In Western culture, children grow up, move away, and years later, a parent and child learn to respect each other as adults. In traditional Indian culture (joint family or not), children are always children, and parents' wishes are to always be followed. Any deviation from this rule of thumb inevitably leads to conflict, and I wonder if "children" submit to parents' wishes to A) avoid conflict and B) avoid feeling the plaguing guilt that will inevitably follow.
When are we ever free? During some of my deepest depressive episodes, I wonder if death (mine or my parents) would be the only source of freedom from this endless cycle of oppression I feel. Several of you reading this may perceive me to be a ungrateful fool. I cannot deny that my parents have afforded my every opportunity. But is our life then served as penance to those who gave us life? Shouldn't the core tenet of every parent be to ensure the happiness of their child? How is destroying the child's free will supposed to do that?
