SEX AND ICE CREAM

Decades ago there was an issue of TIME magazine devoted to sex education and whether it was necessary for youth. Don't be surprised. By today's standards people were not so 'advanced'.  More religious, segregation was prevalent, foreigners and poor were looked down, young girls wore long gowns with their bodies well covered. I do not remember now the contents of the articles. But remember a one line response to the articles in the following weekly issue of TIME. The letter writer stated: "If you talk long enough about ice cream, the child wants it!" That was the first letter in the Letters to the Editor Column.

I was probably in my thirties and was quite impressed by that one sentence. The more I thought about it, I could find more and different meanings in it. Especially how our mind accepts something, good or bad, if the same thing is repeated ad nauseam; how our elders discouraged us to keep away from things known to be not good instead of trying to find out for yourself how bad it was. Not keep the company of bad people. Not to be just indifferent to wrong things giving them no space in your mind.

I do not know if you agree with that one sentence in Time I quoted. But after several decades I see how prophetic that was. Today's young, even the very young, know more about sex than about ice cream! More about freedoms and rights than about obligations and responsibilities.

Well, surely we cannot go back in time. But cannot we at least encourage children to think about the other side of their beliefs? Freedom of thought does not mean only the right to think and give expression to thoughts which differ from common believes. It means welcoming and giving space  to opinions contrary to what one believes in. One should spend equal time thinking about all sides of an opinion, thought, advice, belief, etc. Evaluate them. Go in search and discuss with those who hold contrary views and read books on the subject. Focusing means keeping to the subject instead of wandering; it does not mean exclude everything else.

Earth remains more fertile for longer period if various crops are grown in it. If you grow the same crop without any change for very long, fertility is lost considerably. 

Of course, there is no room for violent emotions in any manner when we are seeking to evaluate our own thoughts.

A variety of good food makes you physically strong. Same goes for your mind also.