By Erik Espina
THERE are many theoretical constructs which could be the subject for debate and adoption into our social, moral, and constitutional milieu. For example, in other countries, prostitution is legal. But do we dare favor such a trade citing progressive Western standards, or advantages in open societies? What about proposing the alteration of one Filipino sacrosanct custom? I refer to parents extended care over children even unto their adult life. Family and parental love, is of allowing the children to remain in our custody, our homes, financially supporting them etc. even when they have a family of their own. Flip side, is of sons/daughters taking turn at financially subsidizing and babysitting ageing parents. Hypothetically, imagine, a distinguished assembly tackling initiatives to adopt American or foreign customs to revamp above model. Such advocacy, strengthened by reciting a litany of dis-advantages, critical of our relational beliefs (as creating dependency, encouraging immaturity etc.) and revising them with, so-called, tested systems where children at the age of 18 are told to leave their maternal homes, be independent, get a job, support himself, etc. A corollary practice, children kicking-out geriatric parents and gingerly delivering them to “homes for the aged”.
Academic discussions in the fora for change to revamp old realities in our accultured consciousness and habits, is always easier in words and on paper. What is evolutionary phenomenon, reduced to convenient argumentation by an appointed few? Their proposal asserts experiences of other nations for domestic adoption? Their advocacy fails to realize, what is unique culture, tradition, and history of other countries as opposed to ours. The clash is really all about experimentation of alien constructs vis-à-vis our exclusive experience and manifest constitution as a people. Their facile summation revamps our familiar and institutionalized practices. The dispute, to their minds, won and finally settled, since their recommendations work in foreign models, and hence, will also work for us? Theoretically?
