Ascanbeseenfromthepicture,thedepartmentinastorewhichsellsnutritiveproductsforchildrenissurroundedbycrowdsofparents,makingthesalespeopleextremelybusy.Incontrast,theneighboringdepartmentthatsellssimilarproductsfortheelderlyseemsratherdesertedbycustomers.Itssaleswomanfeelssoboredthatshecannotresistfallingasleep.
Thepicturemirrorsacommonsocialphenomenonfromauniqueangle—peopletendtocaremoreforthenextgenerationthanthepreviousone.Ontheonehand,youngcouplesdoteonchildren,mostofwhomarethe“onlychildren”.Parentsendeavortopreparetheirkidsforabrightfuturebyraisingthemhealthily.Ontheotherhand,youngcouplesfailtospendtimewiththeiroldparents,andsomeofthemareeventoomeantoprovidetheoldwithatleastadecentlivingenvironment.
Ithinksuchatrendisquiteabnormalanddistressing.FilialdutyusedtobethemosthighlyprizedvirtueamongtheChineseforovertwothousandyears.Busyaspeopleare,thedutyshouldnotbeeasilyshirked.Supplyingouroldparentswithmaterialandemotionalsupportsisnotonlyarepaymenttothem,butcanalsosetagoodexampletoeducatetheyouth.