IT'S A SMALL WORLD

A World of Traditions

We are a small world of approximately one hundred and ninety two United Nation member States, each with unique traditions. Some of these traditions date back thousands of years; other traditions are quickly eroding along with civic responsibility. Maxine Hong Kingston, a famous author and a senior lecturer at the University of California, Berkley, wrote an essay titled “No Name Woman" where she attempted to understand her own origin and Chinese culture. Cornel West, a social critic, public intellectual and professor at Princeton, wrote “The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society." This is an essay that explores a citizen’s responsibility to preserve the tradition of civic duty and social responsibility. Lastly Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize wrote, “Nobel Lecture." The Nobel Lecture addresses the responsibilities imposed on the United Nations and world leaders to maintain democratic traditions: help eradicate poverty, prevent conflict and promote democracy. All three publications address tradition in an ever-changing global world.

Maxine Hong Kingston’s “No Name Woman" focuses on deep rooted traditions. Maxine’s mother, a traditionalist, decided that Maxine is of age and swears her to secrecy when she shares the family secret with Maxine and begins by saying, “You must not tell anyone." Secrets are common in this society and traditions are often taught through stories and passed on from one generation to another; these stories are often adapted and tailored to the occasion or lesson. In this particular case, Maxine’s mother has made her complicit and bound her to the family secret. This becomes the lesson on what happens to an adulterous who has child out of wedlock. It was customary for married women to be practical, they were expected to pay little to no attention to their physical presentation. As a result, Maxine’s mother was powered by necessity as she planted vegetables in place of lawns; she wore a no nonsense blunt-cut hairstyle or had it pulled back in a tight bun and as was customary she obeyed the men. In contrast, Maxine’s aunt was extraordinary and untraditional in the way she “plied her comb” and “combined individuality into her bob," she spent hours “mirror gazing," tending to her eyebrows and the hair on her temple and allowed herself the “extravagance of a lover." In short, the aunt’s way-of-life was contradictory to that society which resulted in the outraged villagers teaching her a lesson by attacking her home and person. Subsequently, Maxine’s aunt is shunned - not by just the villagers but by the entire family who chose to forget her, called her “ghost” and condemned her aunt to an afterlife of begging. The consequent spite-suicide was her aunt’s last repudiation to a way-of-life; a customary standard and expectant behavior which she clearly rejected. In conclusion, there is a certain fatalism to this story as Maxine breaks from tradition and pays homage to her not-so-forgotten aunt and in doing so confronts her own duplicities, contradictions and learns about her own Chinese culture.

In contrast to Kingston’s essay, Cornel West writes about the decay of democratic tradition in America. Our society is crumbling as the working class struggles with wage stagnation, political lethargy and goes unheard; where traditional groups of people are viewed as part of “an undifferentiated blob, a monolithic block," that all share one view. For the most part, this traditional group and back bone of democracy goes unrepresented, unheard and voiceless. There is evidence that the middle class is disappearing; resulting in an economical decline and erosion of traditional values, threatening the balance of our democratic state. For instance, history too often is based on the stories of “elites, kings, queens, princes and prelates." Often forgotten are the other social classes that traditionally have played a critical and more significant role in society. In fact, rampart capitalism and greed are center to our declining democratic traditions with the middle class so “insecure that it is willing to provide some sense of normalcy and security in their lives," that they accept any authoritarian option. There are apparent signs of a decadent emerging civilization where citizens are concerned only with immediate gratification and compensation. Historically, the most vulnerable social classes become the scapegoats, while large corporations with their disproportionate wealth, power and influence shirk their civic responsibilities and social values. Subsequently, “nonmarket” values such as mercy, justice, caring, service, solidarity, fidelity, and respect that were once valued have eroded. However, for those living in a traditional democratic society we have a moral obligation that goes beyond empathy; we must have the courage to do something about it, we have to fight for it. Hence, tradition is not something inherited – if you want it, you must sacrifice for it." In conclusion, we are quickly becoming a divided society, a democracy of lost traditions, forgotten values, who need to focus on moral obligations and become a “citizen amongst citizens," if we are to survive as a nation – we just need to make the effort and keep on trying.

Kofi Annan, an agent of peace in partnership with the United Nations works to maintain traditional values to help the disadvantaged worldwide. Annan begins his speech with the story of a little girl born in Afghanistan to a poor family, a child who traditionally will struggle while being denied her fundamental right to an education. A lack of education or ignorance often leads to poverty and conflict; new world threats result in insecurity that tests traditional values. If we are to live peacefully, every child must have an opportunity to obtain an education, regardless of gender, race or religious belief. The rights of all human beings regardless of social class, gender or age are of equal importance worldwide, it is in this spirit and tradition that the United Nations continues to work, “eradicating poverty, preventing conflict and promoting democracy." Hence, the United Nations continues to work as a vital agent of peace; resolving conflict and prompting aid in the development of human rights. Therefore, in an effort to uphold democratic values we need to learn to respect diversity and be receptive to dialogue so that “individual self-expression and self-government be secured and freedom of association be upheld." It is important that we learn from other traditions and cultures, this is achievable only through mutual respect and in this manner, “we gain strength by combining the foreign with the familiar." Our own individual traditions are not necessarily in conflict with others as too often we are more alike than different. However, this will never be possible “without freedom of religion, of expression, of assembly, and basic equality under the law," which can only be accomplished in a democratic society. In closing, every child like the little girl in Afghanistan must have the opportunity to an education; providing her with the ability to overcome poverty, this can only be achieved in a traditional democratic society. It is important that national leaders across the planet recognize people’s common interests and work with the United Nations to attain some of the same objectives of hope, peace and prosperity for all.

These three individuals namely: Kingston, West and Annan all share a similar vision of peace, understanding and tradition. They all focus on social expectations, values, social classes and a citizen’s responsibility as a member of society. We all have a moral obligation to help and assist others, if we are to overcome poverty, bigotry and eliminate conflicts; we have to conquer our prejudices while preserving our own traditions.