Written by A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
PACIFIC DAILY NEWS
In the final analysis, the future of the Khmer nation rests in the hands of the young generation of Khmers who must decide and dictate which road to development and progress Cambodians need to take.
A quotation familiar to many -- "All that is needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" -- is attributed to Anglo-Irish statesmen Edmund Burke, who supported the cause of the American Revolution and criticized the French Revolution.Another statement I have often quoted, "The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it," was offered by the Nobel Prize winning American physicist Albert Einstein.
And perhaps French playwright Moliere summed up best who's accountable: "It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do."
We are today in the year 2011. The world has changed and would be an unfamiliar place, indeed to the sages of centuries past. Yet French critic Alphonse Karr said long ago, "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" -- "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
I, as you, am a product of so many things I've learned from the words and the experiences of the men and women who have walked life paths I never knew. As I connect what wise men and women have expressed in the past to my contemporary thinking, I choose to think that although "things" have changed physically, "c'est la meme chose" as long as our thinking, attitudes, and values resist change.
Change
Change is inevitable, we know. I told my students endlessly that even if we don't do anything, things will change, but not necessarily to our liking. Because while we sit, others don't, and others still are diligent. They bring the change they want to see -- which may be different from what we want.
Ironically, the great philosopher Gautama Buddha was not only a critical thinker, he was an activist. He never taught man to wait for the next life to change. Man can take action now. if he is passive, then he can be sure that his destiny will be his fate. In his words, "I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act."
He taught man, "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent. " He warned that man is responsible for his fate: "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Buddha counseled: "Work out your own salvation."
Buddha's precept, "What we think, we become," tells man he has a choice. We choose through our thoughts: "Through our thoughts we make the world," affirmed Buddha.
It is sad that some Khmers found my writing on Buddha's teaching as "preaching" to others. Oh dear. Pol Pot and Hitler are dead. No one can force anyone to read anything. We live in the United States, where First Amendment rights are inviolable.
Our choice
I often note that the pleasure I gain from producing columns comes from learning that someone has benefited from reading them. After all, I spent much of my professional life as a teacher.
The weekly feedback I receive is usually (but not always) positive. But to know I have regular readers is satisfying and makes the time spent researching and writing each week worthwhile. Sometimes what people read here starts a new conversation, sparks a new idea, illuminates a fresh perspective. When we are intellectually challenged, our mind continues to ask essential questions.
Eventually, we arrive at a panorama of options from which we can choose.
Recall the words of the seventh secretary general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan: "To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there." There's a lot to learn if one engages in quality thinking.
Some quotations familiar to regular readers continue to enrich my life: "Don't compare yourself with others. You have no idea what their journey is all about." And I like what has been attributed to Native American sources: "Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his moccasins."
They teach me empathy and humility. That's how I learn and develop, and I don't think God is yet finished with me.
Help or hindrance?
In a competitive, modern world that requires our creativity and innovation, if we are to remain afloat, Cambodian democrats must give serious thought to what Khmer Buddhism and Khmer traditions help and what they hinder in terms of development and progress.
I think Buddha's thoughts help. Unfortunately, as a prominent Khmer Buddhist monk in Cambodia quietly lamented, Cambodian Buddhists appear ignorant of Lord Buddha's thoughts and what he was actually teaching. The monk wasn't sure how many monks themselves truly understand Buddha's thoughts and teaching.
And there is little doubt that the Khmer traditions -- from beliefs in blind obedience, to beliefs in class, status, rank and role relationships that fossilize the superior-inferior, master-servant, leader-follower distinctions -- are not helping to develop and modernize the Khmer nation.
They may even hasten Cambodia's doom.
In the final analysis, the future of the Khmer nation rests in the hands of the young generation of Khmers who must decide and dictate which road to development and progress Cambodians need to take.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam. Write him at
17 comments:
Dear Dr. Peang-Meth,
I'm happy to read this article. I am strongly agreed that Khmer's future is in the YOUNG KHMER'S HANDS. They are the one that have to decide what kind of future they want to live in and what kind of future that they want their children to growth up with. I rember my father one told me that, the beautiful house of other is not belong to you, don't wast one time. While you house could be old and dirty, if you willing to work hard, clearn, and everybody in the house help, than everybody can live in the nice clean house. This story is very much applying to the current Khmer country to day. Cambodia is an old, dirty (corruption, strenghten institution, good governance, etc), and need a lot of work, thus, if everybody cheap in and help clearn up. Take care their own areas of responsibility and the entire country will take care itself.
I hope young Khmer will read this article, not one, not twice, but many times more until they understand of what is this article really mean to them, to their family, to their community and to their nation. And to realize what is their responsibility is in front of them!!
We cannot just call upon the young Khmer to just physical stand up, but to call upon their right, and responsibility to their motherland.
With my utmost gratitude for this article,
Buffalo
ទំពាំងស្នងឬស្សី? តែទំពាំងសព្វថ្ងៃ ត្រូវដង្កូវ និងជំងឺសង្គមផ្សេងៗស៊ីរូងស្ទើអស់ហើយ។
OK 9:34 am,
You just give too little credite to younger khmer generation. What you say is not all fall either, but we can't dismiss the other half that are working hard and want to see their country better. They don't want to be shameful to say that they are Cambodian! The are finding their way. But as Dr. Peang-Meth has said in this article, to learn, educate, and thinks differently what work what is not work! This is 21st century -- while Cambodia still use ox card, still pretty much the same way during Angkor period...the rest of the world have gone to the moon and back...Cambodian teachers still teaching children how to obey, and repeat like a bird! How these young Cambodian are working so far in helping rebuild the country? No creativity, still repeat the old way. If one wants change, than they need to change the way the young educate, learn and and educate about their their ability and capability to take care their future, their family, their community and their nation. The young are the asset for Khmer's future...the elder generation has a duty to teach them, to pass down the know and the know how to younger generation. There is no short cut!
BTW, 9:34 -- do you ever remember what your mother/father said thing to you when you were young? I am sure at some point, your parent might want to give you up, but continue to take their responsibility of being a parents! This is the same way for the elder generation -- please help take care and show them the way to protect their motherland!
BTW 9:34 -- if you dismiss these Young Khmers had been eaten by the worms and rotten,you just disown yourself, because these young Khmer are part of you, whether you want it or not!! OK 9:34 I hope you rethink about what you said and contribute to help young Khmer!
Dr:Peang Meth,I support you ,you are so right about this case,I hope the young stand all up against the the traitor dictator Hund Xen regime as soon as they can!!!
Why is Cambodia so unfortunated? Why can she have a wise and educated khmer man like Dr. Peang to lead instead of those primitive men and women in our country?
10:36 am,
Don't just hope, if you are one of the Khmer elder patriate, please help the younger generation! Start helping the young one in your house, if not, the young one next to your house, if not the young one in your community, etc. As Khmer elder, you have the crucial role to play to these young one. Teach them about Khmer history, culture, and of course not forget to teach them how to cook Khmer food!
It is good that young Khmer people and generation should be well educated and taught in order to share the responsibilities and show their good attitudes and help build their own country to be a better and safe place to live, grow and develop, and even learn how to make a good judgment and see what their futures will hold onto them. I am sure they will be encouraged to do good for their communities in Cambodian society .... things will change in Cambodian, more freedom, freedom of speech, good rules of laws or good Cambodian constitutions, rights of Cambodian/Khmer citizens, etc.
The OECD worry that the rich and the poor get bigger. As a person from LDCs myself, I am more worry the the gap between the educated an the uneducated one, because only a small number of people have access to quality of education (by studying abroad) and the rest educat learn under not well train teachers. The gap of education within population is more dangerous than the gap between the rich and the poor materially! So Hun's regime, watch, your children that come to study abroad, when they going back to Cambodia, they are going to lead the cow how to play piano! Because this is the education system that your regime give to the rest of Khmer children. For that stop, than blaiming them that they are a farmer's boys! You are creating the system for the cow to lean piano! But in your life time, do you do ever heard the cow play piano well?...I don't think so...if you do, put the cow in front of Royal place, than you can milk the money from those poor people that the cow have a highest karma than Mr. Sen~~go ahead make money from the poor cow!
I am happy that the older generations are going to teach younger generations. I am hungry to learn from them so that I could continue to teach other younger generations also. I know there are many wise older generations out there in the community, who understand about the feelings of younger generations. But, there are also the gaps between young and old generations when they discuss about the problems, especially, when we live in two cultures – American and Cambodian. From my observation -- if younger generations are willing to open their hearts and willing to learn from older generations, and the older generations are willing to support the younger ones -- I think that will reach the conclusion more quickly to resolute the problems.
Thank you very much Dr. Peang-Meth. This is very excellent article. I know I read your article more than once; sometimes five times because it is very critical and meaningful to me. When I read, I like to visualize, stretch my imagination, strength, and ability to think better and willing to learn from everybody.
ខ្ញុំ ០៩ៈ៣៤ ចង់ចូលរួមនិយាយខ្លះ ៖
ការពិត ខ្ញុំភ្ញាក់រលឹកច្រើន ក្រោយការអានអត្តបទមួយចំនួនរបស់លោក។ ជាទូទៅ ខ្ញុំពេញចិត្ត និងយល់ស្របទាំងស្រុងនឹង សច្ចៈទស្សនៈរបស់ព្រះពុទ្ធព្រះអង្គដែលលោកបានដកស្រង់ថា
"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Buddha counseled: "Work out your own salvation."
ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តគិតបែបផ្សេងវិញចំពោះ ៉ការជួយសង្រ្គោះខ្លួនឯង ៉។ ទាំងគេ ទាំងខ្ញុំខំរិះរកមធ្យោបាយជួយខ្លួនឯង។ អ្នកខ្លះជ្រើសយកការខំសិក្សារៀនសូត្រ
អ្នកខ្លះខំប្រឹងធ្វើការ ឬរកសីុ។ ពេលខ្លះខំប្រឹងជួយខ្លួនឯងពេក ភ្លេចគិតជួយជាតិឯង ព្រោះពេលខ្លះប្រយោជន៍បុគ្គល វាផ្ទុយពីប្រយោជន៍ជាតិ។ និយាយបែបនេះ ខ្ញុំនិយាយក្នុងលក្ខ័ណ្ឌទូទៅ មិនអួតថាខ្ញុំបានជួយជាតិ ឬសំដៅថាអ្នកណាមិនបានជួយជាតិនោះទេ។ ដូច្នេះ សួរថាតើអនាគតទៅ ស្រុកទេសខ្មែរយើងនឹងក្លាយទៅជាយ៉ាងណា? តើបានអ្នកណាទទួលខុសត្រូវការពារនឹងអភិវឌ្ឍ?
បើតាមទស្សនៈខាងលើ គឺមានតែខ្មែរខ្លួនឯងទេ។ តែថាដោយសារនិយាយពីអនាគត គឺមានតែយុវជន ៉ កម្ពុជា ៉ នេះឯង។ ការពិតណាស់ សព្វថ្ងៃ យុវជនកម្ពុជា ច្រើនណាស់ប្រឹងប្រែងអភិវឌ្ឍសមត្ថភាពខ្លួនគេ ដូចជា តាមរយៈការបន្តចូលរៀនថ្នាក់វិទ្យាល័យ ឬគ្រិះស្ថានឧត្តមសិក្សាផ្សេងៗ តាមរយៈការហាត់រៀនជំនាញវិជ្ជាជីវៈផ្សេងៗ ការធ្វើការងារសង្គម ទោះក្នុងផ្នែករដ្ឋ ឬឯកជន ដែលសុទ្ធសឹងជាការធ្វើអោយសមត្ថភាព ចំណេះដឹង និងបទពិសោធន៍ របស់ពួកគេមានការកើនឡើង។ ខ្ញុំយល់ថា នោះហើយជាទុនសំរាប់ជួយសង្រោះខ្លួនគេផ្ទាល់ និងសង្គមជាតិ មិនថាពេលសព្វថ្ងៃ ឬពេលអនាគត។ ជាការពិតណាស់ អាចមានមធ្យោបាយផ្សេងៗទៀត ដែលជួយសង្រ្គោះ អភិវឌ្ឍបុគ្គល និងសង្គមជាតិ។
ប៉ុន្តែ ខ្ញុំចង់ចោទសួរថា តើមានយុវជនកម្ពុជាប៉ុន្មានភាគរយ ដែលមានឱកាស និងលទ្ធភាពជួយសង្រ្គោះខ្លួនគេ ៖
១)ពីភាពអវិជ្ជា (កុំថាឡើយការត្រិះរិះពិចារណាបែប critical thinking សូម្បីតែការគិតសាមញ្ញសំរាប់ រកចំណីបរិភោគ ក្នុងពេលធនធានធម្មជាតិធ្លាក់ចុះ និងការប្រកួតប្រជែងខ្លាំងដូចសព្វថ្ងៃ ក៏ពិបាកដែរ ប្រសិនគ្មានការសិក្សាសមរម្យ)។ ការមាន ឬមិនមាន ការសិក្សាសមស្របសំរាប់ពួកគេ គឺជាបញ្ហាមួយទៀត។ ហើយបើគ្មានការសិក្សាត្រឹមត្រូវ ពួកគេងាយនឹងគោរព ឬទទួលជឿការឃោសនា អកុសលណាមួយទាំងងងឹតងងុល។
២)ពីភាពគ្មានការងារធ្វើ ឬរស់នៅសមរម្យ។
៣)ពីការគេងប្រវ័ញ្ច គាបសង្កត់ គ្រប់រូបភាព មិនថាក្នុង សង្គម វប្បធម៌ សេដ្ឋកិច្ច ឬ នយោបាយ។ តើពួកគេមិនមានជំរើស ផ្លូវដើរ សំរាប់អនាគត តាមឆន្ទះរបស់ពួកគេផ្ទាល់ដែរឬទេ?
មិនមែនថា ខ្ញុំទុទិដ្ឋិខ្លាំងពេកចំពោះអនាគតស្រុកខ្មែរពេកទេ ប៉ុន្តែ បើតាមការសង្កេតរបស់ខ្ញុំ យុវជនខ្មែរជាច្រើនកំពុងតែស្តិតក្នុងស្ថានភាពពិបាក ក្នុងការជួយសង្រ្គោះខ្លួនឯង។ ដូច្នេះហើយបានជាខ្ញុំ សំដែងក្តីបារម្ភថា ក្រែងលោ ទំពាំង ដែលគេរំពឹងថានឹងស្នងឬស្សី ត្រូវដង្កូវឬជំងឺសង្គមផ្សេងៗ សុីរូងបណ្តូល ស្ទើរអស់។ ដង្កូវ ឬជំងឺនេះ ខ្ញុំចង់សំដៅដល់ឧបសគ្គខាងលើ ដែលអាចរារាំងមិនអោយពួកគេ ដុះលូតលាស់បានល្អ។ ខ្ញុំសូមបញ្ជាក់ម្តងហើយម្តងទៀត ការនិយាយបែបនេះ មិនមែនខ្ញុំបន្ទាបតំលៃ ឬមើលងាយយុវជនខ្មែរទេ តែគ្រាន់ជាការបារម្ភ។
លោកពូបណ្ឌិតនិយាយត្រូវ ដែលថា អនាគតស្រុកខ្មែរស្ថិតក្នុងកណ្តាប់ដៃយុវជន។ ប្រសិនបើសេចក្តីបារម្ភរបស់ខ្ញុំ ដូចរៀបរាប់ខាងលើ កើតមានពិត នោះអនាគតស្រុកខ្មែរ នឹងក្លាយទៅជាយ៉ាងណា គឺជារឿងមួយផ្សេងទៀត។
I am 9:34 again!
I couldn't agree more with the paragraphs under subheading CHANGE. Things change inevitably, but not necessarily to what we wish to see, unless we act.
ACT??? Act to make a change or a future that we want to see??? "Khmer future is in the hands of youths". What future do they want to have? What are they doing to make it happen? Do they have ability or COURAGE or willing to act? Or when will they act??? these are questions flying over my heads.
Looking forward to more articles/commentaries to feed/provoke my thoughts.
Me 9:34 am
it's called being proactive. yes, being proactive can help to make a real, lasting difference in cambodia for all, you know! god bless cambodia.
cambodia is encourage to produce more people like dr. peang-meth. we need educators like the professor here. that's how cambodia will eventually become better and better in the future. education is key to changes as well, really! god bless cambodia.
1:01,
You write good Khmer, but it is my problem that can't read and understand of what you are saying! Yes, I can read one line that you made in 9:34. so if you can write in English on your comment, I can participate.
Thanks,
Gen X
one thing i really admired about dr. peang-meth is that he consolidate all wise concept into one easy page to read and share his knowledge with all. now, that's admirable, i think. god bless dr. peang-meth and cambodia.
cambodia should not be afraid of changes. changes is not necessarily causing us to lose our khmer identity, etc; in fact, it is to our benefit and country benefif in the long run. it is smart and wise to infuse khmerness to other genuious in the world. it is ok to borrow, adopt, adapt, etc from the world. we our do it in one way or another because knowledge is shared and thus knows no boundary. we just have to properly credit them to the original writers, etc, that's all!
and changes take time, too, thus, it is ok to be patient, perseverant, disciplined, etc, etc... do not be afraid of changes, cambodia. whenever we can, do travel the world and see and learn from all over the world, ok!
do a semester overseas all over the world, it helps to broaden our knowledge and open our eyes and see from different angles, etc, ok! it's called being smart and wise about it all, really!
6:55 AM,
I'm totally agreed with your points! I just want to add is that if we learn something and we think that it is good for other -- we should share. This is just being a part of betterment for not just Cambodian people,but for betterment for all humanity.
On another note, I agreed that travel is help to open our eyes to see the different as well the same thing that human share! As I travel over 30 countries, I see that people are more the same than different. I believe in the goodness, kindness, caring and sharing is being part of the universul of human being!
Best wish to all who share this space!
Post a Comment