What is right may not be correct.

What is right? What is correct? Is there any difference between the two? The primary school students would able to tell their parents they know the difference to the puzzle of their parents. Does that mean that we are more ignorant than them or simply tell us that what is right may not necessary be correct.

What is right is governed by the natural law, eg what should be morally right and just or what the Bible teaches us if you are a Christian. What is correct means the answer or reaction that is expected by the authorities, peers, superior,family members or even spouse, an example is the correct answer that the school teacher expects or not to report on your friends.Our children have to differentiate the two questions in order to do well in school and in their own circles.

The complexity of that increases with one age and status. Adults tend to tread along the fine line and their success depends very much on their ability to react and respond to the necessity and not their hard work or knowledge. We will cheat if that is the "correct" way to achieve success, we will use our connection to give ourselves the "information" require to secure a business contract. We will even "bribe" to get our kids off the hook of the laws and we can even sell our souls if that would make us a millionaire.Because the road to success is charted by the "correct way" and not the "right way".

One of my sons told me that Moral study is the easiest subject in school. I was puzzled as what he meant to be the easiest and asked "was it because you knew the right from the wrong?" I thought at least we taught him to differentiate the right from the wrong. But his reply was "the correct answer in the test is always the opposite of what we normally do!" I asked "what do you mean the opposite?" He replied "dad, it is simple, let say we broke something in the house and never tell you guys, then the correct answer must be "be honest and tell your parents". Now even the children see what is correct may not be right.

Our society and school are preaching something that the kids do not believe in but they would abide just to escape punishment or to receive rewards for the correct answer given. Parents normally teach the kids what is right from wrong only when there is nothing on the line. However, we will teach them to lie sometimes as 'white lie' doesn't hurt and we will teach them to do the "correct" thing when the consequence is severe. eg. how many parents will tell the kids to report their own follies to the teacher, eg. breaking the glass of the car belongs to that teacher. Because telling the truth under that circumstance would dig a hole in the pocket of the parent, then the correct way is not to tell!

With our good "guidance", the kids of today will turn into the master in giving the "correct" answer in the future. Well, I am relieve as their destiny has been well charted and they have been taught and learnt the "correct" way to live and prosper.

David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity sec.,
21-10-2007