All of us are formed as we live our childhood. I know of one person who was formed, sometimes violently, very well in terms of ethics. Honesty, truth-telling, respect for others, respecting the property of others -- this person was formed quite well.
He/she was formed differently when it came to substance abuse. Alcohol, in particular, was there to be used and abused. He/she was not formed very well in terms of emotional openness and health. He/she was not formed very well when it came to self-respect and self-value.
Some formation was positive. Some was lacking, or negative. Probably most humans could say the same.
As he/she enters adulthood it may be time for re-form. It may be time for looking carefully at the use of alcohol, or drugs, or sugar, or fats and decide: "I need to re-form myself in this/these area(s)." I believe this to be both a personal issue and a social issue. Addressing the need to think about re-forming oneself is powerfully personal, of course, but it also has an impact on society where he/she lives. It impacts raising children, being married (or being unmarried), life on the job, how a person balances many parts of living while relating to others.
I think this is a lifelong task, but it belongs primarily in young adulthood. A person can create his or her own "reform school" and sentence the self to lifelong attendance and ongoing learning and development.
What do you thing? Leave a comment and let us know.
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