You've got to be taught to hate and fear,
You've got to be taught from year to year,
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!
My kids are still quite young. Yet, they're already afraid of poor, unwashed kids on the street. No, they're not guilty or ashamed that they live a good life amongst this extreme poverty and lack of opportunity (school and sports, to them). They're just uncomfortable with these kids approaching us, even if they're not begging or otherwise asking for anything.
Where did this dislike for humanity come from? I know my family didn't instill this fear. Is this the price they pay for living in urban middle class Indian society? Should I go out of my way to counter the damage that neighbours/friends/wherever-this-is-coming-from is doing to their psyche?
You've got to be taught from year to year,
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!
My kids are still quite young. Yet, they're already afraid of poor, unwashed kids on the street. No, they're not guilty or ashamed that they live a good life amongst this extreme poverty and lack of opportunity (school and sports, to them). They're just uncomfortable with these kids approaching us, even if they're not begging or otherwise asking for anything.
Where did this dislike for humanity come from? I know my family didn't instill this fear. Is this the price they pay for living in urban middle class Indian society? Should I go out of my way to counter the damage that neighbours/friends/wherever-this-is-coming-from is doing to their psyche?