“Intergenerational Cultural Dissonance: Generation Z’s views on Parent-

child Filial Piety, a common Filipino family cultural aspect.”

A Philosophical Paper

By
KTHV_anonymous

Ms. ________________

Basic Education
JUNE 2022
 I. INTRODUCTION
The Philippines is a culture in which East meets West. Filipinos have a distinct Asian background, and
a strong western heritage. In today’s modern Filipino culture, it has widely developed through influence
from Chinese traders, Spanish conquistadors, and American rulers. The Family is the basic and most
important aspect of Filipino culture. The Family is the safety net for individuals, especially older people,
during difficult economic times. Children will often stay with their parents into adulthood, only leaving
when they get married and some – do not. In east and south-east Asia, study shows filial piety has had a
significant impact on child care and parent-child relationships. Concerns about parent care have grown
in recent years, as the Philippines has experienced rapid social change. This growing concern
necessitates a critical examination of adult children's willingness and unwillingness to practice filial
piety. The definition of a filial piety has become a public debate in this Generation. The Filipino family
maintains its filial duty to the elderly, but who provides care and how it is provided are likely to change
as a result of the country's demographic changes and value shifts. This paper allows for a comprehensive
assessment of adult children's care for elderly parents whether it is tolerable, otherwise, as well as a
holistic understanding of an "ideal form" of filial piety to which Filipinos aspire. This study begins by a
review of relevant findings conducted using the hypothesis/framework. Following that, is also a review
of previous research on the concept of filial piety and its effects. A review of relevant findings is
conducted using the hypothesis/framework. Finally, a discussion of the historical development of the
concept of filial piety in Filipino society is provided to help readers better understand its complexities.

II. HYPOTHESIS

In this section, we will look at the "Filial Piety" supposition. Whether considered beneficial or harmful,
filial piety has a significant impact on many aspects of human development, including personality,
interaction, socialization, and the parent-child relationship. In Advantageous viewpoint, it might have
several good reasons why the concept of filial piety has persisted for so long as an essential traditional
guiding principle of parent-child relations in the Philippines. According to the findings of empirical
studies, filial attitudes facilitate social interactions and intergenerational relationships. This beneficial
effect may be the reason why the concept of filial piety has survived for centuries. Filial behaviors have a
positive relationship with personality in the domains of cooperativeness and, to a lesser extent,
conscientiousness. According to the findings of the previous studies, people with filial attitudes have
personality traits that benefit their social interactions. Whilst, in negative viewpoint, despite the fact
that filial piety appears to be a beneficial and constructive concept in many aspects of social life in the
studies and theories reviewed, other scholars have pointed out its negative effects as well. Filipino
parents' mindsets toward filial piety are connected with children's rigidity and adversely with children's
cognitive complexity. It is hypothesized that a strong parental emphasis on filial piety could harm
children's learning and development as well as incompetence and indifference attitudes towards the
latter. Most of these negative parental attitudes are suspectedly linked to an authoritarian parenting
style.
 III. RELATED LITERATURE

This segment covers numerous concepts and published materials that are relevant or related to the
current study. The vast majority of studies included are from the world wide web, which helped the
researcher formulate, develop, and briefly discuss my own ideology/philosophy.

To be a filial son or daughter, we must have complete trust in our parents. We're talking about trusting
our parents when we say we have complete faith in them. We're bowing to higher authority because we
know they're sincere. One of the most terrifying aspects of trusting anyone in life is the fear of being
vulnerable and being taken advantage of. However, we must learn to be vulnerable in front of our
parents. We must learn to trust them completely and unconditionally. We must also learn to exercise
this faith by living day to day with our father and mother and practicing and applying the faith that we
want to live out in our lives. (JinMoon, 2010)

According to a sociologist at Shanghai's Academy of Social Sciences, filial piety stems from the survival
need of an agricultural society in which parents manage production and support their children. "In
exchange, children carry their aging parents.  It is based on blood relations and differs fundamentally
from Western individualism." According to the Professor, no matter how society progresses, the
significance of filial piety will persist a pillar of the family structure. According to him, it is all about
striking a balance between family and individual, and filial piety is the stabilizer. (Lu zhen, 2018; Cui
Hui’ao, You Siyuan)

Intercultural and intergroup communication norms are important because violations can result in
negative communication outcomes (Burgoon, 1993; Gallois & Callan, 1991; Hall, 1959). Principles are
"socially shared ideas about appropriate and inappropriate behavior" that represent expectations about
behavior in specific situations (Gallois & Callan, 1991, p. 249). Socially constructed attitudes toward filial
piety refer to one's attitudes toward the behaviors that young people are expected to exhibit in
intergenerational encounters. In their interactions with the elderly, young people develop a sense of
identity as "the young." This identity is associated with societal norms for young people's behavior
toward the elderly. The more positive one's normative attitudes are, the more likely one is to be
motivated to act on them, such as communicating with the elderly and providing care and a sense of
support to them. Such normative attitudes may meet the practical needs of the elderly, support their
identity, and possibly assist young people in maintaining their own distinctiveness (Brewer, 1991).

IV. BODY
In Confucian Heritage Societies, filial piety is a foundational value. It has shaped the family structure
and intergenerational relationships between parents and children for a long time through an intricate
value system that defines their relationships and responsibilities. As a result, it is not surprising that
many Asian governments base and formulate their elderly policies on the traditional spirit of filial piety,
in which adult children are supposed to care for their parents in their old age (Liu & Kendig, 2000).
However, due to modernization and social changes, younger generations' adherence to filial obligations
has weakened (Ikels, 2004). Higher life expectancy, higher education attainment, greater dedication to
work, smaller family size, and a decrease in intergenerational co-residence have all played important
roles in adult children's changing desire and ability to shoulder care and responsibilities for their parents
(Cheung & Kwan, 2009).

We looked at both nurturance and solidarity as filial behaviors (i.e., respecting, looking after, taking
care of, pleasing, listening to, keeping contact with the elderly). Some aspects of this structure were
expected to be shared by Asians and Westerners, but not all. The ideology (that one should always listen
to elders) has many wider issues, but the most important one is that it is NOT applicable in our modern
society. And I have to agree with that. For me It's aged like spoiled milk that's been sitting in the back of
the fridge for years. Nothing but rotten entitlement can be detected here. There is no need for parents
to form any kind of family bond, and East Asian parents can beat or abuse their children as much as they
want. The child, on the other hand, cannot leave this relationship until both parents die. In this sense, a
society founded on filial piety is founded on serial slavery: each person is born into slavery as someone's
child, eventually becoming a slaver when the parents die and the person begins having his or her own
children, and the cycle continues. The harsh reality. Filial piety merely provides a fertile breeding ground
for abusive behavior. It necessitates children being eternally grateful to their parents for doing the
minimum necessary of raising them, and then a big shock, when that child grows up to have their own
ideas and goals that don't align with the parents' vision, they bring up the fact that they sacrificed so
much to take care of them in order to guilt trip them into submission. (SMLCHLI, 2021) Age does not
imply wisdom, and wisdom does not imply moral superiority or being correct. Furthermore, age is not
synonymous with life experience. (ZY, 1;2022) This is an outdated concept that reinforces bad habits.
And I also believe this antiquated idea does not work in society today. Many people believe that filial
piety is an outdated concept that breeds narcissism. This narcissism - respect and obey me no matter
what, or you're ungrateful - gives these boomers a sense of superiority over others. It's vexing; if you live
with people like this, you'll understand. It is always emphasized with people leaving their parents in
nursing homes, and when people usually label these children as 'self-centered' or 'ungrateful,' it is often
the mask of anonymity and a very good relationship with their parents that is speaking. Some parents
are completely unworthy of a second glance, and is the fact that "they gave you life" a sufficient reason
to continue living with them? Some disagree and needs a better reason. Several people also believe that
filial piety is only harmful when parents' values are imposed on their children, and that anything else is
unfilial. It's like a way or the high way situation, which surely most of us have experienced. Also, the
emphasis on filial piety fosters a sense of interdependence, which leads to unhealthy dependency and,
eventually, helplessness. Ironically, it is this structure that has built the society we live in (as oppressive
as it may appear).

The previous paragraph actually sounds quite convincing near the end. To some extent, I am convinced
that this is the case. However, simply condemning filial piety and calling it repulsive undermines the
underlying, most fundamental value that it represents. Most people would appreciate it if you would
return what you have been given. It's a concept in the same vein as returning a favor to a friend who has
done something to help you. It can be very distorted, and many younger Asians are beginning to oppose
the concept of giving birth to ensure that they will be cared for when they are old. However, this does
not generally imply that the younger generation is abandoning their parents and family and setting out
on their own to raise their own family. The importance of filial piety struck me very poignantly as I was
contemplating the importance of oneness. When we work toward becoming one with our Heavenly
Parent or True Parents, the words "filial piety" become extremely important. The words "filial piety" are
derived from the Latin "filius," which means "son," or "filia," which means "daughter." "Pietas" means
"duties to God," so "filial piety" essentially means "duties to God," but we understand filial piety as love,
devotion, or loyalty to a parent. (JinMoon, 2010) I believe that word is anathema to most of us as
teenagers because we want to express our independence and freedom. We want to be able to do
whatever we want. Many people of Millennial and Z Generation may be wondering what the
significance of filial piety is. When you think about it, filial piety is especially important because learning
how to be a filial son or daughter prepares us for the kind of life we want. Even if we are perplexed as to
why we should be a filial son or daughter loving our father and mother when we want to love ourselves
during our adolescence, it is because our parents want to help us achieve our goals. They want to assist
us in living happily ever after. That is exactly what our parents are asking us to do by emphasizing these
simple concepts of absolute faith and absolute love. We live in a very different era and are exposed to
vastly different values. Western values, in particular, are more self-centered than everybody else. But
can we really blame them? Parents are not perfect; we are all fallible. Anything done to the extreme is
obviously toxic. The same can be said for the polar opposite - a complete lack of filial piety. I personally
adore my parents and strive to fulfill my obligations to them, knowing that they care about me and have
tried their hardest for me despite their own flaws and mine. It is, however, acceptable to cut ties with a
toxic family with dysfunctional relationships. Your family is made up of people who love you, not just
blood relatives. True words, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. It's true
that it's a generational thing; ideas change, and we have to admit that our parents don't always know
better. Filial piety is toxic to some extent, but not always. Simply consider both the perspectives of the
parents and the children and try to reach an agreement. I've met people who chose not to be filial to
their parents, and I'm sorry to say that their lives have not been easy. However, there is a line that
parents should not cross; this does not mean that we are not filial because everyone has their own set
of boundaries. Personally, I believe filial piety should not have been considered at all. Finally, no one
chose to be born, and parents should not expect respect or gratitude from their children simply because
they were raised well. To be a parent, they should have made that decision knowing that it is a thankless
job, and that if their children choose to give back, that is a bonus. That is, in my opinion, how things
should have been. As a young teenager myself, my parents does not really expect me to give them
allowance to support them in the future, but I’ll still do my best to give whenever possible. After all, it is
a family culture that has been passed down through generations. However, I believe that at the end of
the day, we each have our own battles to fight, whether it's saving for my own future or them saving for
their retirement. Perhaps better planning before deciding to have children will go a long way.

V. CONCLUSION

The findings reflect that this generation loved and respected their parents, but would consider
alternative living situations for them, depending on future circumstances. We can see parents of
millennials engaging their children as friends rather than forcing their beliefs down their throats as we
become more open in our thinking. Therefore, I conclude that the Filipino culture, like many other
collectivistic cultures, values group harmony and emphasizes the importance of group or family survival.
Despite the fact that modernization has resulted in less authoritarian filial piety, many families still
adhere to these beliefs, and it may be the only way for them to keep their families together. Challenge
the concept, not the person.

The Words of In Jin Moon from 2010, What Is The Importance Of Filial Piety In Jin Moon, July 11, 2010 | https://www.tparents.org/Moon-
Talks/InJinMoon-10/InJinMoon-100711.htm
Latest Contributions to Cross-cultural Psychology |https://books.google.com.ph/books?
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Q&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=filial%20piety%20in%20the%20philippines&f=false
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Measuring Filial Piety in the 21st Century: Development, Factor Structure, and Reliability of the 10-Item Contemporary Filial Piety Scale |
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272075203_Measuring_Filial_Piety_in_the_21st_Century
Filial piety still valued in contemporary, By Cui Hui'ao, You Siyuan |
https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514e3151544e78457a6333566d54/index.html
Filial piety norms: Caught between two worlds (Straits Times Premium) |
https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/allnews/filial-piety-norms-caught-between-two-worlds-(straits-times-premium)