World over, we are experiencing a crisis of values

South Africa and the rest of the World are facing a crisis of values of unprecedented proportions.

Eighteen years post apartheid and the South African state is facing its greatest challenge ever, and that is: How to create and sustain a social fabric that is filled with peace, prosperity, love, tolerance, compassion, and contentment. With democracy has come numerous challenges posed by inter- alia, pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS and H1N1 (Swine Flu) poverty, corruption, crime and violence, climate change, starvation and drought.  All of these have threatened the peace, security and stability of the South African state, society and ultimately, the family unit.

Starting in the home front, both parents/ single parents/partners/guardians are focusing on careers to ensure a better quality of life. Children are often left at crèches and when school is over are either left to their own devices or an after school care facility. The growing child needs love and support and to be nurtured in a value laden environment that starts to build character. 

Parents/guardians are increasingly expecting teachers to play the role of the parents. Child/Student behaviour is becoming untenable. Teachers are unable to foster discipline. The undisciplined child then takes to inhuman and intolerable actions and reactions. This starts to impact on the quality of parent/child/teacher relationships. This directly impacts on society, increasing burden on the taxpayer and Government to support programmes for rehabilitation and welfare and ultimately the quality of life of the nation begins to suffer.

These problems of uncharacteristic and unethical behaviour are found in all spheres of life, but are especially evident in the political, economic and social spheres. These range from political corruption and intolerance, economic greed and social inequities and are the fundamental causes of inhumanity to humanity. Greed, hypocrisy and hatred determine the egocentric welfare of individual, with limited focus on the collective welfare of all humanity, without reference to any division or distinction. Politicians and social reformers have also made promises to improve the quality of life but these have not been fulfilled. The inhumanity continues … corruption, intolerance and the callous destruction of human life; the whole World is caught-up in this mode of negativity. In the main, citizens have lost sight of the value and purpose of human life.

All role players in the global arena are not without criticism. World leaders have lost sight of ubuntu and human values and its impact on the global terrain. The United Nations as a peace facilitator has failed the purpose of its creation and is in reality a powerless body. Its impact has been felt on developed and developing nations alike.

In addition, natural disasters, such as tsunami, earthquakes, flooding, and famine are the reactions to the enveloping and overwhelming negative energies that humanity has discharged over the decades that is now taking its toll and adding to our woes. The malaise is a never ending saga.

Given the common problems that assail humanity, how can we start to improve the human condition? In what ways can we start to reassert a belief in humanity and in particular Ubuntu and Human Values?  A strategic approach must be devised to deal with this problem holistically.  We must focus on our common heritage as humanity, by practicing unity in diversity. In other words, a return to our African roots of Ubuntu, an application of human values that is universal to all nations and cultures. The World over, people must start to embrace their Religion and start to practice Spirituality. Teilhard de Chardin, (French Jesuit Priest, and Philosopher) said that “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”  This quote  should galvanise us into action.

Religion and the practice of spirituality directs the development of role models that have as their basic innate character… a loving, caring and compassionate ethos…all of which underpinned by the Ubuntu Principle.

There needs to be a fundamental shift in local, national and global thinking that advocates the significance of Ubuntu and Human Values that inherently bind humanity to a common heritage. All of humanity as stakeholders must act, starting at grassroots at home, school, local community and  then broader society and nation. This approach must be inclusive and embracive focusing on universal values and natural laws that accept the sanctity of humanity and the need to protect uphold and strengthen its common heritage. 

Critical to this goal is education and training in Ubuntu and Human Values…primarily the goal is to develop and design  values education  directed to build character… sound character is the basis of a caring, loving and sharing individual…individuals make-up society…and societies compose the  nation states and the ultimately the global community.

In conclusion, the words of Nelson Mandela should hold true:

“In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors, such as one’s social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education… It is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these. But internal factors may be even more crucial…Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others – qualities which are within easy reach of every soul.”

Time is at the essence, we must act now.

sathi