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Originally Posted by x42bn6  In Asian culture, we are taught to be filial and are instilled family values. The eldest child has a duty to help his parents through retirement and old age, for example.
I have also heard that Western Culture does not instill as much as this, and wondered or not if it is true. Independence and ignorance are two things, I believe - yet it might well be true that Western children are less likely to appreciate their parents as Asian children.
We've all heard stories of parents being "dumped" at old peoples' homes, or parents dying without their children knowing, or unwanted parents after marriage, and in-laws. What do you think of these? Personally, I find it disgusting that any child would be willing to leave his parents unattended to for anything, but I an neutral regarding old peoples' homes - if they can care better for my parents, then they should be there, but my parents will have to be fine with it. |
Personally, I think that the whole notion of the family unit in general in western culture is evolving (or devolving, depending on your view). The notion of sacrifice for family, be it a parent to have or continuing supporting a child, to the child helping a parent. Just as my opinion, I would put say the root causes are individualism pushed to an extreme and an increase in the government's role in our lives. At least around where I live, a lot people just don't view it as their role to take care of their parents. I think it is unhealthy for society as a whole, however I view it as their choice to make, however undesirable.