A Broken World

Wouldn’t it feel just sad if you were a father and your children were starving because you couldn’t get a job? Well, this was reality for one out of four people during the Great Depression. It all began because of the big gap between the rich and the poor. Since the low class didn’t have enough money, they couldn’t buy many products in the market. Due to this, there were many products left in the stores, and the factories in turn, reduced production and fired workers. Now, there were less people who would buy goods because they’ve lost their jobs and had no money.

Along with this tragedy, there were many middle-income people who bought stocks trying to earn more money. They didn’t have much money, so they borrowed from the stockbrokers. This meant that if the stocks fell, they had no money to repay. This happened in 1929. The stocks that were gradually growing were gradually dropping! Many people were in debt, and unemployment was skyrocketing. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.

Like the word depression, you could say that everybody was actually very depressed. Many people starved. In order to prevent it, people would go to charities and get food. Dads would go home empty handed or, if they’re lucky, with bread in his hand. Children would be starving at homes, and whenever Dad comes home with some food, he would give it away to the kids or his wife. Even though he doesn’t eat anything, it would be more painful of the fact that he couldn’t give them food. However, most of the time, all the family would’ve gone outside to earn money or food. There was this picture I saw of that time of a child. The child was holding a plank card asking for his dad a job. Sadly, I don’t think he would’ve had much chance in getting a job because there were millions of people doing the same thing. I just felt like buying the child a huge truck of bread. Things were pretty much getting worse until 1933.

Thank goodness, it was only a few years for them. Roosevelt began a reform called the New Deal. The government was actually spending money for their people to make jobs and help by welfare programs. Recovery was slow. But now, there was more opportunity of getting jobs. The unemployment rate was now dropping, and there were fewer dads with terrible stress.

Until now, there was one thing that was still the same. That was the worry of our fathers. They still work with all their might trying to make their children live in a happier environment. Since some of them (Koreans, this case) had gone through the hardships of the past, they wanted to give their children the best they could. The environment has changed. Similarly, in Korea, people went through the hardships just like the people during Great Depression. The effects of the Korean War were still upon the Koreans. The second generation worked their best also following the first generation of that time. Now, there was more peace and comfort in this next generation. However, not much kids theses days know their dads’ feeling towards them.

A few days ago, it was Parent’s Day in Korea. I wonder how many people showed their love towards their parents that day. My dad is a busy man that he barely gets to talk with me. I thought he liked his job so much it made him come home late. I was wrong. I found out that he had a tense stress in his mind that he should earn money for us. He was thinking he had to earn money to let us do anything we wanted to.

Both of the fathers of the Depression and now have stress inside their minds. It’s not that since it’s more peaceful, his stress had lessened. However, our attitudes have changed. We think our fathers are doing fine. We think less of them making them feel sad. Maybe the Great Depression would never come again and something that terrible wouldn’t happen. But we should never forget how hard it could be for our fathers and moms. The Great Depression would be something that would make us think more of our parents’ love towards us.

- Father (Psy)

YO~ He lived only looking forward

in no time, his children don’ even listen
whole life, spends all for their bread
looks at their picture says at least one more penny
drink the cries, risk the lives, doesn’ matter even though I’m tired
what if I break down
dad’s a super man don’ worry kids
can’t show the speck when things weigh down
can’t escape when things push up
afraid, the world, I wanna escape
damn still I bear it everyday
without knowing nothing they roll over me
I live ‘cause of their play
tired still I go, darling, kids, dad’s goin’ to work

dad I finally know now
how could’ve you lived a life like that
no more don’t be lonely
now let’s go together

in no time, my kids became all students
dad hopes for only one thing
honest healthy kind kids, rightful kids
they’ll be better than others
other than school, hagwon, tutor, in competition with other dads
to win I’ll do anything
therefore have to earn lot, do well to dad
my kids make friends and talk to them
see, hear, other dads that do more and compare
buy better stuff, I get compared
more bad behavior, my kids
nag me, my wife, I become lonely
darling, kids (kids), dad’s goin’ to work

dad I finally know now
how could’ve you lived a life like that
no more don’t be lonely
now let’s go together

darling, in no time, time flies away
first to society, second to college
now want to be with my family
but it’s hard ‘cause I’m a father
life ends like this and tears droppin’
my kids look busy, Ah!
lets just take a walk honey
would you go with me

dad I finally know now
how could’ve you lived a life like that
no more don’t be lonely
now let’s go together oh~ oh~~
I want to follow you

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 14th, 2007 at 6:56 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.