My concern and deepest ideation is on the sanctity of humans of all ages, gender, and race; the idea that the child is an independent human being that deserves to be respected not given ideas or beauty standards at the behest of an external and often pompous source.
No thinker or one concerned with innovative thoughts is independent in ideation, we constantly dip our hands into the historical cornucopia of knowledge, a ruthless gleaning of teachings in times past helps us formulate ideas that are relevant today.
You will pardon my anachronistic reference points but hopefully I get a message through on the dignity, equality, and independence of every human being most especially infants!
Modern philosophers and thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke developed essays on the idea of Tabula Rasa or blank-slate, the idea that children are born with clean slates and we must have a child-centred training not an imposition of parental or societal beliefs and norms.
While today’s neuroscience researches suggest that the brain is wired at birth to perform certain primordial life-saving tasks automatically, they are also clear on the nurturing of the brain as regards novel notions such as aesthetics and religion.
The child doesn’t know these things hence we should have a child-centred training which gives children the dignity of choice as regards their own life rather than the imposition of what we as adults think is appealing.
17 December, 140 AD Rome; ‘the best of days’ is at hand when the society celebrates Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of Agriculture and abundance. Society is turned on its head as servants are served by masters and parents obeying their children’s commands!
The ideals of saturnalia is the sincere albeit comical idea of equality for all and this bellies the notion that children should not be bullied as their humanity is made of the same fabric as that of an adult.
The imposition of ideas on children by parents and society ruins their ability to make empirical decisions through sensory perceptions and these impositions could be:
Female Genital Mutilation
We as parents must not impose on children, they will learn in little time and make independent choices, our duty should be that of a Roman parent at saturnalia. Parents must obey and respect children as they are good at heart though lacking in experience.
Respecting children include respecting the sanctity of their mind and bodies because children grow up so fast, if she wants her ears pierced, she will tell you in no time; don’t impose your ideas of beauty on a baby, they are equal to you even though helpless and vulnerable sleeping cozily in parent’s arms, they are equal and deserve respect.
This is why I don’t agree to tribal marks on children too, let them grow up and make the choice themselves, your only duty as a parent is to guide them in total obeisance if need be and work hard to ensure their needs and wants are met.
The child’s mind is a tabula rasa that will be inundated with information mostly acquired through sensory perceptions but ensure the information they get is centred around the idea that they are individuals that can make their own choices with parental guidance if needed.
Author: Darren Idongesit (Philosopher).
My name is David Francis and the nature of my engagements include:
Philosophy (University of Jos, Nigeria); Research Consultant (St. Albert’s Institute, Fayit-Fadan, Kaduna, Nigeria); Editor (Sapientia African Leadership Formation Programme, e. V Address: Badenstedter Street, 99 30453, Hannover, Germany); Editor (African Home Reintegration, Spinnereistrasse 1A 30449, Hannover, Germany); Literature (S. E. M. S. Nassarawa State, Nigeria); Former Associate Editor, “Periscope Magazine,” Abuja and Columnist, “Seekers Delight Magazine,” Kaduna.
I simply try to question the ‘happy darkness’ by encouraging more hands to minimize ignorance. Just a dose of knowledge, is enough in training the mind, to conform to nothing except truth. Let’s ride this train together!
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