I would like to refer to the article in the Straits Times published on Saturday May 23 2009 entitled "Sex Education: Experts identify 2 'weak links'. "
The article speaks of the Singapore government's efforts to conduct sexuality education programs and why there is such a need in Singapore. The main reason cited was that many parents are simply not comfortable with discussing such matters with their children, and hence transfer the responsibility of sexual education to the education system and the teachers. Not only that, experts went on to say that it may be because the parents are not fully equipped to pass on "the right information and values" to the children.
The reason why the parents may not be comfortable about discussing such issues about sexuality boils down to our culture, more specifically the traditional Asian culture. What distinguishes the traditional Singaporean from most westerners is the more conservative mindset passed down from generation to generation.
Also, culture dictates what the "right information and values" about sexuality are. The problem rises when cultures clash, especially in a multicultural country like Singapore. Where the older generation still stick to the traditional Asian cultural mindset, the newer generatrion are developing a culture of their own, greatly influenced by the "big media powers" of the world. Most specifically America, Japan and to a smaller extent, other Asian countries like Taiwan. This so called "modern" culture is a lot less conservative.
So where does the conflict fit in? Traditional cultural values regarding sexual relationship was very straight forward. Abstinence until marriage, hence leading sex and discussion of sex being labeled a taboo by our culture. However the culture that the young ones are exposed to are in direct contradiction of the traditional Singaporean culture. For with a more liberal mindset when it comes to discussing sex, there would naturally follow a more liberal mindset concerning the act of having sex. In the long run many would argue that social degradation of values would be the end result. The counter argument is that the whole world is adopting this new culture and it is only right to follow suit.
Values are part of culture, they are the building blocks of culture. They provide the context within which society's norms are established and justified.
What then should happen when two cultures collide? Culture is passed on from generation to generation, yet it is ever changing. Do we stick to old adage of "everyone is allowed their say" thus acknowledging the subjectivity of the very concept culture? Or do we fall back on objective truths about right and wrong?
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I guess the what decides between one sticking to his or her tradtitional values and culture and the new "evolved" culture would depend on the person's character and thinking. Many people are largely exposed to new thinking through their social circle or through the media, and it depends on how easily influenced are they by what they see. Some turn out being extremely supportive of the new culture, yet it also makes some other people stand firmly by their own traditional cultures because they see the negative effects of the popular new cultures. We have judge for ourselves what should and should not be accepted.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it is ironic that we call a culture that goes against our traditional culture as an "evolved" culture. Just that term alone indicates a level of superiority that the new culture has over the old ones. Sadly, that is the mindset of many. That "old" equates to "not as good as the new". Point of view also comes into play. You can look at the other field and see the greener grass, or you can look at one's own field and see the gigantic fruit trees.
ReplyDeleteYes Dan, that is a fact of life. In every aspect of life, we have been taught that new means better. A new phone is usually better than an old phone. A new knife is usually sharper than an old knife. It is the mindset we have been brought up to think.
ReplyDeleteI like that "grass is greener on the other side" bit. And I admit that even I have suffered from that when comparing my culture to other cultures.
We really have to remember that there is no "traditional" Singaporean culture per se. Singapore is made up of so many cultures. Over the years of trying to find oour own cultural identity we have unknowingly adopted aspects of other cultures into our own.
ReplyDeleteIn that way, i can say that the Singaporean culture is to adopt aspects of other cultures. So in this case, if some Singaporeans choose to adopt the more liberal culture that is growing prevalent in the world, who are we to stop them?
As for sex education, its a "damned if you do or damned if you don't" thing. On one hand, you can emphasise abstinence and teach children that talk of sex is taboo. However there is a chance that such actions would just pique their curiosity about sex.
On the other hand you can talk to them openly about sexual matters. But that may lead to the children viewing sex as a trivial matter and develop a more carefree attitude toward sex and sexual relationships in the future.
Where sex education is concerned, I believe the government is doing a great job undertaking the role of educating the younger generation on the topic, a responsibility that parents should bear but are not doing so, as you rightly pointed out, due to the conservative cultural mindset of Asians that stops them in their path. Whether or sex education will achieve its intended purpose, some form of education in this area, versus none at all, is always useful . There will be those who will learn and benefit from it, and others who won't. It's like looking at a glass that is half-full, or half-empty. Where there is so much import of liberal western values these days through the mass media and pop-culture, the consequences in terms of social costs that we have to bear as an Asian society will be high if no one does anything about it, ie. teach sex education, regardless of whether attitudes towards sex is an issue arising from our culture or value system.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is "what" the government is educating the children. By educating them on condoms, they may be indirectly giving the impression that pre-marital sexual relationships are fine as long as they are done with "protection". This would go against our asian culture already.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that perhaps education of the parents on how to educate their children would be a better method? After all,children first learn from their parents, and it is their parents who instill in them their values. Should there be a compulsory course for parents on sexual education of children?
Well, I believe that the traditional asian culture dosent have very much ado with the disagreement of condoms due to the reason of justifying pre marital sex. In the past, boys who got their girls pregnent just married them (it was an act forced by parents though), traditional asian culture also promotes an early, sometimes preplanned marriage when the person is still a child.
ReplyDeleteRather I think that the major proponent against unrestrained pre marital sex actually stems from biology (regarding STDs) and Christian Philosophy (unethical).
Perhaps this be a possible reason? That our traditional asian culture not having any relavent or satisfactory stand on this issue of sex. (it either makes it a hush-hush taboo, or not interfere as long as 'accidents'do not happen).
So instead of putting the usual suspects of media and overt westernization through the grill we may consider other plausible factors to this issue? As seen in the inadequacies of traditional culture and the need for a better culteral embodiment of new values.
So it is not the strength of exposure to more liberal cultures but the weakness associated with our own cultures when it comes to such matters? That is a very interesting take there.
ReplyDeleteBut even in pre-planned marriages, sex is only permitted after the couple are married, no matter how young they are.
Media may not be the only cause, but it is a very strong factor that influences mindset about such matters, hence we should not disregard it.
Maybe its culture, maybe is values, or maybe, just maybe, parents don’t talk about sex and sexuality with their children because, they just don’t know how to? (Approach the topic that is).
ReplyDeleteWith the generation gap, parents struggle to understand their children; their lingo, their thought process. Sometimes both parents have to hold down jobs leaving the care giving to either the grandparent, or a domestic help. How does one talk about something as sensitive and as controversial as sex and sexuality when the bond between parent and child is not there? Couple that with the parent’s own guilt (perceived or otherwise) of not being there for the child’s formative years, maybe all that leads us to our present state of aversion.
The generation gap is the key. I bet many parents have very different views concerning sex. How many times have a offspring regarded their parents views as "old fashioned" or "obsolete". But then again, that boils down to how the offspring was raised in his early childhood, and how much respect does he have for his parents. The same argument would just spill out into this case if parents were to try and educate their children on sex education.
ReplyDeleteIf parents choose to outsource the important aspects of child-rearing, it is no wonder they have not created enough rapport to be able to comfortably discuss sex with their own children. No doubt there will be parents who are relieved that they do not need to worry about this ‘chore’. And this explains the growing number of teenage abortions. For these parents (some of whom are even in the dark about their daughters’ predicament) perhaps it’s the matter of ‘hear no evil, see no evil’. If parents choose to be so uninvolved with their own children, it is not surprising that peer influence rears its ugly head in the area of teenage sex and experimentation.
ReplyDeleteThe deal is this: we still live in a traditional asian society whether we like it or not. Honestly, how many of our parents have outrightly come forth and discussed sexuality issues with us at a young age? No right? Hence, they leave it to the school to do the 'dirty' job. However, sexuality education is really important it is also important at the way school's frame the issue of sexuality to the students. Do they focos on the technical/biological part solely? Or do they focus on the values they want to instill concerning sexuality?
ReplyDelete