New modern family units : two-way relationships between parent and child requires active benevolence

Abstract

The issue of caring for the elderly has been a hot potato issue in the modern world. With the rise of liberal Western values such as individualism and democracy, adult children are less likely to willingly take up the responsibility as they see it as a cause for slowing of their own progress. The question is: How far do filial obligations go in relation to the modern world? With the lines of filial duties blurring, it is only making it easier for irresponsible adult children to shrug off their duties towards their elderly parents. Only in recent years have published filial obligation theories become available, although they still hold quite the ‘underground status’. The goal of this paper is to analyse the different theories and give a comprehensive suggestion to further improve on it. The three theories that will be discussed are the Gratitude Theory, The Special Goods Theory and another, care-based variation of the Special Goods Theory. This paper argues that in order to distinguish one’s filial obligations, there must first be active participation and benevolent contributions from both the parent and child. The scope will be kept between the elderly parent and his adult child in the contemporary context. Ultimately, in understanding filial obligations in the light of the modern and dynamic parent-child relationships can help many new and unusual family units in the future.