Are traditions worth preserving?

Essay by DestinyalreadyHigh School, 12th grade March 2007

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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...