On May 8th, Koreans celebrated Parents’ day. For many, it was a touching and joyous affair; people had time to enjoy with their family members, give gifts to the parents and have a good time in general. For some people, however, this day was less savory than most. Several families had gotten into fights as to who will host the family gathering. There have been incidents with knives and fists involved in the fights, as hosting the gathering is usually a large burden on the hosting party. Fortunately there were no fatal wounds.
Decades ago, when people were in a more farming-oriented culture, everyone lived in the same area and the families were extended, gathering together was less of a problem as everyone saw each other on a daily basis and everyone helped in the preparations. In today’s society, where people live far apart with only their immediate families, it had gotten to be more taxing to host these events as the preparations are neither easy nor cheap. Another problem is the longevity of these issues. While old age was not commonly seen in the old days, due to medical techniques and better surroundings the average age expectancy has been lengthened by around twenty years. Looking after these elderly people is also another burden on the younger generation, which has also driven people to fight. People squabbling over who hosts Parents’ day events are nothing compared to the social problem that looking after elderly parents has become.
In theory, the government should be more supportive of these elderly people. Not only is it the government’s responsibility to look after the weak and old, it also frees up the younger generation to be more productive in its endeavors now that a significant problem has been banished. Care centers and hospitals are especially needed in the care of the elderly- were these comforts more easily provided, there would be more efficiency, less stress, and a general win-win situation.
Unfortunately, the government does not have the funds necessary to engage in such an endeavor. With the currently poor economy and rising prices, it is being hard- pressed to provide services to the poor, much less the elderly who are already being supported at least in part, by their children. As heartrending it is to bear witness to siblings punching and stabbing each other in order to avoid the burden of hosting a thank-you party to their parents, it is worse to know that we cannot do anything about it until the economic situation -both in Korea and the world- gets better.
I really enjoyed reading this piece. You took a common topic and looked at it from a unique perspective. Especially when you expanded the article from what individuals should do to what the government should do, it showed you did your research. In the future, quotes from authority figures or other people who have strong opinions about this issue can strengthen the story. Also, you may also want to address the counterargument that Parents’ Day is a family-orientated day in which the government has little to no say about family matters.