Do you see school playground politics playing out in your adult life? If you want to be part of the group, you have to conform or ex-communicate that singled out kid. In a person's lifetime, it's not rare to see the scenario play out numerous times in work amongst colleagues or between departments, at play with groups of friends and even in a family - the aunt who won't talk to that uncle and who's taking whose side, etc. For many people, it is more important to be in with the crowd than to be in the right. I notice that society teaches us less to be kind to others but more to 'achieve' and 'aim high' but it comes at a cost. Has it always been like this or has it worsen recently? I'm not sure.
I went to a children playgroup today. There are parents who will not consider others' but their own needs (to put it politely) and hence impressing upon their children that this is acceptable. Okay, this is not news but when the society develops tolerance towards graceless behaviours, the result is almost the same as an encouragement. I think this leads to a lot of wrongs in the world - the sufferings (through wars and conflicts), inequality (through self-serving policies and conducts and an unwillingness to change), cheating, corruption and so forth. We need the right virtues to be instilled in adults and children such as being respectful, considerate, selfless and kind. The problem is, unlike school grades, there isn't measurable key performance indicators for an achievement in these virtues. Nor is there material incentives for policy makers or educators to view this as a priority. As long as it is left aside, we will endlessly be dealing with social problems that money can't solve.
I am not all pessimistic though. I have experienced much genuine kindness in the past year when I was pregnant and after I have had a baby and I truly appreciate it. There is still hope after all.
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