done the
forbidden act with premeditated intention.
The second category of
children, those between 10 and 12, are in a 'twilight zone' in which they
are exempted from criminal responsibility unless it is proven by the
prosecutor that the child was of normal mental capacity with a proven
mischievous tendency.
Although a child under 10
is free to do any crime and can escape punishment, he cannot totally
escape all the consequences. Although there is no punishment as such his
future behaviour may be restricted. The person who instigates a child to
commit a crime will be charged as the principal offender, the child being
treated only as an innocent agent.
The Juvenile Court is the
pivot around which revolves the machinery for the treatment of juvenile
delinquents. The law relating to juveniles is embodied in the Juvenile
Courts Act 1947 and Children and Young Persons Act 1947. A juvenile is
defined as a person aged between 10 to below 18 years.
The Juvenile Court is not
open to the public. Although newspaper reporters may attend they cannot
reveal particulars that may identify the offender. If found guilty, the
court does not use terms such as 'convict' or 'sentence' in relation to
the offender.
The court is presided over
by a first class magistrate who decides on guilt. He sits with two
assessors, one of whom should be a woman if possible, to assist him on
deciding the 'sentence'. Before deciding how to deal with a juvenile, the
court considers the offender's general conduct, home environment, school
record and medical history.
The court may admonish and
discharge, grant a discharge upon the offender entering a bond to be of
good behaviour to comply with such orders as may be imposed, a committal
to the care of a relative or other
fit person, and order his
parents or guardian to execute a bond to exercise proper care and
guardianship, a probation order, an order of committal to an approved
school or Henry Gurney School, for 'corrective' education, an order to pay
a fine, compensation or costs.
Imprisonment may only be
ordered if the offender is aged between 14 and 18 years. It is the last
resort provided the delinquent cannot be suitably dealt with in any other
way possible.
A child between 10 and 14
years cannot be ordered to be imprisoned for any offence. Neither can it
be committed to prison in default of payment of a fine, damage or costs.
Under Section 16 of the Juvenile Courts Act, a juvenile cannot be
sentenced to death. However the restriction is not applicable where a
juvenile is charged under Essential (Security Cases) Regulations 1975
which expressly excludes the Juvenile Courts Act. The only situation where
an ordinary court may try a juvenile is when he is jointly charged with
another adult or the offence carries the death penalty. Possibly, in such
cases, the juvenile may be pardoned and committed to the Henry Gurney
School.
Where a child below 10
years is intolerably mischievous or even otherwise needs care and
protection being beyond the control of anyone, the Juvenile Court makes an
order vesting the custody and protection of the child to an approved
institution.
One of the most frequent
measures of treatment applied by juvenile courts is probation. A juvenile
delinquent is placed under the supervision of a probation offlcer whose
duties are to befriend and assist him with a view to his rehabilitation.
Probation is essentially social case work because it is the task of the
probation officer to find regular employment for his charge and assist in
his family problems whenever necessary.
The spirit behind the law
relating to youngsters is that they should be treated differently from
adults, that is, with compassion and understanding so that they are shown
the correct path from which they strayed through no fault of their own.
The advice that could be
given to families with young children is to spend quality time with them,
to listen to what is going on, and what the child may be really trying to
tell.
"BOSHIA" AND "LEPAK" -
CULTURE AMONG YOUTHS
"Bohsia" and "Lepak"
Culture among Youths With rapid industrialisation of the country many
youths from the rural areas flock to larger cities in search of employment
in factories. Girls from the rural areas in particular come in large
numbers to be employed mostly in electronic factories. The lure of a
care-free life in the city with their many shopping complexes,
supermarkets and bright lights attract many rural youths who generally
spend their leisure hours after work indulging in 'window shopping' or
merely loitering around in groups in such places. Money is uppermost in
their minds - some extra cash with which they could enjoy a better quality
of fashionable life in the city.
This kind of lifestyle
among youths in the course of time gave rise to the popular use of the
terms bohsia and lepak (Bahasa Malaysia). The word bohsia originates from
Chinese Hokkien meaning 'voiceless'. How the term originated and came to
be associated with loafing youths in large cities is however obscure. Its
Bahasa Malaysia equivalent is lepak.
With a large proportion of
these teenage youths being away from the social controls of normal rural
family life, it was indeed not surprising to find some of them indulging
in unwholesome activities in large cities and becoming involved in a way
of life which would not normally be tolerated back in their own rural home
towns. Inevitably a decline in ethics set in due to the absence of the
sanctions of parents and society back in their own villages.
A stage was reached when
female teenagers in small groups would place themselves as 'pick-ups' at
strategic locations in shopping complexes, public buildings or street
corners, only to be 'picked-up' by local youths. The girls are so naive
they became easy prey to those roving romeos in super motorcycles.
One could in fact approach
and strike up a casual acquaintance with any factory girl seen loitering
in the vicinity of shopping complexes and the chances are that she would
readily accept an invitation from such an acquaintance for a drink or
snack at a restaurant and later adjourn for a walk or to a disco or any
place mutually agreed upon.
Later on however, the
female teenagers, having grown wiser to the scheme of things, elevate
themselves to solicit acquaintance with affluent older men who would prowl
around in expensive cars looking for tpick-ups' to keep them company.
These men in high society would generally be lavish in entertaining the
girls. The situation in the course of time however got out of hand when
cases of khalwat (close proximity) were apprehended by the police, who
also received complaints lodged by wives against their husbands involved
in vice activities. With continued action and surveillance by the police,
the bohsia and lepak problems, which at one time had occupied news
headlines to a large extent, gradually faded away.
To fill the void that
ensued, unscrupulous business operators took the opportunity of raking in
money by opening up karaoke lounges and video arcades thereby providing
ideal rendezvous facilities with subdued lighting and popular music for
'boy-meets-girl' situations. Despite government regulations, karaoke and
video arcades still allow children under 18 years of age to patronise
their premises and their operating hours extend up to 3.00 am or 4.00 am.
Both sexes mingle freely in the dimly-lit premises and their behaviour
leaves much to be desired.
Karaoke centres employ
attractive young ladies as 'guest relation officers' as a front to seduce
youths to indulge themselves in shows where they are encouraged to spend
excessive amounts of money. In video-clip shows scantily dressed men and
women move around lewdly to erotic music. One could imagine how much
adverse influence it could have on a young mind. Teaching moral values in
school alone will not create a healthy society. Parents too have to weed
out negative elements, and the media needs also to play a positive role in
this regard. Society has to nip the festering problem in the bud by
disallowing the young mind to be poisoned by such lewd video shows.
There is a move by the
Government to clamp down on karaoke lounges and video arcade centres as
this will help to curb social ills prevalent among youths. Many such
centres operate under disguise as their main activities are gambling and
drug peddling. Their activities are highly computerised and, using remote
control, they can quickly re-set the games when raids are carried out on
the premises. This has made it difficult for the police to take action
against them unless they go undercover. The Police are aware of criminal
activities taking place in video, amusement and karaoke outlets.
We want to strengthen
family ties and promote healthy family values. We do not want our youths
to spend their leisure time and money in karaoke and video outlets as this
could lead them astray. By closing video and karaoke outlets youths would
be less likely to waste their time and this would encourage them to engage
in wholesome activities or stay at home with their families.
In the Sigalovada Sutta
the Buddha has given advice to youths not to mingle during unusual times
in the streets and certain places where people can influence young people
into immoral practices.
THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE.
During the early 1960s,
the 'hippie'subculture swept the West making a deep impact on human
civilization. A typical 'hippie' was seen as a young unkempt person
wearing gaudy coloured casual clothes and long hair, advocating freedom of
thought and expression, and rejecting many of the conservative standards
and values of society. Smoking cannabis (ganja) was their favourite form
of drug abuse. Our local youths copied this lifestyle to a certain extent.
Although with hindsight we can say that the hippie movement did have some
positive effects, its permissiveness paved the way for the greatest
scourge mankind has ever known: drug abuse.
When drugs are abused, the
results can be devastating -- for the abuser, for those who care about him
or her, and for society at large. Dependence on commonly abused drugs has
become one of the leading public health problems. The escalating drug toll
is quite unacceptable, in terms of wasted lives, destabilised families,
and rising crime rates, quite apart from the high costs of funding
research programmes, rehabilitation centres and specialised
law-enforcement agencies. The severe harm addiction causes the human body
and the difficulty of overcoming the problem are beyond doubt.
Repeated use of drugs can
cause the user to become dependent on them. Physical dependence on a drug
like heroin for example, is characterised by increasing tolerance to the
drug - that is, the user has to take ever larger -doses in order to
achieve the same degree of drug - induced euphoria, or 'high'. And this of
course makes the withdrawal symptoms, (the often severe physical reactions
the user may experience when denied the drug) much worse. Traditionally,
drug addiction has been defined as physical dependence. Today the term
drug addiction usually refers to a behavioural pattern marked by
compulsive use of a drug and a preoccupation with getting it.
Drug abuse has been rated
as one of the world's greatest enemies. Society has ascribed the cause of
this scourge to the moral degradation of our youths who have strayed from
their normal family home environment to be enticed by influences outside
the home. Many use drugs as a means to escape from unhappy home
situations. Parents who are too busy to attend to the social and spiritual
needs of their adolescent children often neglect them to the extent of
driving them to seek solace in drug addiction. The lack of proper parental
guidance and supervision and the low regard for values of life, such as
morality and spirituality has to a large extent contributed to this
negative state of affairs. Many addicts began with no intention whatsoever
of becoming addicted but they were sadly mistaken when they became
enslaved to the habit.
It is significant to note
that drug trafficking has even surpassed international oil trading as a
money spinner and is second only to the arms trade. The lucrative trade in
drugs has made its distribution widespread and caused serious
socio-economic problems in both developed and developing nations. Drug
traffickers are in fact known to be using complex corporate structures and
dealing in intricate business transactions involving banks, trust
companies, financial institutions and real estate firms.
Drug abusers invariably
progress on to hard drugs and 'mainliners' live under the perpetual threat
of an overdose. The common habit of sharing needles to 'fix' or inject
drugs into one's body system by hard-core 'mainliners' is one of the
principal causes of the spread of AIDS now threatening the country, which
will be discussed in detail in the next section.
The Government is
currently spending millions of dollars on various drug rehabilitation
programmes as the ever growing problem of drug abuse by our youths is
increasing to alarming proportions.
It is significant to note
that infants born to heroin-addicted mothers also become addicts. Because
the mother's heroin intoxication can penetrate the placenta barrier (the
buffer between her bloodstream and that of the foetus) and pass directly
on to the unborn child, doctors try to find out beforehand if a mother is
on heroin (many would not admit it) so that the child can be treated and
handled as an addict from the moment it is born. If a doctor is unaware of
the mother's addiction problem, the new born baby may go into an immediate
and life-threatening withdrawal state. This can include breathing
problems, convulsions and trembling.
According to reports a
vast majority (98.8 %) of addicts are men, with more than 80 % of them
aged between 20 and 39 years. More than 41 % of addicts caught the habit
because of peer pressure, 36.8 % were seeking pleasure on their own
initiative while 15.6 % took drugs out of curiosity. Others became
addicted to overcome mental stress (4.6 %), as a result of medical
treatment (1%), by accident (0.4 %) and 0.1% as a sexual stimulant.
How can parents tell if
their children in the adolescent age group (12 to 21 years) are on drugs?
Millions of parents are quite rightly concerned about this problem and
worry about the appeal of drugs to youngsters. What they are obviously
concerned about is illicit drug use. Your suspicions that one of your
children is involved in drug-taking may be aroused by an unexpected change
in his or her behaviour patterns. He or she may appear confused, have
slurred speech, become aggressive, paranoid or depressed, suffer weight
loss, display red eyes, drowsiness, reveal declining performance at school
etc. If faced with irrefutable evidence, it is best not to over dramatise
the situation but to get the help of trained counsellors who will best
know how to handle the situation. The worst action would be to deny that
the problem exists.
One of the best ways to
help your child avoid drugs is to set a responsible pattern at home - do
not abuse potentially addictive products, such as alcohol or tobacco,
yourself. If you find that your child is involved, do not confront him
while he is affected. Instead approach him later and try to discuss the
problem and any underlying adolescent difficulties that may relate to it.
There are two major aims
to bear in mind: to keep on good terms with the child, who will often be
the only person able to tell you what is going on, and to establish some
firm facts about the drug used - whether smoked, swallowed, injected or
inhaled, also how long and how often it has been taken. You should then
consult-your family doctor, who will advise you on the most sensible
policy to adopt. If the situation is serious your doctor may refer you to
a rehabilitation centre or to a hospital.
THE SPREAD OF AIDS
AIDS ( Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome ) is now the most deadly of all sexually transmitted
diseases. AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which
attacks and weakens the body's immune system so that it can no longer
fight off infections normally controlled with ease. A person with AIDS is
not likely to survive,
although it is not the
actual AIDS virus which kills him. The cause of death may be any of the
wide variety of organisms that can enter the body and, finding little
resistance, multiply wildly. The victim is thus subject to a variety of
rare illnesses normally found only in a relatively mild form if they do
occur, in people with a normal immune system.
People who have AIDS die
from a secondary disease. The two illnesses most commonly identified in
AIDS patients are pneumonia and a rare form of skin cancer, as a result of
the breakdown of the body's immune system.
Once the virus enters the
body, it is targeted to attack the immune system of the human body. The
AIDS virus is carried in the body fluids, particularly blood and semen, of
people who suffer the disease. Persons so infected can transfer the virus
to their sexual partners or spread it by contaminated blood during
transfusions. An AIDS infected mother can transmit the deadly virus to her
child, during or shortly after birth.
The AIDS virus also
circulates in the blood of its victims. This is almost certainly why
intravenous drug users and haemophiliacs are in the higher-risk group.
Intravenous drug users often share needles, and a needle used by an AIDS
carrier can transmit the needle used to anyone who uses the same needle.
Since many people donate blood to blood banks, it is possible that AIDS
contaminated blood might be given to a haemophiliac, and indeed some
people have been infected by this way. It is almost impossible, of course,
to get AIDS by donating blood, since the needles used for the procedure
are sterile and are discarded after each use.
The inherent danger of the
deadly disease is that AIDS antibodies, which indicate infection, only
appear in the blood a few weeks, and sometimes a few months after the
person has been infected. The incubation period however, varies greatly
and can be quite long, perhaps as long as five years. Hence it is not
possible to detect infection immediately after exposure. With no known
cure or vaccine so far, AIDS prevention is indeed most vital.
The following symptoms
occur in AIDS: swollen lymph nodes, recurring fevers, night sweats, sudden
unexplainable weight loss, fatigue, diarrhoea, purplish skin lesions and
unusual infections.
The results of several
investigations into the spread of AIDS indicate that people living in the
same house, sharing eating utensils, or being exposed to sneezes from an
infected person do not become infected with AIDS virus. Nor is it possible
to be infected from swimming pools, handshaking or sharing toilet seats.
The only known routes of infection are sexual contact and exposure to
contaminated needles or blood.
Nearly half a million
people around the world are officially reported to have AIDS. This is just
a third of the estimated total of eleven million people carrying the
potentially lethal virus HIV.
The global total of
carriers is estimated to be 446,681 spread over 163 countries. In our
country alone, the known number of HIV carriers has reached more than
2,500 and 31 of the 37 AIDS victims have died. By the year 2000, it is
estimated that more than 60,000 infants will have AIDS, and 120,000
children will become orphans!
There has been a 440%
increase in HIV /AIDS cases over the last five years. Data compiled by
UNAIDS prove the gravity of our situation.
The country's AIDS
strategy is a plan on AIDS prevention that is based on proper morals. The
plan will 'go back to the basics', that is, religion, cultural and
traditional values, as today's teens are indulging in activities their
forefathers would never have dreamt of doing in their day. The danger of
sexual misconduct is explained in the teaching of the Buddha.
ADDICTION TO TOBACCO
SMOKING
Tobacco smoking covers a
wide range of nicotine - laden products and includes cigarettes, cigars
and pipe smoking. Of the above mentioned categories, cigarette smoking is
the most prevalent. It has been established statistically that nicotine
addiction usually starts among the young, and smokers are usually hooked
to the habit by the time they become adults. 'Catch 'em young, and you
have 'em for life' seems to be the corporate strategy of the tobacco
industry.
Right now, Malaysia seems
to be in a tobacco 'cloud-nine' oblivion. Our sports events, youth rock
concerts, film shows and trendy holiday programmes are sponsored by
tobacco companies. They advertise themselves on TV, radio and in the print
media in a very subtle way by promoting products and services totally
unrelated to their trade. Although their esteemed end product -- the
all-important cigarette, appears nowhere in sight, the message and logo
they want to put across to the public nevertheless ring loud and clear.
Despite public criticism, our authorities continue to allow such brand
names and logo promotions as well as free distribution of cigarette
samplesat rock concerts.
Whatever has happened to
our laws on anti-smoking, and who are enforcing them? Are they to be
observed only within the vicinity of hospitals, the courts, gas stations
and certain public buildings? Even the Congress passed Bills recently
defining nicotine as an addictive substance. Now that the vast US market
is rapidly being closed to tobacco companies, we can expect a more
aggressive and well-planned campaign upon the youth in Third World
countries. Malaysia, an economic success story, is certain to be a 'prime
target'. Are we ready for this onslaught upon our youngsters in this
country? This pandering to cigarette traders must come to an end. Or else,
are we admitting that U.S President Clinton cares more for his American
youngsters than we care for ours.
Malaysia as a responsible
nation should unite to protect the health of our next generation.
Government agencies, the corporate sector and local Non-Government
Organisations (NGO's) should work together on a single policy to thwart
the insidious strategy of the international cigarette companies. The
authorities should lay down singleminded policies and detailed plans to
curb smoking among youths. Cigarette companies are required by law to
print a warning notice on all cigarette cartons about the dangers relating
to smoking but, as could be expected, this usually appears in almost
microscopic print, merely to conform with official policy.
Cigarette smoking is one
of the contributory causes of heart disease which is already a major
killer in this country and its medical and social costs are growing each
year. We cannot afford to allow the tobacco habit to destroy the health of
our younger generation; hence we must act now, and as one society.
There is no such thing as
a 'safe' cigarette. Low-tar, low nicotine cigarettes, according to
manufacturers' tests, provide some risk reduction as far as contracting
lung cancer and heart disease is concerned. These tests, however, are
performed on smoking machines and not on human beings. In addition,
switching to a low nicotine brand is not a reliable alternative to
quitting, especially for those who increase the number of cigarettes they
smoke to maintain former nicotine levels.
Even though you do not
inhale when smoking, you are still holding the smoke in your mouth and
thus increase the risks of developing oral cancer. In addition, you may be
inhaling some smoke without being aware of it, and you are breathing in
glycoprotein ( a tobacco ingredient that may cause some damage to the
blood vessels) both during the time you are actually smoking each
cigarette and for a while afterwards.
If you can stop smoking
instantly, and find that you don't experience an intense craving for
tobacco or such signs of withdrawal as nervousness and headaches, then you
would not be classified as addicted. But the chances are that you probably
would not be able to give up without feeling some symptoms, in which case
you would be described, and accurately so, as addicted.
It is never too late to
stop smoking, even after 25 years. Quitting offers both short and
long-term benefits. You will soon notice some changes once you have given
up smoking. You will be able to taste food better and breathe more
efficiently and your 'smoker's cough' will clear up. Although your lungs
will never return to the state they were in before you took up smoking,
some of the damage may clear up. The good news, of course, is that if you
quit smoking your lungs will cease deteriorating further.
Before heart surgery
doctors may ask whether the patient used to smoke or not. If the answer is
'yes', they will delay the operation to clean the lungs of 'tar'
accumulated in the lungs of the smoker.
Many smokers do gain
weight when they quit. But the good news is that these people gain an
average of only two to three kilograms. Should you want to avoid weight
gain, make quitting smoking your first priority. Remember the enormous
health benefits of quitting smoking, and do not allow your worries about
gaining weight to get in the way. You can work on reducing weight after
quitting smoking, as a second priority.
The question often asked
is: 'Can the smoke from other people's cigarettes harm me?' Yes, it can.
The scientific evidence concerning the dangerous effects of passive
smoking (inhaling the smoke of others) on people who live with or work
near smokers is growing rapidly. Scientists have found a significantly
higher incidence of respiratory diseases among children whose parents
smoke. Other studies have shown passive smoking can cause decreased airway
function in otherwise healthy adults and children. It has been reported
that the harmful constituents of inhaling cigarette smoke are found in
passive smoke, sometimes even to a greater extent than in inhaled smoke,
and that non-smokers do indeed draw these dangerous elements into their
lungs when they breathe in the smoke of others.
ALCOHOLISM
Alcoholism is a chronic
illness which manifests itself as a disorder of behaviour. It is
characterised by the repeated drinking of alcoholic beverages, to an
extent that exceeds customary social customs.
The term 'alcoholic' is
hard to define exactly since people have different reactions to alcohol
and the way they use it. It usually takes 10 to 15 years of drinking five
or more drinks a day (less for women) for a person to develop what might
be called the full alcohol syndrome -- that is, a state of physical
dependence with serious damage to health and social relationships. In
essence, alcoholism is not measured by the amount of alcohol consumed but
rather by the way a person uses alcohol to deal with life's problems, and
its effects on one's physical well-being.
Chronic alcohol abuse can
damage all vital organs in the body. To begin with, it can damage the
muscle cells of the heart and lead to heart failure and death. As alcohol
is broken down in the liver, whose chief function is to neutralise and
remove certain toxic compounds, this organ is the most vulnerable to
alcohol's harmful affects.
Alcoholism can cause the
liver to enlarge, become inflamed, and eventually develop the often fatal
scarring called cirrhosis. One of alcohol's most damaging effects is on
the brain. Abuse may lead to brain damage and mental disorders.
Alcohol taken in the early
months of pregnancy can damage the heart of an unborn baby. Pregnant women
who drink run the risk of causing a variety of abnormalities to develop in
their unborn children (foetal alcohol syndrome).
Tolerance to alcohol means
that the body chemistry has gradually adjusted to the presence of the
beverage. As a result, it takes more of the substance to achieve the same
response. This is why a person who drinks only rarely may become drunk
just on a glass of wine. Tolerance, in fact, is one of the two key signs
of dependence on alcohol. The other is the development of withdrawal
symptoms when the user stops taking alcoholic drinks. The ability to drink
a lot depends on several factors, such as the drinker's weight and
chemistry, his physical and mental state, the length of time he has been
drinking and the amount of food he has in his stomach while drinking.
Certain organisations, as
part of their social gatherings, encourage their youths to participate in
beer-drinking contests with offers of attractive prizes to the winners.
Such organisations in doing so are unwittingly initiating innocent youths,
many of whom have never taken any form of alcoholic drink, into the
growing ranks of alcoholics, which eventually will lead to all sorts of
social and domestic problems to their families and the community in
general.
Could a person die from
drinking too much at one time? Although rare, such deaths do occur,
usually as the result of drinking contests. This is because during such
events as much as a large tumbler or more of alcoholic beverage may be
consumed at one go. Such a massive quantity of alcohol can depress the
respiratory system and, in combination with vomiting, lead to death by
suffocation. In addition, it can reduce the body's production of glucose
and cause a coma. Alcohol also can reduce the pain threshold and weaken
the blood's clotting capacities.
The last of the Five
Precepts in Buddhism advocates total abstinence from the consumption of
intoxicants. The strict observance by Buddhists of this precept is
extremely important for the well-being of one's mental and physical
health, as disregard for the precept itself undermines the value of all
the other precepts.
In winding up cocktail
parties and drink sessions, the common habit among guests and patrons of
having the extra 'one for the road' should be discouraged at all costs.
Government's current 'don't drink and drive' policy is indeed commendable
and should be strictly adhered to for the safety of all road users.
Pubs have mushroomed all
over towns and are luring our youths to indulge in the drinking habit.
Certain undesirable shows are known to take place in pubs and discos
contrary to the licences issued to such establishments exposing them to
the risk of the premises being raided by the Police.
For persons in the lower
rungs of the social scale, toddy provides the much needed solace for them
to relax. Quite a number of them however imbibe the brew in excess, and as
a result become drunk and boisterous thus creating domestic violence at
home. Many from the low income group also indulge in drinking samsu
distilled from rice. But what worries the authorities is the consumption
of cheap illicit samsu (distilled under most unhygienic conditions) by
unwary drinkers, leading to many cases of deaths that had occurred arising
from drinking such toxic brews.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a
self-help group of dedicated volunteers who help alcohol abusers to break
their habits and offer therapy where necessary. They offer their services
round the clock and can be contacted by telephone.
THE GENERATION GAP
The word 'generation' is
popularly used as a measure of time, and usually represents about a span
of 30 years, the period which man requires to attain maturity, and the age
at which, as a general rule, the first child is born. The intervening wide
gap between one or more generations is often generally referred to as the
generation gap.
As could be expected,
persons from different generations differ considerably in their ways of
thinking, attitudes, life styles and values and hence do not see eye to
eye with each other on most matters. Due to the disparity in the ages, the
elderly group tend to hold set views which run contrary to the way of
thinking of the younger generation. Differences of opinion will arise and
this will lead to misunderstanding within the family.
Age old traditions,
outmoded customs and sectarian attitudes of the elders often come in
conflict with the aspirations of the youths. The younger generation of
youths are made to stand critically at cross-roads at such a great moment
in their inexperienced young lives. They are quite naturally averse to
interference from elders and unyielding to patronising moods.
Some elderly people cannot
tolerate the modern ideas and ways of living of the younger generation.
They expect their children to follow the same age-old customs and
traditions of their forefathers. Instead of adopting such an attitude,
they should allow the children to move with the times if such activities
are harmless and beneficial to progress. Elders should call to mind how
their own parents had objected to certain popular modes of behaviour
prevalent at the time when they were young. For example, in the '60s it
was considered shocking for young people to imitate the Beatles and the
hippies. Those young people have grown up and are in turn shocked by their
own children's imitation of 'punk' and 'grunge'.
These differences in
perception between the conservative parents and the younger generation is
a common source of conflict within families of today. This does not mean
that parents should hesitate to counsel and guide their children if they
have gone astray due to some erroneous values.
But when correcting them,
they should observe the principle that prevention is better than
punishment. Parents should also explain to their children why they
disapprove or approve of certain values. We know that what we call 'Asian
Values' are good, but only if they are relevant to modern needs and can be
adapted to suit the present situation.
A lack of proper
understanding between parents and their children is actually causing them
to distance themselves from each other. There should be more room provided
for the children to grow and to engage themselves in better communication
with their parents.
The following impassioned
plea by a teenager seeking his parents' understanding of his problems, as
narrated by the youngster, would be typical in many families today.
'I have been with my
parents for nearly 20 years now. I love them, but I do have problems
with them. There are misunderstandings between the three of us, and the
problems seem to be increasing.
These problems stem from
my actions which my parents do not understand. They do not seem to
understand the reasons behind what I say and do. I have tried to correct
and smoothen out the ruffles between us, but to no avail.
My parents were always
there for me when I was young, or whenever I needed a shoulder to cry
on. So I did not mind them telling me what to do and I thought they were
the greatest people on earth.
My view of things
eventually began to differ from theirs, but I kept quiet since I feared
retribution from them. The problems began when I was old enough to voice
my opinions.
Now, I talk back to my
parents, not because I want to rebel against them but because I can
think for myself. I don't claim to know everything my parents know, but
I can look out for myself. I will ask for help when I need it, but
whether I want to heed their advice is a different matter.
My parents still see me
as a child, one who needs constant supervision. I appreciate that my
parents look after me, but they should give me some room and not smother
me. They never hear what I say and then they tell me that I do not
understand them.
They also encroach on my
personal freedom as they do not understand me. Since they always watch
me, I do not get any freedom to see my friends or do the things I want
to do.
My parents always
question my motives, but they never listen to my reasons because they
never want to talk with me. Naturally, I turn to my friends and this
surprises my parents.
I don't want to hurt my
parents by not listening to them, but it works both ways. How can I take
advice from them when they do not bother to find out the true facts? I
am young, but how will I ever learn if I am not given the chance.
The problems I am
experiencing originate from my parents and me. They just command me and
do not give me a chance to ask them questions. In such an intolerable
and stifling home situation, who then is to blame if I have to seek
solace outside home with shady companions and indulge myself in negative
activities? Do I have an option?
My parents could
understand me better if only they took the time to speak with me and see
my point of view. My parents and I must work together to solve this
problem for the sake of a better home environment.'
The appearance of a
generation in the 1950s which had become incomprehensible to its elders
now looks far less mysterious than it did at that time of great changes in
world civilization. Then, the talk was all of 'generation gap', a new
phenomenon. Young people did not pass directly from school into lifelong
work, and often manual labour, but had leisure, money and time to spend on
themselves. A whole culture grew around them.
The inability of the old
to understand the young, the belief by the young that youth will last for
ever, their resistance to accept mortality -- these things exist in all
human societies at all times.
The generation gap, with
its dramas, its heroes and its stubbornnes has become far more complex and
complicated. It is now accepted as normal in the West that most people
have little social contact with anyone but their own age groups. The
initially benign, or at least apparently harmless, element in the
fostering of differences between the generations now threatens to turn
into something far darker and more menacing. The 'gap', as it is, is
widening to a point of becoming a 'chasm'.
A major problem
confronting many rich Western societies - Germany; the United Kingdom,
Japan, Italy, Spain, among them is that their populations have failed to
replenish themselves, so that the numbers of old people are fast becoming
a burden today.
Part of the promotion of a
detached, self-conscious younger generation in the 1950s and 1960s
represented a contempt for the old, at the very least, a discarding of
wisdom, a rejection of experience, a degradation of traditional
relationships between young and old.
These fostered
misunderstandings, barriers between young and old, will eventually create
deeper conflicts in the future. Indeed outrages by children against the
old are already a serious issue in many parts of the world. Such
incidents, will certainly increase with time, because of the aged, kept
alive by technological miracles, by super drugs, by all the apparatus
which permit life expectancy to increase. Quality of life however does not
improve with the increase of population, and that's where the problem
lies.
It is not difficult to
anticipate just what forms of vengeful retaliation will occur when the
young realise that they are expected to look after the 'surplus'
population of those they regard as useless, the discarded, the illadapted,
unproductive and the infirm. These are burdens society is increasingly
reluctant to shoulder. One can imagine, therefore the arguments in favour
of euthanasia gaining ground and the practice being increasingly accepted.
The problem of demography
which once focused upon too many babies in the Third World, is likely to
shift to those who refuse to die particularly in the developed world.
Already the old say they have lived too long. They may have to be helped
to remove themselves to make way for the next generation.May the Old and
Young bridge the gap in the cause of Love and Understanding.
LISTEN TO THE ELDERS
It is not necessary to
have personal experience in certain things to understand whether they are
good or bad. Here is a an analogy for you to understand this situation. A
shoal of fishes come across an obstruction in the water with an unusually
small opening. It is actually a trap laid by a fisherman to catch the
fish.
Some fish want to go
inside the fence and see what it is, but the more experienced fish advise
them not to do so because it must be a dangerous trap. The young fish
asks, 'How do we know whether it is dangerous or not? We must go in and
see, only then can we understand what it is.' So some of them go in and
get caught in the trap.
We must be prepared to
accept the advice given by wise men like the Buddha who is enlightened. Of
course the Buddha himself has said that we must not accept his teachings
blindly. At the same time we can listen to some wise ones or other
religious teachers. This is simply because their experience is more
advanced than our limited knowledge regarding our worldly lives.
Parents usually advise
their children to do certain things and not others. By neglecting the
advice given by the elders, young people do many things according to their
own way of thinking. Eventually when they get into trouble, they remember
the elders and religious teachers and seek their help and sometimes even
ask the religious teachers to pray for them.
Only then do they remember
religion and seek some blessing and guidance. But they do not think the
main purpose of a religion is to help us to follow certain noble
principles to avoid many of our problems before they confront us. Early
religious education trains the mind to cultivate the universal principles
which support our way of life to live peacefully.
CAN WE CHANGE OTHERS
WITHOUT CHANGING OURSELVES?
Man by nature is gifted
with intelligence. From childhood to adolescence his perception of life
would be one of youthful vigour with lofty ideals and aspirations. As he
reaches manhood, the age of reason dawns on him, and with his mature
outlook, he soon realises that his utopian ideals held by him during his
youth would have to be cast aside, and that he would have to perceive life
afresh in its true perspective. With advancing age, and with mellowed
outlook in life, he finds he has to change and adjust his lifestyle
accordingly. Even his lofty ambitions in life held eminently by him in his
younger days, will eventually have to come to terms with the realities of
change. Such is the inevitable life cycle affecting Man and his ambitions.
'When I was young I set
out to change the world.
When I grew older I
perceived that this was too ambitious, so I set out to change my state.
This too, I realised as I
grew older, was too ambitious, so I set out to change my town.
When I realised that I
could not do even this, I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man I know
that I should have started by changing myself.
If I had started with
myself, maybe then I would have succeeded in changing my family, the town,
or even the state and who knows, maybe the world.'
The most intelligent man
and the real stupid man both do not agree to change the mind. (Confucius)
EXPERIENCE COMES WITH AGE
Through the academic
knowledge that people gain without personal experience, some young people
think they can solve all their problems. Science can provide the material
things to solve our problems, but it cannot help us to solve many of our
life's problems. There is no substitute for wise people who have
experienced the world. Think about this saying, ' When I was 18, I thought
what a fool my father was. Now that I am 28, I am surprised how much the
old man has learned in 10 years!.
Actually, it is not the
father who has learned, rather it is the youth who has learned to see
things in a mature way.
More than two thousand
years ago the Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tze and many other religious teachers
gave us wonderful advice. This advice can never become out-of-date being
based on truth and will remain fresh forever. It is impossible to overcome
our human problems by ignoring the ancient wisdom. This wisdom is to
develop human dignity, understanding, peace and happiness.
CARING FOR AGED PARENTS
As parents age, it is
inevitable that their bodies will gradually weaken and deteriorate in a
variety of ways, making them increasingly susceptible to physical
illnesses that can affect every organ in their system. As the realisation
grows that there is no escape, the aging individual must try to find some
way to come to terms with the disturbing new reality.
Filial piety is an
important factor in caring for the aged in our traditional Asian society.
As Asians it has long been the norm for us to accommodate and nurse the
aged parents in our own homes as far as possible.
Do children owe any legal
liability to care for old and disabled parents? Unfortunately the answer
is 'No'. Parents simply have to depend on the goodwill of their children.
Although we are proud about our values, and cultural heritage,
unfortunately the number of elderly citizens with no savings and abandoned
by their families is growing in Asia. The problem for us to consider is
whether our values, including filial devotion and reciprocal love for
children are being eroded because of a breakdown in traditional family
relations and a changed economic and demographic profile.
Cramped flats and squatter
houses are not places which are conducive to the accommodation of aged
parents. There have been numerous cases in which old people have been
neglected by their children or their relatives. This is a sad situation
where good values and traditions are no longer practiced.
Welfare homes and their
environment for the most part are also not places which are conducive to
the accommodation of aged parents. Of all living alternatives, placement
in an Old Folks Home is without doubt the most sensitive issue often
provoking guilt through self accusations of ingratitude, lack of devotion
or filial piety and abandonment.
A nursing home, although
somewhat expensive, offers the most satisfactory alternative. Each person
must decide for himself and understand that there are no perfect choices.
While long term institutionalization is a painful issue, it is essential
to provide appropriate care for a debilitated parent.
Placement in a nursing
facility does not mean 'putting your aged parent away', or at least it
shouldn't. Family involvement remains essential for proper care, from the
first step of choosing the facility, to maintaining an ongoing
relationship with the staff, to regularly visiting the parent and
involving him or her in family matters. They need cheering up and to know
that there are people who really care for them.
Certain irresponsible
persons with ill or aged parents get them admitted into third class wards
of hospitals, leaving false addresses and just disappear from the scene.
This indeed is a most cruel way of disposing of one's own aged parents.
A caring attitude as well
as concern for the aged parents must prevail if the older generation is
not to be adversely affected by the rapid socio-economic changes of
urbanisation and industrialisation. It has to be realised that the aged
are more affected by these changes and the degradation of moral values in
society. It should also encompass the responsible manner in which the
elderly are treated, cared for, respected and honoured.
This aspect of caring for
the aged parents requires collective responsibility. It will also instil
respect for the elderly as there is no better institution to care for the
aged parents other than the family itself.
In many discourses the
Buddha has advised children to pay special attention to father and mother.
There is an old adage which says: 'Take good care of your parents for you
will never know how much you miss them when they are gone.
GAMBLING
Gambling is the wagering
of money or other-valuables on the outcome of a game, race, contest or
other event. Although few societies in general have ever wholly approved
of gambling, none has been able to eradicate it.
The hope of making quick
money easily is what gives gambling its appeal. If the appeal of gambling
is winning money, the thrill of it is in the risk that the wager may be
lost. For many people gambling become an addiction.
The games most closely
associated with gambling involve a heavy element of chance. Whereas poker,
for instance, requires skill to play well, the outcome of the game is
determined primarily by the distribution of the cards. Many casino games,
such as roulette are dictated solely by chance. Betting on the outcome of
sporting events, especially on horse racing, or on a lottery is perhaps
the most widespread legal form of gambling, and in many countries,
governments have created systems to funnel through legal channels the vast
amounts wagered, retaining a certain proportion for their own use.
Football pools are popular particularly in the West.
Gambling is not confined
to any economic or social stratum. Many housewives are known to be
compulsive gamblers who often neglect their family obligations and their
children when they become so engrossed in the vicious gambling habit. They
even gamble away their market provision money and become easy prey to loan
sharks who are ever ready to come to the 'rescue' of such unfortunate
women. Compulsive women gamblers are prepared even to go the extent of
compromising their modesty to these human vultures in order to redeem
their losses. Compulsive gambling is recognised as a sickness, and such
organisations as Gamblers Anonymous exist for the purpose of helping
individuals suffering from the problem.
Illegal gambling
constitutes one of the largest 'businesses' in existence, and its 'gross'
has been estimated to exceed that of its legal counterpart. Gambling can
become the cause of the downfall of a person if he or she is addicted to
it says the Buddha.
INDEBTEDNESS
Many who become addicted
to gambling and liquor also become indebted in order to sustain their
gambling and drinking habits and in so doing easily fall into the clutches
of unscrupulous money lenders and loan sharks.
Money lenders often charge
a high rate of interest on loans borrowed by debtors. Although the amount
of loan advanced is low, their modus operandi is to make the borrower sign
for a larger amount, as a form of security, In case of default by the
borrower, the money lender will invariably sue the borrower through court
proceedings, tendering the borrower's signed document for the larger
amount as the basis of their claim.
Licensed money lenders and
loan sharks are the bane of helpless alcoholics and gamblers as they often
exploit the inherent human weakness of their victims. 'A drunkard's mouth
dries up his pocket' - so the adage goes.
Even people in an affluent
society resort to money lenders as a means of alleviating themselves from
tight financial situations. Valuable properties and lands are sometimes
mortgaged to these money lenders as a form of collateral in order to
secure a loan for a business venture. Should the borrowers default, these
unscrupulous money lenders will have no qualms whatsoever in resorting to
court action to foreclose their claims. The law provides for the seizure
of the debtor's property to pay the sum owed, plus the legal costs
incurred. One who is not indebted to anybody experiences happiness in this
life time says the Buddha.
Many heavily indebted
businessmen, finding themselves insolvent, have no other option than to
declare themselves bankrupt.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Human problems are
complicated and entangled in various ways. From our birth up to our last
breath, numerous problems confront us. It is impossible for any human
being to exist without facing some sort of problems. The Buddha has
advised us to understand the nature of our problems if we want to live
peacefully. He has also advised us to ponder on the purpose of our
existence and try to find out why we are not satisfied with our lives and
the world. If we can understand this situation, there will be no reason
for us to suffer from undue fear, disappointments and frustrations.
The Buddha's approach to
the problems of human suffering is essentially empirical and experimental
and not speculative and metaphysical.
There is no short cut for
us to get rid of our problems. We must cultivate our way of life to
discover the cause of the problems that we are facing. We must understand
that there is no existence without any friction. If we want to be really
free, we must examine our problems by reducing our egoism through
understanding why these problems make life miserable.
We all like to lead very
happy, contented and peaceful lives but how many of us can really
experience such happiness? We are willing to do anything in everyway
possible to gain satisfaction but it is very difficult to experience true
satisfaction.
---o0o---
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
---o0o---
Source :
BuddhaSasana Home Page
Update: 01-01-2003
