Dear Editor,
I refer to The Independent Singapore’s featured news: “I’d rather spend $80 on my laobu (mother) instead of Labubu” — Singaporeans on “why people are obsessed” with “stupid trends” (Oct 27).
As everyone knows, filial piety is the spirit and virtue of Eastern people’s traditional culture. If everyone can inherit and perform the virtue of filial piety, it is worthy of praise.
However, everyone is also entitled to choose their preferred hobbies and desires (such as your soft toys, i.e., “Labubu” or pursue their dreams).
Hence, as long as you have your financial ability and time, you can buy whatever stuff or pursue your dream activities and hobbies as and when you want.
It might not be fair, and there is no equal basis for the apples-to-apples comparisons between fulfilling or executing your obligation of filial piety with your hobbies, interests or dreams.
Anyway, as long as someone knows how and when to fulfil his/her obligations of filial piety, he/she can also pursue, engage or enjoy whatever his/her goals, aspirations, desires and interests.
In short, these two factors should have no contradiction or conflict of interest between them.
Teo Kueh Liang
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
The views expressed above are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore
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