apples and oranges
We sometimes like to compare apples and oranges.
People always say: A mother takes care of her child, feed him, dress him, wash him...so the child should do the same to a mother if the mother no longer have the ability to do those things herself...
But when you take care of the child, you know that in a few years time, he will grow up, and be independant, and you'll be a proud parent.
But when you are taking care of your parent, you know that she will only get worse, and the ending will be a sad one...and so there is no motivation...there is only despair...so it takes greater motivation to take care of the elderly, than of your child.
Therefore, you look at someone who takes care of his/her parent with more admiration than a parent who takes care of his/her child.
People always say: A mother takes care of her child, feed him, dress him, wash him...so the child should do the same to a mother if the mother no longer have the ability to do those things herself...
But when you take care of the child, you know that in a few years time, he will grow up, and be independant, and you'll be a proud parent.
But when you are taking care of your parent, you know that she will only get worse, and the ending will be a sad one...and so there is no motivation...there is only despair...so it takes greater motivation to take care of the elderly, than of your child.
Therefore, you look at someone who takes care of his/her parent with more admiration than a parent who takes care of his/her child.
posted by Li Hong at 3:59 PM
3 Comments:
It's me again... I dunno if you go like... "OH no... it's Jebster again... why does he have to be the first one to mess up all my new posts? I hate him..."
Anyway, I'm still gonna comment it. lol.
Firstly, what's wrong with comparing apples and oranges? It's the basis of comparison that matters. Comparisons like "Apples are cheaper than oranges" "Oranges are bigger" "Oranges have more Vitamin C" make sense.
Taking care of a child and elderly can be compared when the basis of comparison is love. What if a child is suffering from cancer and will be dying in three months? Parents will still be motivated to take care of the dying child.
Motivation is a state of mind. Give a child, Parent A can be like "Gosh, I hate this. I can't go for parties with my friends anymore", while Parent B can be like "Finally I can stay at home". Given an elderly, it's the same.
But realistically, you do find fewer people taking care of their parents compared to their children. I think it's not due to motivation but due to external factors. When you have your children, you are still young, less commitments, new to career... you have more time. But when your parents are old enough, you need to worry about your children's education, your work, your mortgage loan etc... circumstances make it harder for you to take care.
So if you define motivation with circumstances then there you have it, your conclusion.
Anyway, sorry for spamming I'm just bored having CNY at home and the only thing I could do is read ppl's blog. lol...
yalar oranges have more vitamic C than apples, thats y you don't compare them by saying: this apple is lousier then that orange because it has less vitamin C. that is just a uselesss comparison, unless you want to find out which fruit has more vitamin C...which is another story..
anyway if the child is suffering from cancer, then the parents know that there is an end soon. like how when elderly parents has illness, most of the time the child becomes more loving..
and if a 45 year old with a 15 year old child suddenly accidentaly has another child, i'm sure he will be as loving to the child...but to his elderly parents? thats another story isn't it
and parent A will go like this, "ok la when he is 5 years old then i can go clubbing again."
haiyo the 2 of you like husband and wife... i think both your apples and oranges have rotted =)
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