Is the next generation getting more selfish...

I was having lunch with a friend yesterday.

During the conversation, he raised a point that "our kids are much more selfish in nature, maybe due to the lack of traditional eastern moral standards."

I asked: "How is that so?"

He gave an example: his kids would help around with house chores while they were children, because they would listen to the parents. As they turned into adulthood, they did not help around at all, since it was the parent's house. However, when they moved into her own house, they kept the place neat and tidy.

I always believe that Communism will not work as human beings are selfish in general, we can only take care of things that are ours first, then extend to our family's, friends', society's, country's and planet's. Perhaps the problem lies in the limited ability and resources one can mobilize.

So in Buddhism, as well as Confucianism, we are very pragmatic: we purify our mind and body first, then improve our nature, bond our family, stabilize our society and unify our nation.

We need energy (resources) to perform. With limited energy or resources, it will not carry us far. In order to achieve great work, or only to be unselfish, we need to have merits, or wholesome roots, or Pruna, or Life Force, or Life energy; whatever name you like to call it.

Let's work on how to culminate Life Force before we start to dream big...

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