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Anonymous[font=Times, "Times New Roman", serif]I agree with thatch, that the information in the lecture was a little disheartening. The articles that we read made me feel even worse! One article spoke of a Taiwanese mother who was duped out of her life savings and then she didn't hear from her daughter or son-in-law again. They disappeared from her life and didn't bother to pay back the money. [/font]
[font=Times, "Times New Roman", serif]Fewer children are being born, the adult children don't care for their parents, and then who's left to care for these seniors? Some are forced out of homes, and into facilities where they take care of each other. I guess the up side is that they aren't alone in their last years...but still. Do students today consider staying around to care for their aging parents? What would happen if there were a reverse in thinking and the idea of filial piety were reintroduced? I wonder if students will be able to see that as we pursue wealth and comfort, we lose compassion...also a topic for discussion and action.[/font]
AnonymousMillions of China’s children are growing up without parents. Many parents have left the countryside to find work in the factories in the big cities leaving a generation of young children behind. Although the discussion during this session centered around Filial Piety, China has a huge social problem that wasn’t touched on. 61 million children have been left to their own devices for survival as well – or with their grandparents – in the rural communities as their parents relocate to the big cities. This huge problem is caused by a Chinese residency program that will not allow parents to take their children to the cities with them. This is because public services like schools and hospitals can only be accessed where you are a registered. Relocation means you have to pay fee assessed to be registered as a resident in a new location and most factory workers do not earn enough to afford the fees. This leaves millions of children suffering from depression, abandonment issues and anxiety. The imploding families of parents who leave their children and never return are creating an entire generation of damaged children. With social services without an infrastructure in China, and without reforming the residency permit system the Chinese government has to acknowledge a huge social problem.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2016/11/china-left-generation-161130065311382.html
AnonymousI believe that the emphasis on the family or the group above is essential in understanding China both culturally and politically. Many of our students that have grown up in a Western democracy don't understand the concept of placing the needs of a group before personal liberties. During the election I engaged the students in many lesson about the importance of voting and civic responsibility. Later we discussed how China chooses its leader and they were shocked that the people of China would accept a system that does not value the concept of popular soveverignty.
AnonymousSession 2
Elder Care
I am fascinated with Japan’s population crisis because it is something that as Americans, we do not worry about. Growing up, there was always talk of population growth and concerns about the issues that come with supporting a large number of people, but different from Japan’s current problems. Reading about the Government and their plan to increase the birthrate, “Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered his new minister for demographic issues to come up with “bold proposals” for raising Japan’s birthrate. His aim: Stem a slide in the labor force to drive production and fund the retirement of the country’s elderly”, I am shocked that the government has this much control when it comes to their citizens. I am equally impressed that Japan has made this an issue worth trying to fix.
In the United States, we do have issues and problems with taking care of our elderly. Either we have experienced it first hand or have read about sub-par nursing homes, high costs for doctor’s care and medication, and affordable housing. I do think that Japan is being proactive in making sure that a very important part of their population is going to be taken care of in the final seasons of their lives. Currently, families are having to take time off to care for their relatives and the wait lists for housing and care is ridiculous. It is also noted that Japan has one of the world’s longest life expectancy which makes this problem crucial and in need of rectifying. It will be interesting for me to continue to follow this story and see what Japan decides to do and if the Japanese people will be on board with the country’s plan.
AnonymousSession 3
Recycling
I think it is fair to say that China has not always been socially conscience of their waste and how to deal with it. In saying that, it has taken a lot of countries some time before getting on board with trying to keep our world a safe and healthy place to live. With China’s population, their responsibility seems to be greater than others and I am glad to see that they have begun recycling campaigns to help with this problem. DA.AI Technology was founded in 2008 and is helping China to make changes in how they dispose of and handle their trash. It was founded by five entrepreneurs who are followers of Dharma Master Cheng Yen and are members of TIAA (Tzu Chi International Humanitarian Aid Association). Their mission is to coexist with the earth, achieve environmental sustainability, and be role models in the textile industry. Some of the things that this organization are doing are; sorting and recycling bottle, recycling clothing and blankets used in relief work, creating eco-friendly clothing and products, in addition to many other benefits. The part I love about this organization is that they are doing this to show love to their fellow man and the results have been amazing. The social impact that impressed me the most was at the micro/smallest level. Lives have been changed including; people living green lifestyles, becoming vegetarians, decreased levels of depression, and sobriety for the volunteers who were living with addiction.
AnonymousJapan has the greatest percentage of old people causing the government to raise the retirement age as well as taxes. The elderly comprised of 23% in 2010 and grew to 38% by 2015. The current government spends ¼ of its budget on pensions and social security for the elderly. With the working-age population disappearing fast, the number of taxpayers which supports the pensions and social security is declining as well. In China, more and more senior citizens are struggling to survive. In Hong Kong, 1/3 of elderly people live in poverty. Working on the streets as trash collectors for recycling facilities, the elderly are passed by unnoticed as younger adults rush to and from their jobs. The biggest obstacle to addressing the aging crisis is in challenging the socio-political mindset of both the government and its citizens.
http://www.cnbc.com/2013/11/14/asias-aging-population.html
edited by rcharles on 1/21/2017
AnonymousMixed raced Japanese have a hard time. Arian Miyamoto became the first Miss Japan. Japanese does not embrace diversity and assimilation is reinforced by homogeneity. Not being Japanese will cause one to stand out and being subject of ridicule. By being a black hafu (a Japanese term for mixed race) Miyamoto is challenging the perception that lighter skin is better. Navigating the politics of identity in Japan, its really not a part of the conversation for the average Japanese person. The reason being is that there is no reason to think about race if you are born and raised and stay in the homogenous environment in which there is little-to-no exposure. 98% of the population is homogenously native Japanese. The irony is that with its aging population Japan – as well as other Asian cultures – may have to seriously consider opening its doors to immigrants to revitalize is dwindling workforce. In Hafu: The Mixed-Race Experience in Japan, director Megumi Nishikura examines the ups and downs faced by some of those grappling with dual identity in the country. https://www.amazon.com/Hafu-Mixed-Race-Experience-David-Yano/dp/B01GPJV0PI
AnonymousThe shrinking population is an issue in many industrialized countries such as Germany, Russia and Italy. These tend to be educated societies that have low levels of immigration. Although the U.S. has a relatively low birth rate our consistent and significant levels of immigration allowed this country to not feel the negative effects of a shrinking population. Japan, however, has for centuries been an insulated country with low levels of immigration borne out of desire for a culture homogenous country.
clay dubeAt the start of the session, we'll go over the two reading sets we didn't finish on Monday, 10/3. If you haven't done so, please download them, print them out, and bring them to class.
They are the set on the Cultural Revolution and the set on S.Korean Pres. Park. Please come with your favorite passages marked and any questions you might have. How could you raise these issues with students?
We talked in class about the Yasukuni Shrine. Please feel free to raise questions about that set of materials as well.
edited by Clay Dube on 10/14/2016