Among the young people in cyberspace, we hear often the ranking of spoons. What parents pass down to their children in wealth or place in society is expressed by gold, silver, brass or earth spoons. A column in the Catholic Times expresses the view of a seminary professor in social science on a subject which he feels is important because of the influence on the young, which leaves them with little hope for the future.
He shows statistically how the reality of our situation is feeding this despondency of the young. The poor are finding it more difficulty to leave their poverty. Inherited wealth of the wealthiest one percent continues to rise and the dividends and interest from invested money: 90 percent of this is received by the richest 10 percent. Money is not the result of work. Position in society, in many cases, is not from effort and labor but what was handed down from parents.
In Korean the proverb: A dragon rises from a small stream-- rags to riches stories-- are relegated to the land of mythology. " Without education, or money with two hands alone they began." These words in song are no longer heard and in its place we hear 'Hell Joseon' a phrase which the young use to express the period of the Joseon dynasty where the feudal system determined who got ahead. Many feel they have inherited an earth spoon.
In the Church's Pastoral Constitution # 4: "Never has the human race enjoyed such an abundance of wealth, resources, and economic power. Yet, a huge proportion of the world's citizens is still tormented by hunger and poverty, while countless numbers suffer from total illiteracy. Never before today has man been so keenly aware of freedom, yet at the same time, new forms of social and psychological slavery make their appearance." Again in # 63: We are at a moment in history when the development of economic life could diminish social inequalities if that development were guided and coordinated in a reasonable and human way. Yet all too often it serves only to intensify the inequalities. In some places, it even results in a decline in the social status of the weak and in contempt for the poor."
Within this kind of society, the values of honesty, sincerity, labor, diligence the value of community, and moral life find it difficult to take hold. In the world of finances, the elite minorities are not only influencing their own financial world but all other parts of society. Their values are spread in politics and in other areas of life. Each person has one vote is changed to each Korean's ₩ (won) has one vote as in a cooperation, and this reality can permeate our social life.
Obviously when this happens, we have the death of democracy and with it, the devaluing of the dignity of the person and labor: consequently, the interest of the Church in justice and equity.
At the end of last year a 11 year old girl was reported to the police by a shop keeper who caught the girl stealing some bread but knew she was not an ordinary elementary school child. She had run away from her home climbing down the gas pipe from her second story apartment. She was abused and tied up and was missing from school for about two years. When the news hit the press the anger of the public could not be ignored.
A teacher in a Women's Research Center writes about the incident in the Peace Weekly and expresses her opinion on our need to prevent incidents of this type. Schools and organizations will be more pro-active and when a child is missing from school for any period of time steps will be taken to find the reasons and work to prevent abuse from happening.
Department of Health and Human Services reports over 80% of abuse is from the parents. In 2015 there were 16.8% more reports of abuse than the preceding year. From 5 years before there has been an increase of over 2 times. Since there is now an obligation to report abuse reporting has increased but those familiar with the situation say the numbers reported are just a small number of the actual cases.
In Korea only 29 % of the abuses are reported while in United States 58.3%, Australia 73.3% Japan 68% are reported. Would strengthening the penalties for abuse result in a drop in the numbers?
She lists some of the reasons for the mistreatment of children that she sees operative in society. Many of the families are poor, we have alcohol and game addiction, disease and handicapped individuals all combining to make the situation complicated. Those who abuse often have been abused as children and have little qualms of conscience for their actions. Pathological behavior is also picked up by children.
Consequently, it is easy for those who are abusers to blame those who raised them for their actions. So better than making the penalties more severe is to show them their actions are not proper and to make them understand in counseling of what their abuse is doing to the children and themselves.
She concludes her article with a need to change the way we are are building our society and the values we emphasize. Pope Francis is speaking strongly about the new liberalism that is spreading throughout the world. Korea is accepting this focus and we have competition without limit, and organizing of society with power. In this kind of environment we have citizens bowing to those with power or determining to have some of this power. With this kind of society those who suffer the most are the weak: children, women and the handicapped. When society forgets the moral values and actions, the weak will suffer and the desire to end abuse and mistreatment of the young will be only a distant dream.
