Pagalang

When I was in elementary school, politeness and courtesy were two important character traits that our parents and teachers instilled in us. So, I grew up with greetings on my mind and lips as my default response every time I met people at any time of the day. It became second nature to me. Once, I had a visitor from Manila, and she observed that I greeted the people I saw along the way to our house. She commented that I could be a good politician because of the way I smiled and greeted almost everyone.

It is so saddening today that the basics of courtesy and politeness are no longer the norm. They have become a rarity. Sometimes, I am the one who greets young people first whenever I pass by them. It seems that many of them are so absorbed in playing on their cellphones that they do not care at all to notice anyone, especially adults, around them. Cursing and vulgar expressions have become common. Some parents do not bother correcting these children at all.

No doubt, these children's exposure to a culture of hate is the culprit. This culture pervades social media, and young people are its prey. So, what will happen to these children and the succeeding generations if they grow up in such a culture of hate? And what does the future hold for our communities?

I join the call of more than 20 countries to ban or restrict social media use by children. These countries include, among others, Australia, China, Malaysia, Brazil, and many more. Parents should also be educated on the wise use of social media and other information platforms. Schools should also pay attention to developing proper values among learners, especially the Filipino value of pakikipagkapwa-tao.

Some would say it is better to have a dirty mouth yet have compassion for others than to utter pure words while one's actions speak the opposite. For me, there is no better substitute than a pure mind, lips, heart, and hands—all in harmony and aligned with one another.