Filial pietism: The Social changes through Postmodernism

Abstract

This research consists purposes were 1. to analyze the transformation of gratitude values in relation to religious beliefs and human relationships 2. to examine the processes of interpretation, meaning-making and adaptation of gratitude ideology and 3. to explore the persistence and transmission of gratitude ideology in contemporary society. This study employed a qualitative research design. The research instrument was a semi-structured interview and the target group consisted of 21 participants All participants were selected through purposive sampling and divided into two groups. The first group consists of 16 participants in the status of “children” and the second group consists of 10 participants in the status of “parents”. Data collected from documentary sources and interviews were analyzed through Content Analysis under the postmodern theoretical framework, particularly Michel Foucault’s concept of power discourse and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The findings revealed that 1) the value of gratitude in the dimensions of religious belief and  human relationships has shifted from traditional moral frameworks and hierarchical power structures toward new forms of relationships that place greater emphasis on rationality and voluntariness 2) the processes of interpretation and meaning-making concerning gratitude are no longer rigidly bound to traditional Thai customs, but have instead adapted in accordance with social, economic, and cultural conditions in the postmodern era and 3) the persistence and transmission of gratitude in postmodern society increasingly emphasize mutual understanding, communication and the recognition of individual values. The study revealed the four characteristics of the ideology of gratitude (1) gratitude as duty (2) gratitude as virtue (3) gratitude as a condition for prosperity and (4) gratitude as happiness. These characteristics reflect the dynamic transformation of urban social conditions in the postmodern era.