This morning I came across an interesting article. In particular, what interests me the most about it is reading how filial piety is beginning to manifest differently in this rapidly changing world.
Here is the abstract:
“This article examines the transformation of Thai families within the context of globalization, highlighting structural, economic, cultural, technological, and intergenerational dimensions of change. Traditionally rooted in Buddhism, kinship solidarity, and agrarian lifestyles, Thai families once revolved around extended households and hierarchical roles. However, modernization processes such as urbanization, industrialization, and education reform began reshaping family patterns before the intensification of globalization. Global forces have since accelerated these changes, producing smaller nuclear households, single-parent and blended families, and transnational caregiving arrangements driven by labor migration. Economic pressures and consumer culture have further altered aspirations and domestic roles, while cultural influences from global media and discourses of gender equality have redefined gender relations and challenged patriarchal authority. Technological innovations, particularly social media, have reshaped family communication but also created generational divides. These dynamics produce tensions between traditional filial piety and modern ideals of independence, yet families adapt through hybridization, blending traditional values with global influences. The Thai case contributes to broader debates on family change in Asia by illustrating how local traditions mediate global cultural flows. The article concludes that Thai families remain resilient, not in decline, but continually negotiating continuity and change in an interconnected world.”
“The Transformation of Thai Families in the Context of Globalization” by Phramaha Phanuvich Panuwityo
https://so14.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/AJHSI/issue/view/178/386 (page 47)
View of Vol. 2 No. 3 (2025): July - September 2025
Reading it led me to search a little bit more about how filial piety is being approached in modern societies , which led me to find the following piece. Here is an excerpt:
Ageing in Asia
Ageing in Eastern and South-eastern regions was traditionally
viewed in honorific terms, where older people gained status and
respect as they aged. However, research has shown that older women
in Eastern and South-eastern cultures are affected by modernization.
It should be noted here that although there are several factors which
have led to the transformation of Asian societies, since this paper is
exploring the arguments laid out by the modernization theory, the
following examples are cases of older people who have been influenced
by the specific changes brought about by modernization as argued in
the theory.Women in India say that, in the past, they were respected by their
grandchildren but, nowadays, exposure to modernity and formal
education have caused young Indians to view their grandparents as
old fashioned (Goodman and Harper, 2008). According to Pedro de
Magalhaes (2011), studies in China show that 58 percent of disabled
older people in Hong Kong claim not to have anyone to share their
problems with. Similar findings have been found in Guangzhou where
the clients of the Home-Based Elderly Service Programme have said
that although in urgent situations they can seek assistance from their
children (usually the eldest son), they do not receive routine attention
or care because their children do not live with or even near them.
They usually only get to see their children in cases when the older
individuals are hospitalised due to prolonged injury. The main issue
these older people are faced with is loneliness. Modern technology has
made it so that people are now living longer than ever but many are
living with chronic disease or permanent illnesses, which means that
they are highly dependent on others. Family members in China are
forced into the tough decision of whether to send their aged parents
to homes for the elderly or to take care of them themselves, which can
lead to much stress.In Malaysia, the majority of older people are taken care of by their
family members but this trend is changing due to demographic and
social changes resulting from modernization, rapid development,
urbanisation and rural-urban migration (Goodman and Harper,
2008). It is argued that the belief in filial piety in modern industrial
society is weakening and that this change in values will have a signifi-
cant impact on the care of the elderly and welfare in Malaysia. One
case study has shown that a 33-year-old woman has constant conflict
with her ageing mother regarding how to bring up her children. She
prefers to be more strict and teach her children important values at an
early age while her mother wants to talk to the naughty grandchildren
in a loving way or spoil them (Asia Pacific Centre 2000).
As Japan immerses itself in modernity the lives of the older generation become greatly influenced by the youth-oriented ideology that is
common to modern nations. One major consequence is a decline in
the value and status of older people in Japan as well as a weakening of
the oriental filial piety obligation. This is because religious traditions in
modern societies are not so effective and beneficial towards the aged.This results from a particular set of values, a particular level of technological development and a particular form of social organisation that
is future-oriented (Holmes and Holmes 1995). As Japanese women
age they must rely on their daughters and daughters-in-law to support
them and care for their wellbeing. This request is viewed by many as
appropriate and fair because all they are asking for is to receive what
they have given, the “generalised human care involving body management and emotional support” (Lebra 1979, 338). However, in Japan,
filiocentric dependency from parents, which has long been the norm,
is being threatened by modernization, which influences patterns of
intergenerational support (Holmes and Holmes 1995).
Modernization has brought about educational opportunities that
have reversed the traditional cultural ideology by teaching Japanese
youth the value of individual choice, leaving filial piety to the affective
bond of kinship. Furthermore, the modern system of education that
was introduced at the turn of the century strengthened the sense of age
stratification and increased ageist attitudes (Wada 1995). Perhaps it is
for these reasons that in 1973 Japanese women aged seventy-five and
over had the highest suicide rate in the world (Lebra 1979). Therefore,
a nation that was once seen as a utopia for the old is witnessing more
and more elderly people being abandoned and living alone.Conclusion
The dissatisfaction that older people have regarding their aging
selves is worsened by ageist attitudes that exist in modern societies.
The majority of people are afraid of old age and death and for this
reason they display ageist attitudes. Placing older people in a different
category is an attempt to avoid the inescapable fact that they, too, will
one day age and die. Modernization is identified as one of the sources
of ageism. Modernity brings about ageist attitudes for various different
reasons…"From “Ageing and Modernization Theory” by Marie-HeleneThomas
http://hub.ias.chula.ac.th/en/publication/asian-review-2018-vol-32-no-3-changing-asia/
Asian Review 2018 vol. 32 No. 3 Changing Asia – Institute of Asian Studies
And from the abstract of what looks to be another interesting piece which I haven’t read yet:
"Findings indicate that filial piety remains the central cultural value shaping elderly care in both countries, with families acting as the primary caregivers and communities providing supplementary support through social networks. However, notable differences emerged. In Thailand, rapid socio-economic change and technological advancement have led to more diverse caregiving practices, including indirect care and increased reliance on digital communication. In contrast, Lao PDR continues to emphasize close, co-residential family care rooted in traditional practices."
-“DYNAMICS AND THE PROMOTION OF ELDERLY CARE IN THAILAND AND LAO PDR”
by authors Warinee Sopajorn of Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus, Akchatree Suksen of Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus, Artit Phanphoon Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus, Sisoury Phommaseng Souphanouvong University, and Sommay Silivanh of Souphanouvong Universityhttps://so02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jpsmbu/article/view/286133
I would be interested to hear opinions about this, and also about more examples of how it is changing on the ground. It would also be interesting to explore some of the comments by the first author concerning possible Buddhist influence on filial piety as I always thought this was more of a cornerstone of Confucian ethics.
It is not something I remember my teacher Ajahn Sujin ever mentioning while I was in Thailand, and if she did she would probably just frame it in terms of impersonal elements.
Renaldo 