Didn’t some of us have in us a rebellious streak when we were younger? We questioned our parents about the laws and rules the community imposed on us(rather unjustly, we felt). At some point, we even raised doubts about the relevance of society itself in the modern context. In this discussion, we will talk about why the concept of society is important and why we should care.

Human civilization owes its existence to the concepts of family and community which act as our support systems and without which chaos would ensue. Like the animal world, human society is made up of individuals with disparate temperaments. Society operates using a broad set of guidelines that act as an appraisal system that rewards good deeds and punishes bad ones.

Having established the importance of society, let us see what values form the bedrock on which civilized societies stand and thrive: helping the needy, caring for all life forms, looking after the environment and placing others’ welfare before one’s own. In short, we need to teach our children who are the future caretakers of society to inculcate the following values:

Being Compassionate: When we are born we have an in-built compassion for all living beings. As an example, just watch children interacting with animals. Compassion creates harmony and paves the way to a conflict-less society, allowing us to concentrate on productive work.

Being Selfless: We should always lend a helping hand to those in need. All humans are born equal and a just society is one that takes care of all. A good deed may cause some discomfort in the short run, but it seldom goes unrewarded–it’s just a matter of time.

Being Moderate: Share earth’s finite resources equitably with others and be modest in your own consumption habits. Take good care of the planet that shelters you and countless other forms of life because you owe it to future generations to leave it in better health than you found it.

Finally, it is imperative that we adults set an example to kids by conducting ourselves in an exemplary manner because it is by observing adults around them that children begin to subconsciously start creating their own personalities. Let us, therefore, equip our youngsters with strong moral and ethical values and ensure continued good health of our society.