February 23 session - readings (1 of 2)

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Readings for February 23 session (1 of 2):

1. "Early East Asian Civilizations"

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Click on the attachment icon below to download reading in .pdf format.

[Anonymous]

The most fascinating part of this reading for me has been the "24 Stories of Filial Devotion". These are very serious lesson on values, yet they are illustrated in a comic book series format so that children will be understand them and want to read them. I found the story of the parents who were forced to choose to sacrifice their child to save their own parent, the most jolting. In western culture, we've been taught to do the opposite: To save our young and sacrifice our elders. Were I in a similar situation, most likely I, too, would choose to save my child's life over my parents - especially if they were elderly and had lived a full rich life. What's more I know that my mother would want it that way. Had I been raised in a different culture (ie, Asian), I know I wouldn't feel this way. It's a tough decision to make, in either case, and one that I'll never have to make since I have no children and both my parents have passed on. What an eye-opening lesson in life!

[Anonymous]

Interesting. On a gut level I'd want to preserve my child ( if I had one). When I really think about it, it seems a better choice to choose the parent. If the motivation is a selfish one, then someday I'd be an elder and would probably want my child ( the one that survives) to choose to save me over my grandchild.

Also, older people have so much to contirbute in terms of their experience and wisdom.

I'm assuming the child is a child and not and adult child. In this case the child may not be at a point where he/she could contribute to the greater good.

Still, it is hard to make that choice. We are so youth obessed these days. Maybe it would be better if we learned to embrace ....whoops I feel a tangent coming on....I'll stop right here.

[Anonymous]

I agree. We are a youth-obsessed society. It started in the 60's with the various "Revolutions" and we never looked back. Suddenly everything became focused on our youths & their opinions. We started treating their opinion as if it were "golden". I think it's because the market realized that they were more gullible, more easily influenced, and therefore more easily persuaded to give up their money and waste it on the lastest products or fads.

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