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Modernity is the outcome of a breaking process in human history that began in Europe during the 16th-17th and 18th Centuries but did not “end” in any way neither in its places of origin nor elsewhere. The numerous facets of modernity form a set consistent with the requirements for the reproduction of the capitalist mode of production. Nevertheless, this set would also make it possible to go beyond the latter system.
This question concerns modernity as a condition of disintegration or loss, and particularly the loss of a coherent cultural complex ? that is, an inter-human main of “structured sense”, to borrow a term from Nancy (1997: 8) ? which necessarily circumscribes the meaning of the human . Lately there has been a trend in the society of sending the old parent’s to the old folks home. Therefore, this paper intends to study how the modernity that has destroyed the sentiment which has caused many children sending their parent’s to old folks homes. The first question emerges.
This paper is going to discuss of how does the modernity destroy the sentiment while also discussing why children nowadays send their parent’s to the old folks home even though they can look after their parent’s themselves . Society nowadays tend to put aside the welfare of their own parent’s in favor of their own job. Humans are becoming more materialistic. This is indeed true because they often thought that their main source of satisfaction should come from their Job. (Shaw ; Lee, 2004). Being materialistic meaner people who is markedly more concerned with materials things than with spiritual, intellectual or cultural value.
People might become materialistic because they feel that having a lot of things as it may make them feel safe and prepared. Becoming more materialistic meaner their parent’s neglecting. Secondly, in the aspect of culture, much of the critique of conventional development has focused on the political and economic forces that foist modernization on unprepared cultures, while the psychological side is largely neglected. (Clark, J. , 2007). In fact, no one can deny the profound impact of glamorously Western images on the minds of young people who reject their own culture in favor of the ‘American Dream’.
Aroma and Barbie Dolls are making their way to the most remote corners of the world, with disastrous results. Millions of young people believe modern Western culture to be far superior to their own. This is not surprising looking as they do from the outside, all they can see is the material side of the modern world?the side in which Western culture excels. They are not ready to see the social or psychological dimensions?the stress, the loneliness, the fear of growing old. Nor can they see environmental decay, inflation, or unemployment despite knowing their own culture inside out, including all its limitations and imperfections.
This underlines the bad influences of western culture which is why it is becoming a tradition of a family in our society to send the parent’s to the old folks home. Next, in the aspect of religion, the society tends to put aside the importance of religion in their lives whereas it is the perfect medium in nurturing children that values more humanity. (Nazi Scales, 2009) . As a result, people nowadays do not realize that they are actually being ungrateful towards their parent’s who have looked after them when they were young .
In Islam, there are five basic values for humanity, which are advised to be protected every time. In order to build up harmony and universal peace, Islam also advises us to preserve the five basic values at the lowest bevel or the barest minimum for an acceptable level of living. These basic values therefore include the ability to perform moral responsibilities; protection of life, securing food, clothing and shelter, education, the right to earn a living, to set up a family, etc. It is to be understood that at this level, one has enough to live but not necessarily to be in some comfort.
Islam preaches to that a human being cannot live without these basic values. Individuals and states are advised to protect or at least to respect these basic values. Holy Quark also states that a blessed child is the one who ever forgets the sacrifice of his parent’s and the one who always pray for his parent’s. In this modern world children are supposed to take care of their parent’s and also that are responsible for their welfare (Chin ; Jones 1989; Gawk, It is undeniable that modernity is somehow beneficial but we also cannot 1992). En that it comes with a price and it is not cheap. Technology in modern day today could destroy family ties too. For example people nowadays prefer to sit in front of their television and computer instead of eating with their family during meal time. As a result, the bond between family members become weaker as there is lack of communication . Due to the latest form of communication, it could deter the closeness of children with their parent’s which was previously happened through direct meeting.
Nowadays, however, people tend to communicate through technology and avoiding personal meeting and it proves that technology is silently destroying the soul of humanity (Manor, 2011) . One negative effect of technology on family life is less face-to-face contact between family members. In most families, each family ember has their own computers or smart phones that are kept in their own rooms. Nowadays, the functions of computers and smart phones are not Just limited to internet surfing, and assignment tools.
They are also widely used for social networking services (SINS), such as; Faceable, Skips, and Twitter Just to name a few. In an era where there can be miles of physical separation between members of a family on any given day, technology has the effect of keeping them “together” in ways that were not possible even 15 years ago. As a result of the increasing time consumption of using the functions on computers, family members are now less immunization with each other and thus lose respect towards the elderly. They are becoming more independent and have careless attitude since they are busy with the modern world.
As a result, they tend to have less solidarity with the parent’s which resulting to low respect and compassion towards them. In a nutshell, according to what we have investigated, we believe that parent’s are precious people in our life because they have taken care of us since we were born in this world. The tradition of a family in a modern society life should be reconsidered. This is because the modernity has affected the society mentality as they are coming more materialistic and they tend to put aside the welfare of their own parent’s in favor of their own desire worldly matters.
Furthermore, the impact of western images also strengthen the fact of the ‘American Dream’ which has caused the youth to reject their own culture. Therefore, we truly believe that that the sentiments nowadays are decreasing gradually in effect of modernity.