A talk given by Dr. P.K. Willey at the International Conference on Peace and Non-Violence in Education at the Sridhar University in Pilani, Rajasthan.

1. An Elementary Issue in Raising
Women, Raising Peace
by
Dr. P. K Willey
Gandhian Scholar, Independent Researcher
Author: Earth Ethics of M.K. Gandhi with Teachings
from Holy Mother Amma (2009)
PKWilley@WiseEarthPublishers.com
A talk given at Shridhar University, Pilani, 2013-09-08
On occasion of the International Conference on
Peace and Non-Violence in Education

2. Holy Mother Amma
“Women are the power and the
very foundation of our existence
in the world. When women lose
touch with their real selves, the
harmony of the world ceases to
exist, and destruction sets in. It
is therefore crucial that women,
everywhere, make every effort
to rediscover their fundamental
nature, for only then can we
save this world.”

3. Holy Mother Amma
“There is also a deep
connection between the
way men destroy Mother
Nature and their attitude
towards women. Nature
should be accorded the
same importance in our
hearts as our own biological
Mothers.”

4. Holy Mother Amma
“In general, today's women
are living in a world fashioned
by and for men. Women
have no need of that world;
they should establish their
own identities, and thus
recreate society.”

5. Facts and Current Inquiry
 Current “Development” heading for a crash
 Current “Education” is furthering the same
 Low female self-esteem is a key factor in
societal violence
 John Bowlby, “Maternal Deprivation” accepted
premise between 1950's – 1980's
 Prominent research in last 35 years have
undermined importance of maternal love
 False objectivity: male = female
 New self-esteem research looks only at
physical appearance, ignores character.

6. See This Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epOg1nWJ4T8&

7. See This Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U&list

8. A Sample Statistic
 92% of all girls surveyed globally wished to
change their appearance.
 Concentration on appearance with reference to
unattainable “ideal” images weakens self-
esteem.
 Low self-esteem reduces ability to guide the
next generation.

9. Survey Findings
The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity
Of 4000 participants,
What is preferable to Obesity?
 15-30% prefer:
 Leaving marriage
 Infertility
 Depression
 Alcoholism
 18% would rather loose 10 years of life
 5% would rather loose a limb
 4% would rather be blind
Source: Yale University 2006, http://www.respectrx.com/archives/girl_stats_studies/

10. Survey Findings
The Dove Campaign for Global Studies
 92% teenage girls want to change their looks
 Weight highest ranked issue
 3 minutes with a fashion magazine made 72%
teenage girls feel “depressed, guilty, shameful”
 70% girls age 15-17 avoid normal activity due
to feeling bad about their looks
 Avoid doctor visits, school, or making opinions
 69% girls feel that their mother has been a
positive influence on self-esteem and beauty
Sources: (1) The Real Truth about Beauty: A Global Report. Findings of the Global Study
on Women, Beauty and Well-Being (September 2004), (2) Beyond Stereotypes: Dove
Campaign for Real Beauty Rebuilding the Foundation of Beauty Beliefs (2006),
(3) Real Truth About Beauty (2005),
(4) http://www.cleancutmedia.com/articles/girl-self-esteem-image-issues-parents

11. The Real Truth about Beauty
Research by the Dove Corporation
 Only 1 of 3 girls feels confident of a successful
career
 Implies the loss of 200,000 female professionals
and 42,000 female entrepreneurs by 2050 in UK
 Almost half consider themselves “average,
ordinary, plain, unattractive and ugly”
 Girls in UK see about 6000 images of “perfect
women” every day in TV, ads, magazines,
online.
 Psychological impact is much greater than
previously estimated
Source: What is low self-esteem amongst girls and young women costing the UK? (2013)

12. A Story
The importance of maternal
guidance in childhood development.
(See paper published at www.EarthEthics.org.in)

13. Holy Mother Amma
“Our character will be the
cause of both good and evil
in the world. Knowing that,
you should live cautiously.
The actions of human
beings are the basis of
nature’s goodness.”

14. Naomi Wolf
“A mother who radiates
self-love and acceptance
actually vaccinates her daughter
against low self esteem.”

15. Holy Mother Amma
“The younger generation, which is
meant to blossom and give
fragrance to the world, is instead
withering away in the bud stage.
One generation has already
strayed from the path of
righteousness. In order to rebuild
a healthy and wholesome society,
the children must be taught moral
and spiritual values. This
emphasis should be integrated
into the world’s educational
systems.”

16. Holy Mother Amma
“The foremost dharma of the
media is to find and express the
beauty in human life and of
nature. Only the true and
auspicious can lead us to real
beauty. The media should not just
cater to what people like; they
should also aim to do what is good
and beneficial for them.
“We should offer people [ethically]
based entertainment and
knowledge. Only through them
can we behold Truth and beauty.”

17. Solutions
 A South->North View in Education
 Choose what we take from the globalized culture
 Critically research “developed” societies for humane
and happiness indices with an eye towards the
outcomes for the young generation..
 Communities committed to ethical life and
development.
 Awaken the moral power of women
 Governments must reform media to spread
messages of India's Mahatmas

18. Indian psychology holds that all beings have
instincts of hunger, fear, sex and
possessiveness, which we share in common
with the animal kingdom. Yet, the human being
is also endowed with an ethical and moral
instinct, which allows us to rise above our
primitive nature to behold ourselves as an
indivisible part of the Creation, imbued with an
immortal life force that is inherently love and
truth itself.

19. Mahatma Gandhi
“That is the fundamental
conception of Sanathana Dharma
which has years of penance and
austerity at the back of discovery
of this truth. That is why, whilst we
have had saints who have worn
out their bodies and laid down
their lives in order to explore the
secrets of the soul, we have none,
as in the West, who laid down
their lives in exploring the
remotest or the highest regions of
the Earth.”

20. Thank You!
With Love, in Service to Truth
www.WiseEarthPublishers.com
Questions &
Comments?
Let's continue the
discussion:
PKWilley@WiseEarthPublishers.com
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Dr. Willey at: