China's elderly "orphans" - 08 Jun 08

They are now being called the elderly orphans - senior citizens who lost entire families in the earthquake that hit southwest China last month.

Most relied on their sons, daughter or grandchildren to look after them.

And now many do not have a home to return to.

Al Jazeera's David Hawkins reports.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• AlJazeera
• Al
• Jazeera
• China
• Earthquake
• Elderly

[AlotaMaple]

the love died along time ago...

[akanez01]

What happened to their son & daughter? what's happening to this world?...

where's the LOVE...

[anotherOnefortheOne]

strong family bonds there....

[teemuruskeepaa]

No, everything is political. It is not measured in the news value, how significant it is in making every ordinary citizen to think that the state helps people and it's hierarchic structure is needed in place by you, to make you feel safe for yourself and for everyone else the state manages to reach even outside it's borders. You are the product of television - you believe you need what you see on TV. And you have never any way of telling what you want to see 24 h a day. This is not even new.

[dshawk128]

Boy, you're way over thinking this. It's just a story about old people who were affected by the earthquake. No hidden agenda. Honest.

[teemuruskeepaa]

I don't think so. The elders walk in the film in the context of the mythical hero of the nation state, who will, according to your innocent news organization, organize and execute aid. That's not the true picture of any individual Chinese nor the purpose of the news organization. Mass media is not an innocent and noble institution, like you believe, trying to let you know everything, but a bureaucratic one purpose machine which maintains status quo according to what it is fed in values of elite

[dshawk128]

I didn't flame you. And if I didn't take you seriously, I wouldn't have responded.

Regards,

David Hawkins

[teemuruskeepaa]

This discussion has become one where you all try to flame me. Next I should make a video response where I repeat all I've written here. You feel that written text on the internet is not to be taken seriously. That's the role of anonymity which I'm trying to destroy.

[dshawk128]

The only sources in this story are the elderly people themselves. Do you think they're biased?

Stories are repeated on 24-hour news networks because, well, 24 hours is a lot of time to fill and if a story only ran once, most viewers would't get to see it.

[dshawk128]

What "agenda" do you think I'm pushing? It's just a story about elderly people who are more-or-less alone because of the earthquake. A lot of attention has been paid to the children made orphans. I thought a story about "elderly orphans," would be interesting, especially because of the traditional reverence of the elderly in China and their reliance on family.