Yesterday I was reading one of those social studies, put out by a liberal think tank who get their financial support from government grants. The study said that the problem with American society today is that we suffer from "familism"
Well, I have a pretty good vocabulary, but I have to confess I had to look that word up. The dictionary said "familism" is the societal practice of valuing the family unit higher than that of the larger community.
The study argued for greater government effort to encourage a"it takes a village" among the American populace. The "Think-Tankers" said that, in order for society to advance, the American nuclear family needs become more "open"...and allow the more learned among society to guide the lives of our children.
The study said that those who are inflicted with the dreaded disease of "familism" are Hispanic families and poor under-educated Whites who won't "get with the program".
"Wow!", I thought...isn't that exactly what we've been doing for half a century now? With half of America collecting some kind of government check (and being forced to comply with government mandates to get that check), aren't we already surrendering the nuclear family to our government masters? Hillary Clinton actually coined the term "it takes a village to raise a child" more than 20 years ago! And, in this past half century, American parenting has, either willfully or not, been surrendered to governmental institutions. Educational standards are now dictated by our government masters in Washington...with any local choices left available surrendered to our state and local administrators. And since spanking a child has pretty much been outlawed in most of the country, we have to resort to calling the police when our children get out of line. Even the concept of "patriarch" and "matriarch" are obsolete terms as the real family "breadwinner" is a government bureaucrat in Health and Human Services, or the Agriculture Department weenies who issue food stamps.
Mom and Dad now so unneeded. Both the federal and state government will feed and medicate and educate your child..from pre-school through college...as long as you embrace the liberal dictates that our masters demand.
So how could we possibly need less "familism"..that dreaded disease that puts family above all others and all else?. And how could the "it takes a village" folks possibly intrude in our lives any more than they already are? Well, I guess they could begin to define our religion for us too....the government has certainly made inroads as they can now punish Christians if they refuse to bow down to the "designer society" that our government masters advocate for.
As for me, personally, I'm glad that I was brought up in an era where we suffered from "familism". My single mom raised us without the assistance of government, and though she'd be imprisoned these days for those switches to our backsides, we turned out okay. And, long before utility bills were subsidized by the working class, long before welfare was in popular vogue, long before medical care became a "right", and long before work became an "option" and not a lifestyle choice, somehow we managed.
When I grew up we honored our "matriarchs" and "patriarchs"...our mothers and fathers. We didn't beat them to death with a frying pan cause they withheld cell phone privileges. We didn't call the cops on them as soon as a hickory switch came out. And, somehow, without those "village people" we lived, worked, studied and played in a happy and safe environment! And, for some odd reason, my generation scored higher on school achievement tests...scores that haven't been seen again since our government masters began supervising mandating education requirements. And our work force was larger and more productive before the era of massive government assistance. Even poverty rates are higher now than when we had so little government assistance!
And, as much as we honored and showed respect for our parents, we showed even greater respect for our grandparents. Back then they lived with us, reminded us of family heritage, reassured us that "family" is something long-lasting and meant to be treasured. Now those familial icons are shuffled off to old folks homes, or senior care homes...suffering mightily from the affliction of "familism".
Sad. Damned Sad.
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