Is It True That The Family is a Dying Institution?

The family unit has undergone a revolution in the past century. Not too long ago, families sat down together for every meal without fail but today, our lifestyles have been realigned by a globalising world, where change is the only true constant. Where once, families lived together, now it is not unusual for members of the same family to live in different parts of the world.

In this essay, the definition of family I will refer to is the nuclear family. The nuclear family comprises of the father, mother and their children. The family is the basic unit of society. If families are battered, the entire social system would also suffer as well.

Families perform many functions. Firstly, they are a channel for transmission of moral, social, cultural and religious values. Parents teach their children the social norms of the society they live in. Traditions and cultural practices unique to the society are passed down from parent to child through the generations. Secondly, it provides protection, security and support for the weaker members of society. If the family did not exist, children would be exploited by the adult members of society. Finally, the family also helps the society to grow in size through procreation. Otherwise, the society would shrink as adults die off and are not replaced.

Therefore, let us now answer the pertaining question. Is it true that the family is a dying institution? I believe it is due to the following reasons below.

One reason is globalisation. Globalisation has led to ease in travelling from one country to another. As a result, many individuals have emigrated from their home country to elsewhere in search of better opportunities. This is devastating to the family unit. The migration of some has separated family members from one another. For example, in my college, there are international students who live in hostels, away from their parents. This definitely has an impact on the strength of their families.

Another reason is the increasing preference for singlehood. Due to increased costs of living, people are afraid to get married and have children as they are unsure whether they can bear the financial cost. Moreover, the immense amount of time and energy required to raise a child is not something that everyone is prepared to put in. This is clearly illustrated in the falling birth rate in Singapore in recent years. Surveys conducted by the relevant government agencies have shown that “cost” and “sacrifice” were the main reasons why individuals were unwilling to settle down. From this, we can see that this “increasing preference” has led to a negative impact on the family unit.