Build A Better World

For a better long haul.

- Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

All of us want peace on earth but as we grow in size, we humans have become more distressed and more apart from each other. While we live together like lemmings, unfortunately, we do not behave like lemmings who live in harmony. We have split the world into small pools of hatred and not only do we attack each other ceaselessly, we attack our own planet and everyone on it without thinking.

Do we want our children to grow up like us? No. We want our children to be happy but happiness has its own disciplines: gentleness, mindfulness, respect, a desire for peace, a love for nature. But do we raise them like this? Or do we teach them to be vicious and fearful from the day we think they can learn?

We teach them to be scared of all creatures and fear breeds violence. By laughing when they pull up grass or squash snails and ants or by making them watch animal-based cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry where guns are fun is sending your children on the path to destruction.

How does watching or taking part in cruelty to animals influence behavior in children?

Sigmund Freud, the Austrian neurologist, and psychoanalyst believed that the human psyche (personality) is structured into three parts, the id, ego, and superego. Children develop the id which deals with the instinctive side of human behavior quickly. But it takes time for them to develop their superego – the one that deals with a moral conscience, which is why in their early years from 5-10, children are unaware of the moral right or wrong and usually act on their instincts and rely on imitation.

If we show them cartoons and these glorify violent games against animals, acting on their instincts they will develop moral leanings that they see in such animation. All violence posing as fun is going to bias their mental development and emotional understanding.