In my homeland, where mere literacy is often misunderstood as intellect and intuition, these values undergo a continual transformation over time, shaped by the subjective experiences of individuals. Many find themselves negatively or rather selfishly forced into practices of parenting. Some individuals strive to transcend their limitations vicariously, while others inadvertently pass on their past traumas, causing harm to not only their own personalities but also those of their offspring. A common thread in such cases is the failure of meaningful communication between partners; again, stemming from a flawed value system inherited from previous generations where emotions were often suppressed, and emotional intelligence and conflict resolution through effective communication are viewed as signs of weakness in a personality.
A lone child raised with a detached sense of an intimate community often centers their experiences around themselves, leading to misinterpretations of emotional conflicts within an extended family. This can breed trust issues, disrespect for individual quirks, and a lack of meaningful connections among family members. Such conditions are unfortunate, particularly from the perspective of a developing child. Inherited flawed values can further reinforce this behavior, especially when ego overrides intuition and common sense. These harmful traits could undoubtedly be addressed through practical self-reflection. Additionally, unbalance of authority deriving from selfishness and superiority can arise when partners continuously undermine each other in front of their children. This can leave deep emotional scars that may take a lifetime to heal, if ever. These are unworthy lessons to pass down to a generation, navigating life in an increasingly stressful and unforgiving world; where meaningful bonds among siblings and relatives are an intermittent luxury.
On the flip side, similar dynamics emerge where favoritism from one’s past experiences takes over, and children begin to harbor envy or even hatred towards each other, often without fault of their own. These behaviors are further enforced by a lack of self-reflection and effective communication within the role of a parent. In fortunate circumstances, these issues are recognized and self-resolved. When elsewhere, they persist across generations, creating emotional distance as individuals mature.
The repercussions of unresolved issues originating from ignorant or indifferent parenting, echo through the lives of the next generation; frequently resulting in childhood trauma and emergences of personalities that may seem unrelatable due to various defense mechanisms unique to each individual. Some may adopt sarcasm and apathy as coping mechanisms, while others might exhibit unhealthy traits such as addiction, egotistical selfishness, sometimes leading to mental health turbulence.
The silver lining in the darkest clouds of this particular childhood trauma is that the cycle can be broken through informed individuals who engage in meaningful communication and foster trust. Forgiveness towards ignorance and mistakes of yesteryear becomes crucial for healing and releasing pent-up anger.
With the opened-up knowledge of an entire world at reach, it falls upon successive generations to cultivate values that are inherently compassionate and self-evolving rather than inadvertently parasitic in nature.