Recently, I read some books which were written by authors who were about 80 years old. They were in elementary school when World War Ⅱ ended. They experienced that same thing. They were taught by their teachers during the war that the Japanese emperor was a god and that they must fight against the U.S with their lives for him. However after the war was over, they were taught by their teachers that Japanese emperor was just a human and that the U.S was an ally which would teach them about democracy, human rights and freedom.
They say that they clearly remembered that immediately after the war was over, considerable parts of school textbooks used during the war were blackened out with charcoal and their teachers taught them the opposite of what they taught during the war. From the experience, they say that they can't trust any nation and that they knew the way people think changes instantly. They worked hard and became a driving force for the economic development of Japan. However, they had the intensive experience like that when they were children. What would you think if what you were taught became reversed.
They say that they clearly remembered that immediately after the war was over, considerable parts of school textbooks used during the war were blackened out with charcoal and their teachers taught them the opposite of what they taught during the war. From the experience, they say that they can't trust any nation and that they knew the way people think changes instantly. They worked hard and became a driving force for the economic development of Japan. However, they had the intensive experience like that when they were children. What would you think if what you were taught became reversed.
Comments
Hi, Rosemary. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think that nowadays it is harder for men in power to control their nation's thoughts, because we can get much information from various medias like internet easier than in the past.
Hello, Soheila. Thank you for your comment. I agree with you. Children don't have enough knowledge to judge whether things are right or not, so they can be easily educated to wrong directions.
I think the age has a very important role here... You easily accept everything is thought to you when you're a kid or even maybe until high school. But when you grow up, you start using common sense intellectually ... and then you can distinguish what is right and what is not right. Also there are some thoughts that you won't be able to distinguish them or change them.
What is happened to this writer is common at least in some societies like mine. In my case, I mostly experienced it on the religious obligations. Like if I don't wear hijab I will go to the hell!!! and I remember that how much hard I tried to don't go to the hell!!!
unfortunately this is a strong weapon in the government's hand to control their society.
No, I don't want to talk about it. :)
I just wanted to say, that it happens.
Hi, Onee-chan. Thank you for your comment. It's a good point of view.
Hi, Roman. Thank you for your comment. Will you tell some things which you have the feeling for?
Hi Tam,
I think everyone experienced that. But, if one at last know the fact and can take a lesson from it, that would be great.
Yes, lately I have that feeling. Many things, that I have been taught are wrong.
Hello, Mishaikh. Thank you for your comment. It's an interesting story. I heard that was because Taliban conducted anti-U.S. politics after they took the reins of government.
Oi there, folks
Mishaikh, it seems you are barking up the wrong tree - I really don't think that tam had in mind the issue you moved in your comment.
Edit by Admin:
https://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Idioms/B/bark_up_the_wrong_tree...
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