Bhutanese values deterioration concerns and scenarios in 21st century

Elaboration , 2018 , 19 Pages

Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society

This qualitative phenomenology study focuses Yechen Central Central School teachers and students, and adjacent local communities practice values and concern deterioration through extensive review of literature. Semi-structured interviews are used to gather data from four students, four teacher, and four students’ parents. Also the data of disguised observations carried further substantiated values deterioration concerns and scenarios. In the findings sensed that inherited Bhutanese values still prevail, of few are ignorant at taking care of parents and other elderly; give less attention to relationship and brotherhood followed by family separation, too much engrossment in smart phones, national dresses worn only in occasions and office times; many disregard folk tales, riddles, simple steps and lyrics of folk songs. In conclusion recommends general public to give sincere thought to initiate common forums to discuss and revive disappearing values.

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Introduction

The values in the communities of Bhutan as per researcher's knowledge are: to advice not to

quarrel; not to call elders by names; not to sneak a look when guests are served tea. Invite

relatives to festivals; endow assistance similar to what Rinpoche (1992) unveils the Tibetan

culture of providing strong spiritual, emotional and practical support to dead person's family;

welcome guests with warmth; help construct house for mere sum or without penny charged;

share with neighbors the salt and sugar; help friends to book transport bus tickets and a lodge

to find; carry beaten maize/tegma or dried chesse/chugo if a villager to give as presents when

met with relatives; keep contact with parents either through sending money, clothes and

ration or visiting once a year.

For marriage, consent sought from parents; parents expressed gratitude to their children's

teachers; students paid back with manual services to teachers as did by Melarepa to reverend

mother Dakmeth-ma (Evans-Wentz, n.d.); students in boarding schools showed admiration to

the seniors, and regarded high the school principals by fellow colleagues. Pagoda/choiten

been erected to guard from diseases, famine, and conflicts; from very early age inspired

children to join monastic institutions; young and old irrespectively used to participate in

annual ritual/tshechu, and recite mani and bazaguru (mantra) with intent to cleanse one's sins

and for others.

If citizens would not gain knowledge of values might call elders in names; would use slangs

and inappropriate terms. Might not discern reverse effect of being detached to friends and

relatives. Children would show disrespectfulness to teachers; younger students might go

against seniors; subordinates would demonstrate impoliteness to supervisors; managers might

fail to deal staff understandingly; would become least alarm to receive visitors. Namgyel

(2011) in connection states that people blame change of time when human themselves behave

badly. Initiating get-together in the families, friends, and neighbors is seeing less; daughters

and sons of some parents pay no attention to come home; demands payment for the minor

help offered, and organize tsechu infrequently in mass seldom participate. Marriages take

place by not asking parents, and wives often experience mistreatment from husbands.

Some mothers have started abandoning their children. Affirmed by the incidence occurred in

one housing colony in Thimphu that mistook the head of a newborn to be of a doll which

stray dogs have eaten the body (Kuenselonline, 2013, June 20). Kuenselonline (2013, August

24) has envisaged in this regard that similar development might occur as country leapfrogs to

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modernization. Similarly caution by Bagaria, Gaur and Sangal (2015) that since world goes

through rapid transition bringing closer economically; with almost not infused values in

curricula; producing graduates without have learned humanitarians and social sciences will

experience deprivation and conflicts within societies and families.

Therefore to make more familiar with the values stand at this time, the subsequent questions

are framed to look for answers.

1.

How differently analysts identified values?

2.

What are some inherited Bhutanese values prevailing in the communities?

3.

What are the causes affecting values' sustainability?

4.

How values deterioration concerned Bhutanese and people worldwide?

5.

What kind of scenarios emerge by being values not practiced?

Literature review

The literature review is presented in five headings such as values identification, values

significances, Bhutanese values and deterioration concerns, worldwide discussion on values,

and values not practiced scenarios.

Values identification

It is principle, standard or one's judgment valuable in life (Illustrated Oxford Dictionary,

2003). Veugelers (2008) believe as idea, hope and honesty, loving and giving. Schwartz1

(2006) deduced as obedience relevant at work in school, sports, business, in politics; RGoB

(2007, in Sakurai, 2011) and student development curriculum division (2012) identify as

respect, loyalty, responsibility, resilience, care and harmony. Curriculum for excellence (n.d.)

distinguishes as justice, wisdom, compassion and integrity. Jokilehto (2006) asserts that the

values in actuality are produced by maturing of awareness and being participated in cultural-

social processes. Fulton (2006) thinks as forgiveness; UNESCO (2002) delineates as kind of

thinking teachers are parents, parents are learners, students are future parents, and community

members the civil society builders. Singh (1991) perceives as sense of worthiness we

experience and interpret relations to ourselves, to others and world.

Hogan (1973, in Tucker-Ladd, 2004) agreed value by five factors: becoming aware as a child

of society and parents; reasonably thinking about own ethics; internalizing moral beliefs to

the degree one feel shame and guilt when fail to do; being conscious of other people's

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situations, and believing one is capable for helping. Tucker-Ladd (2004) realizes; it is moral

character finding a place in the family and school, adjusting with opposite sex, handling

sexual and overwhelmed love needs, and coping with children. Universal values (n.d.) reveals

as human endeavor and social order. As per Bansal and Bansal (2012), the values namely

generosity, kindness, tolerance, cooperation, sensitivity, belongingness and gratefulness are

the eternal qualities for individuals. Khedikar (2013) believes truth/satya, right

action/dharma, peace/shanty, love/prema, and non violence/ahimsa as core human values.

Values' significances

The values bring happiness within neighborhoods (Anderson, Jones, Kahn & Russell, n.d.);

make less stressed and self-satisfied (Berkowitz, 2005, and Wilis, 1998, in student

development curriculum division, 2012; Rimland, 1982, in Tucker- Ladd, 2004), and even

put back to normal the troubled nations (Bausch, 1999, in Evans, n.d.; Curriculum for

excellence, n.d.; UNESCO, 2002). The development of values by being in a particular society

have an effect on (Bansal and Bansal, 2012) whereby an individual becomes empathetic and

less delinquent (Tucker-Ladd, 2004); accepts the superior control and inferior should

conform (Schwartzl, 2006); understands how to take care of oneself and house; shows

gratefulness and agrees on to non

living and living beings' advantages and disadvantages

(Bansal & Bansal, 2012). The acquired values also have certain roles to play in the time of

wealth increases, advancement of technology, have new relationships; a job make new

demands, becomes parent, succeeds and fails, reflecting on decisions and choices, and when

death approaches (Bebeau, Borden, Muskavitch, Pimple and Smith, 1995; Schwartzl, 2006;

Tucker-Ladd, 2004).

Bhutanese values and deterioration concerns

The values considered as vital by Bhutanese people are: allow expressing views; make

information available, and have access to fair system. Look up to political rights; respect

religion; safeguard nature. Keep abreast kindness, integrity, unity; revere culture and

tradition; have devotion to god. Mull over shared vision, social justice, compassion, empathy,

sincerity, self-discipline, optimism, truthfulness, humility, honesty, perseverance,

cooperation, love, compassion, peace, non-violence, courage, equality, dutifulness, kindness,

piety and righteousness, and concern for others (Evans, n.d.; Sakurai, 2011). In subsequence

be faithful/tha-damtsi, and believe in cause and effect/ley-jumdrey (Galeg, n.d.); have sense

of morality and patriotism (Penjore, n.d.); sustain traditional architecture and dresses

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(

Dombrovskis, 2007); carry on with

unique customs and lifestyles (Dorji, n.d). Bhutan

education in line aims instilling in children the sense of good self concept and self worth; to

know they have special talents and limitations; to be confident, honest, has self discipline;

show self control; take initiative; be self reliant; accepts responsibility; demonstrate sense of

commitment; display hard work and study, dignity of labor; place importance on personal

hygiene; be cooperative and able to share; have sense of charity; know ones behavior affects

others; show empathy; appreciate the need for certain rules and social codes of conduct; love

and respect others; care for property; appreciate the need to keep one's surroundings and the

environment clean; love for Bhutan and pride in being Bhutanese; appreciate the social and

the physical world; be loyal and dedicated to king, country and people/tsa wa sum (Ministry

of health and education, n.d).

The gross national happiness education attributing all these value components infused in

curriculum currently is substituting the value education classes (Dorji, n.d.). There is concern

of infringement due to rapid globalization and digital information deluge (Sakurai, 2011). In

era of values diminishing, the death of village heads is one more becoming loss of important

irreplaceable heritage. The folktales in oral form available in them need proper

documentation (Evans, n.d.; Penjore, n.d.). Priesner (1999) and Ura (n.d., in Rognoni, n.d.)

somehow conversely state that the social structure, the way of life of majority have not

changed. Somehow materialistically preoccupied know how to balance the strong sense of

sufficiency. Thinley (1998) brought in light an analogy of a farmer who double cropped high

yield rice, had enough to consume refused to grow in the subsequent year.

Worldwide discussion on values

Citizens have to recognize national culture and identity (Curriculum for excellence, n.d.; NIE

Singapore, 2009). Should know how home and school attuned together, and fictional and real

life stories construct values (Student development curriculum division, 2012; UNESCO,

2002). Have to make children understand about social relationship and shared goals, the

differences and similarities that strengthen independence and identity (Schwartz1, 2006).

Reinvent education in order to recognize and manage emotions, extend care and concern for

others, make responsible decisions, establish positive relationships, handle challenging

situations, develop respect for, and volunteer to help poor, sick and elderly persons (Student

Development Curriculum Division, 2012; Veugelers, 2008). Individuals should have own

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choices in life, free from overbearing religious and political authority, and let aim for

autonomy in this interdependent world (Taylor, 2010).

The technology is bringing people with wealth and economic power, but exposing to world

without losing culture and identity is becoming challenge (Bowadt & Brandt, 2010; Sakurai

2011; Singh, 1991). Bansal and Bansal (2012) aver that it is becoming disquiet when many of

us do not know what is correct and start copying culture and life style of some countries in

the race of so called modernization. The parents and home environment, the teachers and

schools, religious authorities, peers, government agencies, the work environment, law, and

mass media in this regard have to play critical role. As per Tucker-Ladd (2004) position, if

supposedly values are not inculcated, the rest of life of an individual might suffer in the form

of crime, abuse, violence, and selfishness.

Unlike the ancestors of late 19

th

century, we have knowledge more of scientific, technical and

medical. But do we really know about the meaning of life, the nature of humankind,

mysteries of human heart and soul (Gorman, 2001). To this note, Khedikar (2013) in some

way explicates that the worldly education is not making any as efficient individuals. In

addition, if parents too much focus on children's satisfaction, children might not also

comprehend generosity, to be fair; what is their strength and ability (Anderson, Jones, Kahn

& Russell, n.d). Sathya Sai Seminar (1999) has its similar claim; it is not possible for citizens

and leaders to cultivate values unless have practiced from childhood. Teachers and parents by

now have to shape the lives of children through spiritual education. NIE Singapore (2009)

however as part of curriculum intends to instill in children the value of being intellectual,

how to be responsible and accountable, work collaboratively, commit to lifelong learning, act

with novelty, and shape ones' interactions with environment and people.

Values not practiced scenarios

People are carried away by anxiety, depression, addictions and suicide thoughts; steal even

from close relatives; lie on resume to get job; cheat on important test; use force against

another person, and abandon families. There is decline in spirituality and rise in negative

emotions like anger, jealousy and frustration (Tucker-Ladd, 2004). Layard (2003) in Rognoni

(n.d.) divulged; elders are left behind in rural areas, and migrants feel loneliness in the towns

(Dorji, 2015). Education is focused more on external things, not taught to live together in

peace, and seldom transmit cultural and social values (Bagaria, Gaur & Sangal, 2015;

Penjore, n.d.; Ordonez, 1998 in UNESCO, 2002). Through mass communications,

• Author: Tashi Namgyel (Author)
• Publication Year: 2018
• Pages: 19
• Catalog Number: V388255
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668624924
• ISBN (Book): 9783668624931
• Language: English
• Tags: deterioration, concerns, values, Bhutanese, scenarios