As a result of Y2K, people may be forced to help one another and pull together more, and to a greater extent if there is a moderate or severe Y2K impact. This is especially true for families, don't you think?

What does this potentially mean to "the family unit"? Will it have a resurgence? Will what was lost or abrogated be found again  and possibly treasured? Does a moderate or severe Y2K impact argue for a possible reversal of the family unit's ongoing decline? What do you see as some possiblilities for how Y2K may affect the family unit from a cultural perspective?

I would like to thank Flora for bringing this subject up on another thread. I hope it will lead to some good discussion.

Thoughts Welcome.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@com.net), September 15, 1999

Answers

Rob, like you I am part of an extended family in a beyond average way for our society, so my views are undoubtably shaded by that. I think that the nuclear family has not been a very successful form of family, but that extended family has been shown to be very successful in a variety of societies. If Y2K is 8+, I do believe that extended family will have a resurgence. Many people, even if not fond of their families, will seek help from family rather than friends.

OTOH, perhaps people will choose to stand together in groups with others who share their beliefs and values. The question then becomes, will those beliefs and values hold in very difficult times. An advantage of family ties is that they don't change when times change.

To give a better answer, I've got to do some more reading. I may have to dig this thread out of the archives in another month or so :-)

-- T the C (tricia_canuck@hotmail.com), September 16, 1999.

Rob, waylaying flora weighing in again,

As is my custom, I'm still thinking about your question, BUT I'm posting on another riff...

Was anyone else struck by the forum on a bit of a firepower drunk last night? Here we have a question about family structure that comes close to home, hopefully {probably?} a situation we're going to be much more likely to face than choosing a 'target' area on another human being. By this morning, there's one response.

--"Happiness is a warm gun" --John Lennon

-- flora (***@__._), September 16, 1999.

Rob, I fear that as with many other catalysts in life, Y2K will bring many families closer, and break as many, if not more, apart. If you have been reading the many, many posts here and on the prep forum and on other fora, you have observed that many families are planning retreat locations together. With more, the GIs find that their relatives laugh at them, refuse to GI themselves, and often have rifts due to it. This is no different than happens over many situations families face. (The sad difference will be in the results if the DGIs or DWGIs come pounding on the door asking admission for supplies that won't stretch that far!)

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), September 16, 1999.

Tricia: You may be right about if it is an 8+ then there will be a resurgence. The old adage a friend in need is a friend indeed comes to mind. In time of need, the chances are that we will most likely turn to those closest to us, and they will turn to us. For many, that translates into Family.

Flora: I am disappointed also that there doesnt seem to be very much interest in discussing this so far. Perhaps we have a skewed sense of what is important huh? :) I have written before about other posters that have started good threads only to see them go into the archives with a handful of responses, while other threads that (to me at least) are not interesting at all get many responses. Different strokes I guess. I would rather have three quality responses, like here on this thread now, than 30 others.

Elaine: You make an interesting point that I hadnt given much thought to; that of the Y2K catalyst acting as a double-edged sword in the context of its impact on Family resurgence. Seems logical. Ill have to consider this further. Thanks.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@com.net), September 17, 1999.

My brothers and sisters live 3-4 hours away. I have only one sister and one niece that have planned extensively for Y2K and the others are DGIs. I have warned them and have been made fun of by them so there's nothing more I can offer them. We are not a tight knit family and have our own lives. I think the families that will do well together are those that are close and see eye-to-eye on the state of affairs and the common goal of surviving. They will have to be working together coordinating everything from food and supplies, responsibilities of chores, and be personality compatible. No doubt there will be clashes of how things will be done and whose in charge. I often think about the holidays when the family gets together and there's seems to always be family feuds. If your a family that doesn't have these feuds, then you may be good candidates for a good Y2K family unit. But for my situation, we'll go it alone and we prefer it that way.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 17, 1999.