This I believe is an international organization inspired by a 1950s radio series by Edward R. Murrow. The goal of the project is to encourage people of all ages and cultures to openly share their beliefs and experiences in order to broaden understanding and respect for contrasting values. I would highly recommend visiting the website and reading a few entires after reading mine.
When it comes to talking about values, nearly everyone is ready to agree with the idea that “family comes first.” But what exactly does this entail; what are the unspoken beliefs and actions that go along with it? Culture and upbringing play a big role in how people view values, and the same goes for how one decides to act upon what he/she believes. I was raised in a Hindu household, and all my life I have been exposed to the idea that respecting relationships is one of the most important traits. More than personal experiences, seeing the effects of this characteristic in my parents’ and grandparents’ lives has truly solidified this belief in me.
Arranged marriages are probably the biggest example of respecting elders in Indian culture. Almost everyone in my family, including my parents, had an arranged marriage. The idea of spending your life with a stranger is a tradition that has been commonly practiced for centuries in multiple cultures, although I’m sure it may seem bizarre to the majority. And that’s normal; the culture clash makes it difficult for ideas such as this one to seamlessly transfer over. To put some numbers behind this idea, nearly 90% of marriages in India are arranged, with the divorce rate at less than 2%; this is 25 times less than the divorce rate in the United States. But regardless of the statistics, I can attest to the fact that whether or not you believe in blindly following through with actions such as arranged marriages, respect in other peoples' beliefs and ideas is a characteristic that will get you very far in life.
For example, my parents both grew up in lower middle class families with few, if any, easily accessible opportunities to prosper and grow. They had every chance to find a spouse of their choice for themselves, so why did they decide to get married at age 19 to someone they had never even held a conversation with? Because family meant more to them than anything in the world, and with that came the responsibility of respecting the decisions their parents made. As I mentioned earlier, respect will only present rewards. This year my parents will celebrate 21 beautiful years together, and to this day they respect and follow decisions presented to them by their elders, simply because they respect them.
But of course the idea of unconditional respect doesn’t stop with just family, the same goes for employers, friends, neighbors, and even the random 70-year-old woman who remembers your name and welcomes you every time you walk into Target. You don't necessarily have to act upon whatever others ask of you, simply understand and respect what they have to say. This goes hand-in-hand with the saying “treat others the way you want to be treated.” Show a little respect to the people you meet and the world you live in; the universe will respect you back, this I believe.
Arranged marriages are probably the biggest example of respecting elders in Indian culture. Almost everyone in my family, including my parents, had an arranged marriage. The idea of spending your life with a stranger is a tradition that has been commonly practiced for centuries in multiple cultures, although I’m sure it may seem bizarre to the majority. And that’s normal; the culture clash makes it difficult for ideas such as this one to seamlessly transfer over. To put some numbers behind this idea, nearly 90% of marriages in India are arranged, with the divorce rate at less than 2%; this is 25 times less than the divorce rate in the United States. But regardless of the statistics, I can attest to the fact that whether or not you believe in blindly following through with actions such as arranged marriages, respect in other peoples' beliefs and ideas is a characteristic that will get you very far in life.
For example, my parents both grew up in lower middle class families with few, if any, easily accessible opportunities to prosper and grow. They had every chance to find a spouse of their choice for themselves, so why did they decide to get married at age 19 to someone they had never even held a conversation with? Because family meant more to them than anything in the world, and with that came the responsibility of respecting the decisions their parents made. As I mentioned earlier, respect will only present rewards. This year my parents will celebrate 21 beautiful years together, and to this day they respect and follow decisions presented to them by their elders, simply because they respect them.
But of course the idea of unconditional respect doesn’t stop with just family, the same goes for employers, friends, neighbors, and even the random 70-year-old woman who remembers your name and welcomes you every time you walk into Target. You don't necessarily have to act upon whatever others ask of you, simply understand and respect what they have to say. This goes hand-in-hand with the saying “treat others the way you want to be treated.” Show a little respect to the people you meet and the world you live in; the universe will respect you back, this I believe.