Man As An Individual

HELLO READERS, we thank God for yet another week. I welcome you back and I urge you all to continue reading Potters Voice which I believe will help mold us to fit into our society.

We have already discussed the falling moral standards among the youth of today, irresponsible parenting which has caused more of our youth to go wayward and the need to tackle this problem with all seriousness from top to bottom.

We also suggested that Family Life Education, which covers virtually all aspects of human endeavors, could be a good guide as we attempt to eradicate social vices such as armed robbery, cheating, gambling,  prostitution,  teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, etc. that have plagued our country.

We have also discussed Family Life Education as a way of equipping both sexes with the knowledge and skills which will help improve their quality of life and also to prepare them towards responsible adulthood. In Family Life Education, we discussed that emphasis should be on human relationships.

For today's discussion we will talk about the individual as a person and how understanding an individual will foster better human relationship. For all of us to be able to relate well with one another, there is the need for us to be aware of the fact that every individual is a person with a unique personality.

Personality means the physical appearance or features of a person; that is his abilities, his emotions, his social traits and his interests and attitudes. In other words, personality means the whole of a person's outstanding features.

This refers to the characteristic ways in which a person reacts to situations in life. It is also a sum total of how one individual differs from another.

For all of us to be able to relate well with others, there is a need for us to know what we are made up of. This way, we will be able to tolerate each other, live and work together in peace to develop our homes and society at large.

If we can stay together as a family, to love ourselves and promote peace; it will be very useful for us to understand the concept of individual differences. Being aware of our individual differences, we will be able to understand ourselves better and accept ourselves the way we are.

Knowing our individual differences, we can give attention to them, understand other people's problems and try to tolerate them.

If we get to know what we are made up of, we will not promote unhealthy competition but rather try to promote a cordial atmosphere where people can feel happy and comfortable to work efficiently and effectively.

In fact, the self concept portrays who a person is; courageous, wicked, intelligent, brave, timid, lazy, honest, and popular and so on. This is also known as the real self and the ideal self also talks about how a person will become in future, for example his level of education or his position in the society. Many a time, most people wish they were somebody else.

This kind of attitude breeds hatred, jealousy, envy, competition, bitterness, and at the end of the day nothing gets done = NO DEVELOPMENT!!!  For this reason it is best to be aware of yourself and accept yourself the way you are so that you can tap your potential to develop yourself and your nation.

I hope most readers will bear with me that sometimes some subordinates can stand boldly to challenge their leaders, claiming that, “after all what! If you are the boss and so what, we are all the same, we are all human beings”.

But if you know your level and you are humble, there is likely to be some encouragement which will lift you up instead of you staying at the bottom and challenging your boss at the top. 

It is very true that all human beings are the same, having blood, nose, eyes, hands, legs and so on, but as a separate person on your own, you may have your educational level, different attitudes; that is your likes and dislikes, the way you think, the way you react to situations, the way you feel, the position you occupy in society and having your own name. This uniqueness is what makes one an individual.

The Individual traits therefore stem from the growth and development of man from the time that the ovum of the woman and the sperm of the man fuse together in the womb up to adulthood.

These genetic factors from both parents make the individual short, tall, beautiful, intelligent, ugly, or dull. However heredity factors can change due to environmental influences. Education and religion can also contribute to mold innate factors the individual has inherited from the parents. Both heredity and environmental factors combine to make the individual unique.

The uniqueness of the individual is very important in the life of the person.

Because of the different classes of people that we have and what we have acquired and  inherited, these differences show up in every aspect of our lives and we therefore need to be tactful in dealing with people to avoid conflict.

For instance in the family, we may have members who are shy, slow, dull, intelligent, easy going, reserved, etc. therefore  each member should be treated separately.

By so doing each member's nutritional needs can be taken care of according to their various differences. A parent must be able to observe her children and know their likes and dislikes.

A child may like cool environments and so will be found constantly sleeping on the bare floor. The parent of such a child must not force him or her to sleep on a bed, but rather ensure that they are clothed properly so that they do not contract pneumonia. 

Some children are fast while others are slow but they are able to perform their duties well. If parents start to compare them, it may result in rivalry. Parents need to know the differences in their children so they can protect, guide and encourage them.

Just as we have different behaviors in the family, so do we have them in the larger society.

People behave differently everywhere; in the neighborhood, in the church, in the school, at market places, at work places, in queues, and in commercial vehicles, different people are seen and they behave differently due to what they have acquired and inherited. To be able to cope for peace and harmony to prevail and also for development to take place, there is the need for each and everyone to know what makes him or her different from the other.

NEXT WEEK WE WILL DISCUSS THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAN WHICH MAKE HIM AN INDIVIDUAL.