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Differences between families in the past and now
Family structures in previous generations
How have family dynamics changed over time
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What are family values? One hundred years ago I feel this would have been an easier question to answer than it is today. Changing family structures and social norms have created a more fluid form of what we envision as a family. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines a family as both “a group of persons with common ancestry” and as “a group of individuals living under one roof.” As we have discussed in class, a family is not simply nuclear anymore. In the stories we have read we have examined nuclear, single-parent, extended, and community-based families. All of which held the same feeling of importance and love for the people in it. With every family being unique, each holds their own set of beliefs or values which poses the question, what …show more content…
There was an article in The New York Times called “The Changing American Family” by Natalie Angier that illustrates this point. The writer discussed the way in which the typical family structure has morphed into the many versions that can be seen today. Through her research, Angier noted that “anthropologists have traditionally used the term ‘fictive kin’ to separate such relationships from ‘true’ kinship based on blood or law, but many researchers have recently pushed back against that distinction, arguing that self-constructed families are no less real or meaningful than conventional ones.” (23) Personally, I think that if someone acts like family, then they become my family. These “fictive kin” do not exist to me. The title of a family member must be …show more content…
In the last seven years, I have transitioned from a nuclear family to a single parent family to, now, a blended family with a stepfather and stepbrother. All of this while having a self-constructed extended family. In the article, Angier also examined a study that was published in 2010 that interviewed 110 people with ‘voluntary kin.’ The study “found that for some people, voluntary kinship filled a void left by death or estrangement from biological family, while for others the relationships were supplemental or temporary” (23). This also refers to the malleability a family can have. There are so many ways a family can lose members over time such as with death and estrangement, but this quote speaks to the ways ‘voluntary kin’ are included. Sometimes people are added to a family to fill a void lost from another person that has passed away or become estranged. Other times, people become family just from continually being around for one
In the essay “Supporting Family Values,” Linda Chavez makes a case for allowing illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. because they bring with them a stronger sense of family values than native-born residents do. In addition to Chavez’s arguments, it is important to note that they also bring with them a desire to work and support those families. While many immigration opponents would argue that immigrants are a drain on our public resources and have higher crime rates, the facts show that many illegal immigrants pay their fair share of taxes, many more would if given the opportunity, and the crime rates are lower.
Walking across a dessert to a place where you know your family is going to have a better life and better opportunities. You can just see it as you are getting closer to where your destination is but what is that destination well in Linda Chavez writing “Supporting Family Values” it is the United States of America. Chavez writing is not just about illegal immigrants in the U.S. but also the they family values are not what most people think.
The idea of “family” is almost entirely socially constructed. From grandparents, to friends, to wives and fiancés, the means by which we decide who is related to us and who is not is decided by the person and their milieu. In Mignon R. Moore’s “Independent Women: Equality in African-American Lesbian Relationships”, Eviatar Zerubavel’s Ancestors and Relatives: Genealogy, Identity and Community, and Franz Kafka’s The Judgement, this idea is tested. Who do we consider close enough to us to share our most intimate details and how do we choose them? Each piece offers a different view, which is the “right” way for each of the people described, whether broad (as in Zerbavel’s reading) or specific (as in Moore’s reading), but there are also many similarities in the ways family is defined and actualized.
Today 's generation have changed many ways since the beginning of the century. In “The American Family”, Stephanie Coontz discusses many situations that has occurred during the beginning of the 21st century and suggested solutions to solve those issues in the future. For instance, she argued that women are being treated unfairly, family are not discussing their problems openly, and institutions need to change to fit the families’ requirement. In “Complexity of Family Life among the Low-Income and Working Poor” Patricia Hyjer Dyk, argued that women still doesn’t have enough choices, low income families doesn’t have enough jobs, and Government are not helping many families. Dyk’s review of the scholarly research on low-income families support Coontz’ evaluations of the problems faced by 21st century families and the solutions Coontz recommends, like improving women 's lifestyle, discussing problems openly, improving institutions and changing institutions so it can to fit to fulfil families need. .
It’s not easy to build an ideal family. In the article “The American Family” by Stephanie Coontz, she argued that during this century families succeed more when they discuss problems openly, and when social institutions are flexible in meeting families’ needs. When women have more choices to make their own decisions. She also argued that to have an ideal family women can expect a lot from men especially when it comes to his involvement in the house. Raymond Carver, the author of “Where He Was: Memories of My Father”, argued how his upbringing and lack of social institutions prevented him from building an ideal family. He showed the readers that his mother hide all the problems instead of solving them. She also didn’t have any choice but to stay with his drunk father, who was barely involved in the house. Carvers’ memoir is relevant to Coontz argument about what is needed to have an ideal family.
Richard Rodriguez was an established author of the 1980’s and 90’s. In his article titled Family Values (1992) he questioned the integrity and overall opinion of the American family system. Family Values uses the contexts of social and political ideologies to achieve its goals. His overall message with this argument is the competing types of family values and their application in real world settings. In this expository article, Rodriguez relies on his ability to weave pathos and ethos into a well-written argument that captivates his audience and encourages them to question the average American family system.
Barbara Katz Rothman, professor of sociology, once said "Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength." This illustrates clearly the symbol of the mothers in this society. This symbol could also shape people’s thinking about mothers. I totally agree with her assessment. For instance, I believe that everyone is using his or her own symbols during social interaction, such as languages, gestures and other sign language. In another way, this is called symbolic interactionism.
As century pass by generation also pass their traditional values to the next generation. some people still think the way their ancestors thought and believe in what they believed in. During the beginning of 1890 people couldn’t have premarital sex, women had to be the caretaker while men was the breadwinner. during this century those perspective have changed argued Stephanie Coontz the author of “The American Family”. Coontz believe women should have more freedom and there should be gender equality. Robert Kuttner, the author of “The Politics of Family” also believe that women should not be only the caretaker but whatever they want as a career. Robert Kuttner 's text does support Stephanie Coontz’ arguments about the issues related to traditional
What's important to note is that family, or even the concept of family itself, doesn't appear in any of those ideals. Holmes and Holmes (2002) observed that “The family reunions of yesterday are now rare, and when they occur they are often a source of stress.” (p. 19) That quote solidifies one reason why family interaction today is: “It’s just too stressful, so we avoid it. Where does marriage fit into our culture of individuals?
Jeannette Walls reluctantly wrote Glass Castle in an attempt to show that even those with very different backgrounds and cultures really aren't all that different after all. Walls wrote of ridiculous situations and her experiences while growing up with a family that lacked the regular structural culture of other families, which included qualities such as morality, integrity, and a basic knowledge and feeling of obligation to follow the law of the land. Her parents both held values that were unique to each one of them as they lived their lives strongly expressing, through actions and words, that the normal values of other people simply weren’t right. Jeanette’s parents, though unconventional, were just as loving, if not more loving towards their kids as other parents. I think the reason the family was so strange, was simply because of the parents’ values that they taught their kids. The values your parents raise you with can greatly affect your future, and who you become as a person; this is what I can relate to. I’ve become conscious of how the values I grew up on evolved into more of a belief system, if not a stubborn pride-driven ability to deny handouts or help from people. Add this characteristic of mine to the fact that my parents wouldn’t allow me to drive until I turned eighteen, the fact that I lived on an isolated
Typically when we think of families, the traditional nuclear and extended family who are biologically related may come to mind. However, a family can be made up of anyone a person considers to be their family. A family shares emotional bonds, common values, goals and responsibilities. Family members contribute significantly to the wellbeing of each other. Confident children tend to come from strong, united families. Good communication within a family encourages feelings of self-worth and helps children maintain good relationships with others. A closeness with extended family members like aunts, uncles, cousins, and family or childhood friends helps give the child a sense of security and a source of love and acceptance. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
The family is a very complex community. The family is analogical. We can say the “family is like this” or that “it’s very similar to that” but the family is different from anything else. The family is a linguistic community. Language is a must in the family. We are all born not with a specific language programmed into us but the capability and capacity to learn (this is on the assumption that the person doesn’t have any mental disabilities). The family is natural and ontological. Everyone has a mother and a father, regardless of whether they are alive, dead, abandoned etc. This is something that no will or choice can change and is a natural limit of our freedom since we cannot choose our parents. This is interesting to think about because it is 100% true. No matter how much we want to change it, our biological parents cannot be
According to Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” In essence, this book is more focused on how God expects us, as individuals to follow in is foot step and adapt his attributes. The book ‘Principles and values for a successful family” written by Ellen G. White, it highlights certain principles, morals and values that aids in upholding a stable marriage and family. It is use as a means of helping individuals prevent marital and family conflicts throughout their life in case they arise. It portrays certain variables that each family member of a sub-system within a family should understand and respect aspects of an individual and understand that each individual is unique, they serves a purpose and their wishes should be respected. In different aspects of the book it highlights what it takes in being a successful family and how it can impact them. It demonstrates the foundation of progress, the leader influence the family and the family on a whole influence the society. So what we do and partake in as a family that will be the outcome of society whether it be negative
Out of the numerous commodities and resources that are scarce on the planet in which we inhabit a family, or even a family system, can never be parallel to even an iota of them. This is due to the fact that everyone, no matter what age at what time period of their life, has a family. That family may not be the cookie cutter family that society imposes on the media world. People develop without knowing their family, people create new families of their own, or they can even find something or someone to call family because of this family will never be scarce. Family is an objective concept to every single person and the definition varies significantly from being as simple as the smallest of toys to as complex as a group of people interconnected
Different cultures have different means of expressing family trees and kinship. Bilateral, matrilineal, and patrilineal kinship are three examples of this, though not all cultures are exclusive and take aspects from each. The manner of expressing one’s kinship has great effect on family members’ roles, relations, and interactions within the family as well as in society.