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Heir Conditioning

Grand dad did you breathe
before air cons were invented?
was it hard staying
alive without modern inventions?
Grandma weren't you flustered
as you fluttered with paper fans?
could you communicate before
faxes and long distance calls
became basic necessities?

Grandchild we lived
before your age. Because
of our ignorance,
we did not know
pollution, stress, traffic jams
destruction of forests, streams and
hills
we feared God and nature
now nature fears you and
money is your new God.

GLOSSARY:
1. invented create or design (something that has not existed
before)
2. flustered make (someone) nervous or confused
3. fluttered flap quickly and lightly
4. communicate share or exchange information, news, or ideas
5. necessities absolutely needed things
6. ignorance refuse to take notice
7. destruction cause damage to


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The meaning of Heir Conditioning.
Heir means successor or in BM - waris.
Conditioning means training.
The poem is a dialogue between a grandchild and his grandparents.

The grandchild (the heir) lives in a modern world. The grandchild cannot live
without modern technologies such as a handphone, a television, a computer,
an air conditioner and so on. In this scenario, we can say that the grandchild
is conditioned (telah terlatih/terbiasa) to live in a modern world.

The grandchild asks his grandparents how did they live without modern
inventions. The grandparents reply that even though there were no modern
technologies when they were young, they could still live a simple life. There
were no pollutions back then and they were afraid of God. The
grandparents further told his grandchild that due to the modern
technologies, the world becomes polluted & people are no longer afraid of
God because they become more materialistic. In this scenario, the
grandparents are trying to condition/train his grandchild that modern
technologies can bring about bad effects to people nowadays.

Summary

This poem talks about issues regarding different lifestyles and values of two
generations. In the poem, we could notice that the writer talks about the
generation gap that exists between grandparents and their grandchildren. It
is like a dialogue between them.

In the first stanza, the grandchild asks his grandfather if he could breathe
without air conditioner and how people manage to survive without modern
devices such as air conditioners, fans, faxes and telephones. The child asks
his grandmother if she was uncomfortable fanning herself with paper fans.
He inquisitively questions how they could communicate without today's
modern media of communication which he cannot do without.

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In the second stanza, the grandparents' answer sets the two generations
apart. Though they lived void of the "basic necessities", they lived
contentedly and respected nature. Also, they were God-fearing people. The
grandparents warn the younger generations that they have inherited much
technological advancement and it has led to a separation from his spiritual
well-being. God has been replaced by money and nature has begun to fear
man. Natural surroundings are being taken over by rapid development and
that has led to pollution, deforestation and destruction of natural habitats
that now threatens man.

Theme

1. Technology Brings More Harm
It may seem that we are living in comfort with all the technology that keeps
on improving, but we do not realize the harms that the technology has
brought us. The grandchild thinks that it is impossible for their
grandparents to live in comfort with the help of technology. The child does
not realize that because of the technology itself, the world becomes hotter
and that is the reason why some technologies are created to blind humans
with the fake comfort that the technologies bring them. For example,
electric fans and air cons. Technological advancements have other setbacks
such us pollution, stress, traffic jams, and destruction of forests, rivers and
hills.

2. Fear
The older generations were God-fearing people and respected His creation
nature. However, todays generation does not fear God. On the contrary the
poet says that now nature fears you and money is your new God. This
indicates that the younger generation has become more materialistic. They
do not care for nature but gives priority to riches and money rather than
practicing good values such as preserving Gods creation.

3. Importance of Preserving Nature
God created nature to preserve life. In stanza 2, the poet gives the
consequences of not preserving nature -pollution, stress, traffic jams, and
destruction of forest, streams and hills. Humans seem not to aware that the
more pollution they make, the more they need to preserve the nature. In
paving the way for development, forest and hills have been destroyed and
streams have been polluted. This has destroyed the natural habitat of many
species of animals and plants which help to retain balance in our ecosystem.


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Moral Values

1. Appreciate Nature
Stanza 2 in the poem conveys a strong message regarding appreciating
nature. The poet reminds us that during our grandparents time, they
believed what goes around comes around they took care of nature. They
believed that everything in nature was created by God. Therefore, if one
appreciated and respected Gods gifts to mankind, the returns would be
bountiful. However, since the dawn of modern inventions, lifestyles and
priorities have changed. As the poet points out, now nature fears you and
money is your God. This shows that the present generation does not care
and appreciate nature. In fact, they have become more materialistic and
believe that money and riches are more important. In turn, nature has
suffered due to their lackadaisical (unconcerned/ laid back) attitude.
Today, the destruction of forest, streams and hills have shaken the balance
in living cycles. As a result, we are faced with problems such as pollution,
stress, and traffic jams.

2. Respect and Love
Through the question and answer session, we know that there is mutual
respect and love in this family. The grandparents show patience to their
grandchild by answering his questions. At the same time they also make
attempts to educate and warn him of the dangers of modern inventions to
the environment and about having good values and lifestyle.

3. Believe in God
The poet reminds us that todays younger generation is too preoccupied
with making money and maintaining a certain standard of lifestyle and status.
They tend to be extravagant. Such emphasis on material things has made
them forget God. Thus, they do not fear God. Their need to believe in God
is slowly waning (fading/weakening) as other objects and material things
become more important.