Draft 1 -

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; writes an essay titled “No Name Woman”, where she attempts to understand her own origins 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 essay explores citizens’ responsibility to preserving the tradition of civic duty and social responsibility. Lastly Kofi Annan the former seventh-general of the United Nations and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize wrote “Nobel Lecture” and addresses the responsibilities imposed on the United Nations and world leaders to maintain democratic traditions: help eradicate poverty, prevent conflict and promote democracy.

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 often change and are modified to serve a particular purpose. In this particular case, Maxine’s mother has made her complicit and bound her to the family secret; her intent was to teach Maxine a lesson on what happens to an adulterous. 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 her 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 or expectant behavior which she clearly rejected. In conclusion, there is 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 Maxine Hong’s essay “No Name Women”, Cornel West writes about the decay of democratic tradition in America. Our society is decaying 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 evaporating; 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...” etc., too often forgotten are the other social classes which 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 where we all need to 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 a global agent of peace in partnership with the United Nations works to maintain traditional values to help the disadvantaged worldwide. Kofi Annan begins his speech with the story of a little girl born in Afghanistan to a poor family, a child who traditionally will struggle being denied her fundamental right to an education. A lack of education or ignorance often leads to poverty and conflict; the new world threats have resulted in a new insecurity that tests traditional values. As mentioned, every child born should have an opportunity to an education, regardless of gender, race or religious belief if we are to live peacefully worldwide. 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 worldwide. 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 other traditions and cultures; this is achievable only through mutual respect; in this manner “we gain strength by combining the foreign with the familiar”. Our own individual traditions are not necessary 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 should 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.