The question of the family now divides our society so deeply that the opposing sides cannot even agree on a definition of the institution they are arguing about.
Interpretation
The definition of family is a source of significant division in society, with opposing views complicating the discourse.
Christopher Lasch highlights the contentious nature of the family as a social institution, pointing out that differing beliefs about what constitutes a family lead to deep societal divides. This disagreement hampers constructive dialogue, as people struggle to find common ground in the face of such varying perspectives on family structures and values.
In practice
In a discussion about family values in a community meeting.
Much of what is euphemistically known as the middle class, merely because it dresses up to go to work, is now reduced to proletarian conditions of existence. Many white-collar jobs require no more skill and pay even less than blue-collar jobs, conferring little status or security.
The reporting of news has to be understood as propaganda for commodities, and events by images.
It is advertising and the logic of consumerism that governs the depiction of reality in the mass media.
Even the reporting of news has to be understood not as propaganda for any particular ideology, liberal or conservative, but as propaganda for commodities β for the replacement of things by commodities, use values by exchange values, and events by images.
It is the logic of consumerism that undermines the values of loyalty and permanence and promotes a different set of values that is destructive of family life.
Propaganda in the ordinary sense of the term plays a less important part in a consumer society, where people greet all official pronouncements with suspicion.
A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.
Goodnight, my darlings, I'll see you tomorrow.
Men live by forgetting and woman live on memories.
The bonds that unite us to another human being are sanctified when he or she adopts the same point of view as ourselves in judging one of our imperfections.
Trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ.
Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves." "You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least.
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