Pars Today

Welcome to this week's episode of the series "Iranian Family". The fast pace of the global developments has led to changes in the human nature as well as the technology.

The foundation of family conveys love, peace of mind, and motivation. Do you know that the secret behind having a fortunate and happy family is that the related family members have learned to love one another?

The Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in his keynote remarks, has pointed out the features of a good and fortunate family, noting: "Within a good family, the married couple are kind, loyal, and amicable toward each other, while honoring and respecting each other's interests. In a good family, parents feel responsible toward their children and seek to materially and spiritually bring up their children in a healthy manner. In such families, parents teach a number of things to their children; encourage their children to carry out a number of deeds, while also urging their children to avoid misdeeds. They also inject some appropriate traits to their children. These good families are the cornerstone of all true reforms within any given country. Individuals who are brought up in appropriate families, develop good characteristic traits; becoming courageous, mentally independent, responsible, kind, decisive, and innocent. When the members of a community maintain such characteristic traits, that community will be a fortunate society."

The fast pace of global developments has led to changes in technology, and human nature, and results in deep-rooted changes in the educational system and upbringings. Meanwhile, the question which springs to mind is whether individuals, families, and educational organizations have the strength and power to stand up against these changes?

In the previous episodes, we mentioned the positive and negative aspects of cyberspace. Today, we take into consideration the views of related experts.

In the view of sociologists, if the members of the community would be able to foresee and accept changes, they can stand up to, and control them, and could also make changes within themselves, paving the way for their self-growth and self-development. As a result, changes would no longer be dreadful. Usually, whenever we face changes, we choose inaction instead of movement and flee instead of interacting. Within the contemporary world, and in the midst of developments resulting from novel technologies, families' numerous problems have embroiled the majority of families in their inner-family difficulties, leaving a negative impact on the familial functions. In today's world, families should boost their knowledge and skills in line with the challenges that they face. However, as long as families do not understand ongoing challenges and changes, they would not be able to deal with them. In fact, foresightedness, and prediction of upcoming changes are of paramount importance in the contemporary world.

Sociologist, Mohammad Karimi, names digital media the new member of families, noting: Family is the fundamental unit of the community. Meanwhile, every member of a family maintains his or her own mentality and way of thinking. Currently, the problem that majority of families have encountered is the contradiction in the opinions of family members, especially in relation to the thoughts of youths, in comparison to the almost traditional and cultural thoughts of their parents. Therefore, in order to shape the foundation of family in the way one intends, one should influence the family and change it. One of the ways for entering in a family is cyberspace. Currently, having a computer is a necessity. In the meantime, parents should boost their understanding and awareness about computers, which could be beneficial or detrimental, both. Family should provide an antidote for the venom which this atmosphere secrets, which translates into boosting the family's awareness and vigilance, and appropriate management of computers. In fact, families should welcome and manage computers in a highly sincere and appropriate manner.

Meanwhile, enhancement of our knowledge in any given domain vaccinates us against potential mishaps and dangers, which might threaten us and our family.

In accordance with Islamic teachings and Quranic logic; men and women, both, maintain sublime talents, and there is no major difference between them. For examples, tools of development and perfection such as determination, discretion, means of understanding and insight, and guides have been bestowed by God on men and women, both, paving the way for their development and growth. God Almighty has granted resolve and discretion, and has sent prophets for men and women, both. Furthermore, God has granted means of understanding such as the eyesight, sense of hearing, and wisdom to everyone.

Also, in heavenly teachings, there is no difference between men and women in regard to receipt of divine and spiritual rewards for our deeds.

Hence, men and women maintain a joint duty in growth, development, maintenance, and reinforcement of the foundation of family.

MR/ME