Social Beings Human beings are social beings. We need the company of other people to keep as sane; isolation can make us withdrawn, depressed and fearful of what lies beyond the front door. We need people to teach and inspire us, to be a team player in the work environment, and more importantly to form physical and friendship based relationships. Understanding each other is just as important as learning to speak, read and write. So it amazes us that from an early age we are not taught how to relate to our fellow human being. What we lack is the innate understanding about human psychological behaviour and what factors that drives us to react in certain situations. A good example of this is the TV programme ‘ the House of Tiny Terrors’ that involves Dr Tanya Byron advising parents how to interact with their child(ren) to improve the latter’s behaviour, but in essence Dr Byron is counselling the parent(s) on issues affecting them that will ultimately improve the parents behaviour towards the child and not vice versa. We understand so little about ourselves and our psychological make up, that as social beings how can we be expected to understand others if we do not know ourselves?

What is the answer? We do not know, this is a question that needs to be addressed by the experts, but common sense would say that we need to be taught at a young age. Though not all the social problems of society would be resolved we do believe there would be a vast improvement in behaviour. As adults we would be more tolerant, caring, understanding and prepared to take responsibility for our actions thus removing the current climate of the blame culture. The psychological problems we impose upon our children would be reduced, and in theory parents would be in a better psychological position to deal with those so called ‘bad/rebellious’ young children/teenagers.

To restructure the way children are taught in schools, and its implementation, is something that will not happen in our lifetime, and then it may take a few generations before society reaps the benefits. But if society is to save itself from destruction by forcing itself into a self-imposed isolation from those individuals who cause fear and anxiety within the community, then those people with influence and power need to address this issue. We need to teach society how to be a ‘social animal’, not just how to interact with another person but to understand what drives that interaction and its natural response. Teach our children to have respect for themselves and others, to encourage confidence and to devalue the importance of materialism that breeds so much contempt, greed and hatred for another human being. Society’s current attitude towards another person is very selfish, and at times rude, spiteful and even malicious. What hope is there for our future? What are we really teaching our children? We are in self-denial. We love our children. We are devoted to our families and friends, and we are willing to help others but hold back because we are afraid of unfounded accusations being made against us. Society is constantly chipping away and gradually eroding positive social behaviour and thus forcing it’s community in to isolation, denying the people the basic human right as a social being.

Money should be invested in educating society, and in particular our children, to preserve our future. This is a long-term investment, and one that will produce big dividends; a society that cares and does not live in fear. Let’s act now and go straight back to school to learn how to be a ‘social being’.