There are times when you become a storyteller. You may or may not believe in the stories yourself, but someone else does. The moment you know others believe in the story, your skills imrpove. The stories on truth, happiness, wisdom are always disputed. Real world experiences don't let you agree with a old Panchatanta story you heard years ago as a child. yet you impart the same story-based value education to your child. Why? Don't you have an alternative?
I can cite one example to make things a little clear.
We are trained to worship our teachers. Many stories in support of the great guru-sishya tradition. As children we agreed to every word. A woman friend recently told how she was mentally and physically abused by a old male teacher as a child only because she was taught the teacher is to be worshipped and she can be taken for granted. And as a child she had little idea about what's happening with her.
We are trained to worship our teachers. Many stories in support of the great guru-sishya tradition. As children we agreed to every word. A woman friend recently told how she was mentally and physically abused by a old male teacher as a child only because she was taught the teacher is to be worshipped and she can be taken for granted. And as a child she had little idea about what's happening with her.
Don't know if I make sense or not.... but I think making our children prisoners of out-of-fashion value-based-education is immoral and criminal on our part.
Let us tell them the old stories blended with enough real life examples..... I know the fantasy of the old stories will evaporate but at least they know the truth which will make their lives less miserable.
Let us tell them the old stories blended with enough real life examples..... I know the fantasy of the old stories will evaporate but at least they know the truth which will make their lives less miserable.
(This beautiful photograh of a shoe-flower is taken by my friend Feroze Ahmed Jamal)
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