Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the necessity of aiming to educate good people through social projects, starting from primary school level. He warned, “That is why, in developed countries, moral values lessons are taught in the first three grades of primary school. We still haven't been able to make moral values lessons mandatory. Moral values lessons should be implemented.”
Tarhan stated that moral values can be independent of religions but not independent of the belief in a Single God, because the feeling of accountability prevents the inclination towards hidden evil. He added, “There are some people, for example, if you remove worship, nothing remains related to religion. There is lies, no morality. In some people, the opposite happens. Morality needs to be taught.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, emphasized the importance of morality in his assessment of the psychology of being disadvantaged in society.
Exposure to Social Inequality is Like a Measure of Disability
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that when disadvantaged individuals in society are mentioned, generally disabled people, the poor, children, the elderly, refugees, and migrants come to mind, and these individuals can be disadvantaged due to various obstacles, economic reasons, health disabilities, social and political barriers, or their gender.
Tarhan also noted that individuals become disadvantaged due to their ethnic and religious backgrounds, and their religious and political status. He said, “They become a fragile, vulnerable community. Their exposure to social inequality has become a kind of measure of disability.”
Tarhan also reminded that there are groups for whom positive discrimination must be applied by a segment of society. He stated, “These are continuously monitored in the United Nations human development report. The measure of a society's development, its level of civilization, is actually related to how it treats disadvantaged people.”
The Concept of Justice Needs to Be Learned
Tarhan also pointed to the issues of equality and justice, stating, “Equality is one thing, justice is another… Therefore, justice, unlike equality, means being able to give to those who deserve it, as much as they deserve. To achieve that balance is a special skill. It needs to be learned, the concept of justice needs to be learned. If someone doesn't want to be just, they cannot learn justice and resort to discrimination. They exclude disadvantaged people, or various individuals who prioritize their own interests emerge. All of these things disrupt social peace. The sense of trust deteriorates, and when the sense of trust is broken, low-security societies cannot progress. Because there is no social peace, and people always live in fear, entrepreneurship, assertiveness, and risk-taking weaken. For this reason, let's say there is a disadvantaged person in a family, if they are unhappy, can the other family members be expected to be happy? It's impossible.”
People Speak on Topics They Are Not Experts In
Tarhan stated that the biggest enemy of disabilities is prejudice. He said, “There are social prejudices. People speak on topics they are not experts in. The most sensitive issue for people with disabilities is when relationships are built around their disabilities. However, one should not touch upon their disability or their sacred aspects; those are private and sensitive matters for the individual. For example, you meet a person with a disability and ask, ‘When did your disability start?’ This is the worst form of communication. If you don't focus on it at all and establish a normal relationship based on positive aspects, and if the person later opens up about their disability, then it can be discussed. For this reason, families should not show this to their children in communication with people with disabilities. This also negatively affects children; for example, parents show excessive attention because their child is disabled.”
It's Necessary to Focus on What Can Be Done, Not the Disability
Tarhan stated that etiquette is a culture and is learned from childhood. He said, “We need to teach these to our children. If there is a child with a disability in a family, it's necessary to focus on what they can do, rather than their disability.”
Explaining that children should not be raised negatively by focusing on their disability, as this leads to a child growing up with low self-confidence, Tarhan said, “They internalize that feeling by saying 'I can't do it, I'm not capable, I'm sick,' and it becomes part of their personality. However, if they focused on their positive aspects, on what they can do, if they didn't give up and set appropriate goals for themselves, for example…”
Emphasizing the importance of being conscious, Tarhan said, “If conscious individuals are present in families and in society, people with disabilities can adapt to social life very easily. The perspective is very important. It most often turns things into a disadvantage in social disability. From economic situations to many other areas.”
People with Disabilities are Heavily Exposed to Violence
Tarhan stated that people with disabilities are also heavily exposed to violence, saying, “They even pinch the child while washing, for example. This is also violence… They don't make it obvious when doing it, but they pinch. This constitutes physical abuse. That person bottles it up, cannot say anything, cannot speak out, is dependent on them… Threatening situations arise. They cannot do anything because they are physically problematic.”
Tarhan expressed the challenge for people with disabilities as 'not giving up in the face of disability, setting goals, striving to develop themselves, achieving this, and being more resilient.' He added, “The challenge for non-disadvantaged people is also: Am I doing things that will make life easier for them? Or am I not? Their challenge is there too.”
Tarhan stated that one of the most important criteria for entering the European Union is related to people with disabilities. He said, “In buildings, in zoning permits, in quality standards, for example, in elevators, all considerations for the visually impaired and hearing impaired are taken into account. If a system aims for quality, it must logically consider people with disabilities, otherwise, it will not succeed. That is why the West has solved this problem in this way. Because it's a cost; making space for people with disabilities is a cost, doing something in elevators for people with disabilities is a cost. Humanity avoids it because everything requires cost. However, it is mandated because it is a social responsibility. And individually, we are more sensitive in terms of social responsibility in this regard.”
Moral Values Education Needs to Be Implemented
Tarhan noted that as social peace began to deteriorate, social responsibility projects started spreading rapidly. He stated that TÜBİTAK in Turkey also tried to implement social projects, with significant budgets allocated, because there is no academic or technical success where there are no social responsibility projects.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “You produce a very good tool, but the person turns out to be bad, a thief, a fraud. Therefore, it is necessary to aim to educate good people through social projects, starting from primary school level. That is why, in developed countries, moral values lessons are taught in primary school. We still haven't been able to make moral values lessons mandatory. Moral values lessons should be implemented. Moral values are also independent of religion. There are some people, for example, if you remove worship, nothing remains related to religion. There is lies, no morality. In some people, the opposite happens. Morality needs to be taught. But the best way to teach morality is to believe in life after death. Because an internal, conscientious guardian is needed. Why would someone be moral if they don't have a sense of accountability after death?”
Humanity's Most Valuable Capital is Life
Noting that humanity's most valuable capital is life, Tarhan said, “What is life capital? Go to military academies, there is an article that states an oath to die for the homeland. This does not exist in any other profession, 'for others, for the homeland.' Now, someone who only thinks about worldly life says, 'Why should I die?' People are having fun on beaches, why should I die, he says, not fighting. Those who continue traditions do so: But those who break away from tradition... Thanks to social media, tradition has been shattered. A global human type that only thinks of their own interests has become widespread. Hedonists, people who choose to chase pleasure. In such a situation, why would they take risks for society? They say, 'I am important, I am sacred; society, state, homeland are not sacred.' In such a tight spot, that person immediately sells their morality. They sell it when they find its price. Therefore, a morality that cannot be sold is only related to the afterlife. If there is a consequence for what they do, because the human brain works according to a reward and punishment system.”
Tarhan explained that if a person believes that their actions will have a reward in the presence of the Creator after death, their brain convinces them. He said, “Because our brain works according to whether there is a benefit or not. This is a reality, so nothing should be done about it. If you don't have a temporary benefit, there is a benefit after death. Earning divine approval is a greater benefit.”
Is it More Profitable to Be Virtuous or Self-Serving?
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also touched upon the topic of being virtuous and continued as follows:
“I ask… Is it more profitable to be virtuous, or to be self-serving? Some say, ‘Being self-serving is more profitable’... However, being virtuous, meaning having moral values, is profitable in the long run. Those who are self-serving are profitable in the short run. In the long run, success is total success. It becomes clear at the end of life. Happiness is total happiness; it becomes clear at the end of life. At the end of life, it becomes clear whether a person is good and moral.
It is necessary to teach children lasting morality, not just moral values based on religious reasons. Furthermore, in societies, it is taught culturally, through social learning, and thankfully it is taught. The family teaches this. In places where there is no family, this situation breaks down. In fact, a person with moral deficiency is the biggest disabled person.”
If You Have a Child with a Disability, Don't Focus on Their Disability
Evaluating children's perspective on individuals with special needs, Tarhan said, “In such situations, the child looks to the parents. If parents see a person with a disability as a shameful matter, the child will view them that way. Disability is not a shameful matter. For some individuals in life, it is something beyond their control. It is not the child's choice to be born with their disabilities, nor is it something they can change. Therefore, what should be done is to focus on what they can do, rather than their disability. If parents focus on what the child can do, the laughter or mocking approaches of the child's friends will not affect them at all. That's why we say, if you have a child with a disability, don't focus on their disability, don't talk about their disability, focus on what they can do. It wasn't that child's choice to come into this world. People are equal in being a good person in this world. The system in this world is like this. Justice is provided in this way at the end of life in this world.”
What Matters is Not Being Disabled, But How One Overcomes It
Tarhan noted that until recently, people with disabilities were perceived as something to be ashamed of or avoided. He concluded his words by saying, “They were not integrated into society. However, the greatest thing about disabilities is that, according to quantum physics, flaws and disabilities are part of the universe's perfection. Some are born with flaws, some make mistakes elsewhere and become flawed. Because there is no zero-defect human. That is why the order of the universe is like this. Disability is a part of perfection. With these disabilities, these flaws, we become perfect. This obstacle can turn into an opportunity. There are examples of this in life. When a person learns a sport, the most important thing is not how many times they fall, but how many times they get up. What matters is not being disabled, but how one overcomes it. From that moment on, a fighting spirit develops, and that person with a disability becomes more successful.”