본 논문은 늙음의 현상들에 대한 일반적 견해들을 분석하고 현대 사회에서 일어나는 늙음과 관련된 다양한 사회적 문제들에 대한 철학적 원리를 검토하고 근본적인 해결 방안을 제시하려는 목표가 있다. 인간은 누구나 나이를 먹는다. 시간은 인간에게 죽음의 지형도와 같은 주름이라는 흔적을 남긴다. 늙음은 죽음과 아름다움의 이미지와 관련하여 부정적으로 생각되어왔다. 시간적으로 늙음은 죽음과 인접해 있을 뿐만 아니라 아름다움을 파괴한다. 그래서 인간은 늙음을 부정하고 젊음의 신화에 집착해 왔다. 현대 자본주의 사회는 젊음의 기호와 이미지들을 상품화하는 소비전략을 확산하여 늙음이 자연적 현상이 아니라 치유의 대상으로 가정한다. 그러나 늙음 자체는 질병이 아니며 늙음을 질병으로 생각하거나 늙음 자체를 부정하는 생각이 질병이다. 현대 사회가 늙음을 부정하면서 성형과 다이어트 등 과도한 육체 숭배주의가 발생하고 자아분열적인 정신 병리현상에도 불구하고 늙음의 현상을 보다 긍정적으로 수용할 수 있기 위해서는 첫째, 우리가 나이 들어간다는 사실을 명확하게 인식할 수 있는 ‘자기 자신에 대한 인식’이 필요하다. 둘째, 늙음의 현상을 인정하고 자기 자신의 정체성을 재확립하고 재설정할 필요가 있다. 셋째, 새로운 삶의 의미를 창출하여 보다 적극적이고 능동적인 방식으로 노년의 삶을 재구조화할 필요가 있다. 현재 한국 사회의 노인 문제를 단지 개인이나 가족에게 전담시킬 때 발생하는 억압과 소외는 보살핌의 사회화를 통해 해결 가능성을 찾을 수 있다. 그것은 특수한 복지 정책에 국한되지 않고 보편적 복지 정책을 나아갈 때 사회구성원들 간의 억압적 구조를 최소화할 수 있고 가능한 최상의 보살핌을 통해 삶의 질을 향상시킬 수 있을 것이다.
This treatise is aimed to analyze the views on phenomena of aging and contemporary problems of aging, and to argue the main principles of caring ethics and its socialization as a fundamental solution. Everyone is aging. Time left any wrinkles to human's face. It seems that many people has thought negatively about aging. Aging is in front of death, and associated with it. Moreover, it destroys gradually the beautiful things. So human has denied the aging and adhered the myth of beauty. At the present times, it has been expanded the consumption strategy selling symbols and images of the youth in the capitalistic society. They said that aging is not natural state but object of therapy. It is known as anti-aging argument. But aging is not a kind of diseases in itself. If you think so truly, or if you deny aging itself, then it is just a kind of diseases. We need to conceive aging positively as follows. First, it is necessary to conceive what we are aging as 'self-recognition'. Second, it is necessary to re-establish and re-create self identity. Third, it is necessary to reconstruct and reorganize the life of old age by creating a new meaning of life in more active manner. In korea society, the old's problems can be resolved through socialization of caring. If it is wholly responsible for an individual or a family, it occurs another social oppression and alienation. It has to restrict not to specific social welfare policies, but to go toward universal social welfare policies. If so, we can minimize oppressive social system and structure among members of the community and improve the quality of life by higher caring.
This treatise is aimed to analyze the views on phenomena of aging and contemporary problems of aging, and to argue the main principles of caring ethics and its socialization as a fundamental solution. Everyone is aging. Time left any wrinkles to human's face. It seems that many people has thought negatively about aging. Aging is in front of death, and associated with it. Moreover, it destroys gradually the beautiful things. So human has denied the aging and adhered the myth of beauty. At the present times, it has been expanded the consumption strategy selling symbols and images of the youth in the capitalistic society. They said that aging is not natural state but object of therapy. It is known as anti-aging argument. But aging is not a kind of diseases in itself. If you think so truly, or if you deny aging itself, then it is just a kind of diseases. We need to conceive aging positively as follows. First, it is necessary to conceive what we are aging as 'self-recognition'. Second, it is necessary to re-establish and re-create self identity. Third, it is necessary to reconstruct and reorganize the life of old age by creating a new meaning of life in more active manner. In korea society, the old's problems can be resolved through socialization of caring. If it is wholly responsible for an individual or a family, it occurs another social oppression and alienation. It has to restrict not to specific social welfare policies, but to go toward universal social welfare policies. If so, we can minimize oppressive social system and structure among members of the community and improve the quality of life by higher caring.
