Why_Character_Building_Is_Important_in_Youngsters

Why Character Building Is Important For Young Generation' The youngsters have the ability to change the whole world where they show their complete presence mentally, intellectually and honestly. Their potential can make a whole new world according to their wishes. Their potential, energy, enthusiasm and determination once used by them can make this world heaven or hell depending on whether it is applied in right or wrong directions. Children once brought up with good, great and full attention of parents, teachers, religious scholars and society they become creative, optimistic, selfless and serving youngsters of their country. They develop good habits, attractive personalities and persuasive behaviors which make them role models for their own generation and coming generations. Their good character makes them great leaders in every walk of life. They once decide carefully, plan to act wisely; do their work with determination and achieve their goals with endless success. “Reputation is the shadow, character is the tree.”(Abraham Lincoln). Their great success will urge other people to follow them. People follow their foot steps and achieve dignity. Thus as a result, individual character building leads to a nation’s character building. Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words; Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds; Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits; Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character; Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny; (Kouzes and Posner, 2004) Character building is a complex of mental and ethical qualities/traits. These qualities include alertness, attentiveness, boldness, contentment, creativity decisiveness, determination, endurance, faith, flexibility, hospitality, joyfulness, loyalty, obedience, patience, persuasiveness, responsibility, self-control, sincerity, tolerance, truthfulness, virtue and wisdom. In short, our each and every response to any situation counts for our character. Some times when we say that someone has character it really means that one has good character and when we say that someone is characterless, it automatically refers to negative site of one’s character. Qualities which are included in bad character are; lying, dishonesty, false promises, anger, jealousy, hatred, selfishness, backbiting, violation of law and misuse of freedom, power and technology. These are just few forms of bad character. Drinking and gambling also come under the definition of bad character. Youngsters are addicted to these as well as smoking. If these habits are promoted and reached the massive level just by name of fashion, our weak Pakistan will soon be ruined. Although they will consider themselves modern but such modernity leads them towards the gate of hell. According to Park, character brings progress and reduces behavioral problems such as alcohol, drugs, depression and suicidal ideation. Character building of youth is not a current topic. It is the demand of all ages and times. Youth brought up with good character lays the safe and sound foundations of society. Strong reasons and determination are always helpful in achieving their goals and ambitions. Character building helps youngsters improve their marriage and makes this bond strong by trust, respect and forgiveness etc. Gavin, Quick and Cooper claims that we show our personality but we hide our character. They will be more accountable leaders who will set sound government which will save our schools and reduce the crimes like kidnap, rape etc. “To educate a person(adult) in the mind but not the morals is to educate a menace to society” (Theodore Roosevelt). The current strategy of character building in Pakistan is not up to the mark or even negligible. Teaching pattern in colleges and universities does not include ethics, moral values, truthfulness, determination and courage to face the realities and failures. Youth personality does not groom up during their student life. They tend to be money oriented instead of goal oriented. Educational institutes usually encourage those students who achieve good grades; however, students with good conduct and behavior are seldom awarded. They produce just the selfish and not the kindhearted, loveable, generous benevolent, merciful and just men. Media plays a vital role in character building. According to Nizami, in past the whole family used to watch TV in a single room but today children use internet in isolation and parents have hardly check on them. Cable operators should not broadcast vulgar programs. We should be optimistic and develop tolerance. Parents and teachers must strengthen proper attitudes of youngsters and give them a strong concept that they have to face consequence of every action whether good or bad. Only constructive and good character professors, researchers and technocrats play a key role in building the superior character of new generation easily. Teachers should be the models of truth, faith, piety and loyalty etc. Today our youth needs constructive vision, the message of hope and the message of oneness. Modern education, which is totally separated from constructive thinking and character building, is producing characterless generation at each level. We should remember this strongly that if the youth of any nation is illiterate, lazy, sluggish or maltreated than no one can stop the nation to be ruined. Society should not leave youngsters in wondering a dangerous wilderness without hope. Youth should be made a model of unity, faith and discipline. Let us turn the education and find out the solutions. Today we all stress on science and computer education but we neglect the moral and ethical education for character building. A nation’s present and specially future depends on its youth. If their character’s foundations are strong and right, nothing can divert them from their right path. Wrong way of getting name and fame, exploitation of rights of widows and orphans, getting wealth without effort, robbery and corruption etc can not attract them. “The attitude that the feelings, needs and interests of other people are equally as important as one’s own, without this attitude one does not even need to think morally.”(Allen and Unwin, 38). Their attitude remains the same, if the are given the power. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” (Abraham Lincoln). Misuse of power at each and every field of life generates many bad effects on the society and unbalances the country like Pakistan. “According to Hobbes, power is the most fundamental of all human desires. He defined power as our ability to get what we want, servants, friends, riches, or a reputation, and most of all, more power.” (Govier, 53). Weak and incompetent leadership from top to bottom creates major problems and damage the democratic process in Pakistan. They don’t know how to run the administration affairs and they fail to show good governance at any level. All these problems result because their character is not rightly built when they were in their teens. Constructive education of character building gives good governance, balance in rights and duties and provides great constructive visionary leaders who guide their nation and can see centuries ahead. Young leaders lead the nation. They have justice and moral courage in their roots, do right acts fearlessly and fight against difficulties. They give public the protection of life, property, freedom, honor, faith and religion. They are impeccably honest and extraordinary competent in governance. Such good governance brings great economic success and better future for their nation. “Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open” (Elmer G.Letterman). But, of course, a single man alone cannot do all these things. Our leaders exist only in relation to the society, alone he is nothing, like the wave that exists in the river and outside the river it is nothing. Today there is need to lead the youth and give them hope of honesty, unity and integrity. Pakistan is paralyzed due to out of control corruption, dishonesty, selfishness, greed, gossip, laziness and bitterness of politicians, landlords, bureaucracy and industrialists etc. Independent judiciary is the only hope against corruption, dishonesty and crimes. A true democratic society is based upon honesty and justice. Countries like Pakistan where judiciary is not working destroy all of their institutions and discriminations like family favoritism are prevailed. As our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “The hypocrite has three characteristics: he tells lies, breaks his promise and breaches the truth”. Today telling lies, dishonesty and false promises are very common abuses. We should be honest because truthfulness leads to righteousness, which leads to paradise. Falsehood leads to immorality, which leads to the hell. In the nut shell, we realize that as you sow, so shall you reap. If you sow the seeds of truthfulness, patriotism, generosity, hard work and sincerity in our youth, the present generation will have to be faced such as, terrorism and corruption etc. we have as much potential in our youth as any other developed country has but this fact cannot be denied that we are not providing them the right directions to use their abilities. We are suffering from generation to generation because non-Muslims by adopting our Islamic and ethical values are touching the horizon of success. But unfortunately we are not even coming up to the mark. After 62 years of independence, we are still dependent on foreign aid. Youth is the force of any nation, so it is the duty of parents, teachers, society and government that we should encourage our youth by inculcating true Islamic and ethical values in their character. Bibliography 1. Allen, George and Unwin, Teaching Morality and Religion, London: London George Allen and Unwin Ltd,1976 2. C.Sarrous, James, K.Cooper Brain, “Building Character: A Leadership Essential” Journal of Buisness and Psychology: Vol 21, No 1(Fall, 2006), 17/06/2011 3. Govier, Trudy, A Delicate Balance, What Philosophy Can Tell Us About Terrorism, US: Westview Press, 5500, 2002 4. Nizami, Arif. “Media Role Vital To Character-Building” The Nation, August 31, 2008. 5. Park, Nansook, “Character Strengths Of Positive Youth Development” American A cademy Of Political and Social Science, Vol 591, Positive Development, Realizing the Potential of Youth (Jan, 2004), 17/06/2011