My first grader daughter Aditi who has recently turned 7 opens the windows of my brain and beckons me to breathe some fresh air. She just finished reading her book "Hour of the Olympics" and as usual had tons of questions for me. Snippet from our conversation.
Aditi: That is so not nice in ancient Greece women were not allowed to read and go to school.
Me: Yea Aditi those times were different women were expected to do household jobs and men used to be either warriors, scholars, artisans or craftsmen.
Aditi: WARRIORS!! Means they used to fight.
Me: Yes in those days there were lot of kingdoms and one with maximum kingdoms was the most powerful. So they used to fight to win over the kingdoms. (Then I show her a short video of a king fighting to gain kingdom)
Aditi: That is so bad. They were not good. They used to fight for kingdom.
Me: No they were good, In India also this used to happen. There were kings and kingdoms and they use to have wars to own the kingdoms
Aditi: Oh then why do you keep telling me that India is a very great country, culture is very good and all.
Me: Yes Aditi Indian culture is very good. There is lot of respect amongst themselves. Greece and India has given so much to the whole world.
Aditi: Mummy how can killing each other be respectful. America never does that.
Me: Aditi America also participates in wars, has weapons and all.
Aditi: So America also tries to fight to get more kingdoms??
Me: No I mean when there is a fight America participates to take side of one or the other countries or if somebody encroaches their territory it fights back.
Aditi: But that is fair Mumma. If somebody hits me or troubles me I will hit back. And if somebody does that to my sister I will hit them back too.
At this point I was at toss and did not know what to say and what not to say. But one thing did struck me, we are so obsessed by our country, our beliefs, our religion, our culture that sometimes it is very hard to see from the other side. We have in our minds whatever we have grown listening, experiencing is the right way...probably yes or probably not !!
Aditi: That is so not nice in ancient Greece women were not allowed to read and go to school.
Me: Yea Aditi those times were different women were expected to do household jobs and men used to be either warriors, scholars, artisans or craftsmen.
Aditi: WARRIORS!! Means they used to fight.
Me: Yes in those days there were lot of kingdoms and one with maximum kingdoms was the most powerful. So they used to fight to win over the kingdoms. (Then I show her a short video of a king fighting to gain kingdom)
Aditi: That is so bad. They were not good. They used to fight for kingdom.
Me: No they were good, In India also this used to happen. There were kings and kingdoms and they use to have wars to own the kingdoms
Aditi: Oh then why do you keep telling me that India is a very great country, culture is very good and all.
Me: Yes Aditi Indian culture is very good. There is lot of respect amongst themselves. Greece and India has given so much to the whole world.
Aditi: Mummy how can killing each other be respectful. America never does that.
Me: Aditi America also participates in wars, has weapons and all.
Aditi: So America also tries to fight to get more kingdoms??
Me: No I mean when there is a fight America participates to take side of one or the other countries or if somebody encroaches their territory it fights back.
Aditi: But that is fair Mumma. If somebody hits me or troubles me I will hit back. And if somebody does that to my sister I will hit them back too.
At this point I was at toss and did not know what to say and what not to say. But one thing did struck me, we are so obsessed by our country, our beliefs, our religion, our culture that sometimes it is very hard to see from the other side. We have in our minds whatever we have grown listening, experiencing is the right way...probably yes or probably not !!
