Are traditions worth preserving?

In this era of humanity, people have come a long way in establishing human rights, liberty, justice and dignity. However not every individual country have upheld these momentum in a dignified way. Take the Jamaica for, example, due to Jamaica's colonial history; there are some traditions that are not worth preserving at all.

In Jamaica and other countries, parents are expected to beat their children as a way of 'punishing them'. They may do this with various objects, such as a belt, broomstick, ruler, or anything that can subject pain to the human flesh. If parents believe their child is "misbehaving". There is no proof that imposing physical pain on youngsters help to discipline them, to become better persons, and to become productive citizens of their countries in the future. There is no logical reasoning or perception that is implied to arrive at a solution to the indiscipline that Caribbean parents may think some of their children have. Instead Caribbean parents do the first thing that comes to their mind; and that is, imposing physical harm on their youngsters. If not, imposing physical harm on children, the next in line would be milder corporal punishments, such as, telling them to kneel on the floor, whether in corners of classrooms or near balconies to face the sun. Also, holding their hand up horizontally for long periods, or holding their hands aside vertically with heavy books in each palm. Any other imaginative means of pursuing corporal punishment.

It is reasonable to state that for the Caribbean parents that punish their children corporally; it leaves the intended effect, but only temporarily. That is, the youngster would refrain from the supposedly disapproving activity, but only temporarily. Instead the real effect would be psychological abuse of their state of mind. That is the youngster may be scarred for life, whether he or she is aware of it or not. And so; criminal elements in a society of deteriorated cultural elements are inevitable.

If the average Caribbean parent that beat their children knew exactly what child abuse was, while still committing acts of corporal punishments on their youngsters, (beating will be used as the subject in this rhetorical question) wouldn't it be difficult to generally access what type of beating is child abuse and what isn't? Every parent's assessment of child abuse would be based on personal perception and judgments and not on a general and well established one. The uplifting of children rights is lacking in Jamaica, due to unconsciousness of it. The culture of the average Jamaican adult is, the elder is always correct when in comparison to the perception of a youngster. This ignores the possibility of an adult's perception being right to a certain extent, that their can be mistakes in perception of an adult, overlooks in perception, and misconceptions, or downright dissipation. Youngsters in this culture are forced to accept that adults are always "right". Youngsters in this culture are also forced to accept that adults should be "respected", ignoring respect in vice-versa. For "respect" in Jamaican society, could be that completely different from a dictionary, simply a word with a culture underneath, that is not worth preserving.

Another tradition not worth preserving is 'religious education' and 'religious assembles' in public schools. This is an effect of the colonial past of Jamaica. Youngsters should practice their own beliefs and way of life outside of school. Schools should be receded for learning and studying work, and/or the introduction of people who have been successful in careers, to provide motivational talks, therefore acting as a positive influence on youths. This will help them to obtain a suitable occupation in any time of adult life. Supposed religious education in schools gives students no freedom of thought, spiritual confinement, and may allow them to not stay focused on their schoolwork. Due to the colonial past of the country, the preservation of indigenous African beliefs that came with the millions of blacks that were detained from the African continent, are overshadowed by these European origin beliefs which are currently indoctrinated in public schools. This will corrupt the souls of the younger generation leaving them in ambivalence or racial and ethnical unconsciousness.

Traditions are not worth preserving unless it poses a positive effect on people. And has people we should strive to make the world a better place to live, even if it means abandoning traditions.