The aim of his philosophy can be found in his devotion to reverence. Reverence to him meant the practice of mutual respect and love, and the practical meaning of reverence is the ideal of children respecting parents and parents in turn being benevolent toward them. Reciprocity between parents and children springs neither from a contractual agreement nor from a quid pro quo exchange, but is rather a natural concomitant of birth and thus an inescapably incurred moral obligation. This conception of reciprocity is important. The concept of filial piety thus addresses a vital issue today.
Old people are vulnerable to the vicissitudes of moral consciousness.
In civilized societies, however, they must be ensconced in the moral domain. We must not abandon the very old because they no longer efficiently contribute to society. Kyu-taik Sung is a visiting professor in the School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, and has served as president of the Korean Gerontological Society and the Korean Academy of Social Welfare.