CC Pung’s dose of philosophical musings.
The writer is a Sabah Justice of Peace and Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and Labuan.
I know a little Mandarin.
Like the Greek language, the written Chinese language is rich and, often, deep.
A character or phrase can be loaded with teachings in morality, philosophy, history and other nuances that is related to culture, dialectical divide and evolution of knowledge.
The pictogram history of the Chinese characters add to its intrigue.
Information that shapes our thoughts comprised of words.
When words are information-loaded, they affect us more profoundly than the same words in languages that aren’t as “deep’, or are offer only superficial understanding.
For example, ‘crisis’ means trouble.
Crisis in Chinese is made up of two characters, one meaning ‘danger’ and the other ‘opportunity’.
Therefore, depending on what language shapes your perception (or some would describe this as your ‘thinking language’), you either get consumed down by only notions of trouble or calamity, or you see, from the very outset, solutions at the end of chaos.
Another word is ‘education’ which, in Chinese, is made up two words ‘teach’ and ‘nurture’ or ‘raise up’.
I was quietly celebrating when the Malaysian Ministry Education changed its name in Bahasa Malaysia from the one-dimensional’ pelajaran’ to the much richer and more embracing pendidikan’.
When I considered that education is about learning, I thought that it can’t be the narrow, one dimensional rogue learning which Malaysia’s education allegedly is.
When viewed through the second lens of ‘nurturing’, I therefore conclude that Malaysia’s existing multi religious, multi racial and multi lingual society is a natural, God-given fertile ground for cognitive learning.
Our chuldren should be the ones with the healthiest world view.
They tought be children who have the most wholesome education.
Such rich education environment should be part of the evolution of a colour blind Malaysian generation.
But that’s not what you see, is it?
Malaysia chose integration when it began.
But quietly, and sadly, it has launched onto the path to assimilation.
A certain Dr Mahathir, who is of Indian origin, advocated that the Chinese and indian mmigrants to Malaysia, should embrace the Malay way of life if they desired to demonstrate their loyalty.
In short, he is championing their conversion to Islam, and abandoning their ethnic culture.
I used to think much of Dr M. But now, he’s to me a pathetic person who was schooled (he went to medical school, didn’t he? but not much educated.
Chinese literature hails teachers and heaps on teachers, mentors, educators, tutors, etc all sorts of accolades.
Glorious poetry were been written about them añd songs sung about them.
In the good old days, Chinese parents used to give their rules-breaking children a second round of corporal punishment if they came home from being whipped by their teachers for running foul of the rules.
Teachers had the benefit of the parents’ doubt.
But things are changing.
Modern day egotistical Chinese parents now think that teachers should stick to teaching and leave ‘nurturing’ alone.
Look around you, if parents had assumed the role of nurturing, what’s with the prevailing generation of Ill manned, entitled spoiled youth?
Of course, the other side of the problem is teachers selling insurance, partaking in direct-selling business and promoting tuition for extra income.
I wonder if ‘education’ in Greek is as rich?
Editor: The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of Talantang
