Degradation of Communication with the Family Unit
The second of three Persuasion works, this is an editorial intended to persuade the reader to a point of view. It’s a bit longwinded and carelessly stuck together so don’t expect too much. Mark-wise it didn’t fare too badly, but the teacher did make a point of eating my heart out for misspelling “degradation” in the title - originally I wrote “degredation”.
Our modern society is having the damaging effect of disrupting traditional communication within the family unit. Pressures, both social and technological are having a profoundly negative influence on cohesion and interaction among family members, causing some to seek fulfillment by artificial means. Television and long, stressful workdays are among the most harmful. Effective communication and bonding in a family is essential for the development of harmony and sense of belonging. Take this away and what remains is a collection of isolated individuals, leading the family to dysfunction.
While answering the question of whether it was television that caused the degradation of communication within a family is akin to the cliched “hen or the egg” situation, that TV affects family life is not an issue. The stereotypical working family - dad watching the footy, the wife ironing in the company of a midday soap and the kiddies waking up to Aggro’s Cartoon Connection - is a scene familiar to us all. Despite some claims, there is no denying that the Tele has become the focus of the modern family. The concept of a TV dinner is becoming increasingly popular as family members vie for greatest exposure to the medium. In the not too distant past, families would have gathered around the dinner table to discuss topics of interest or simply reflect on their day. This is no longer. Many modern families are moving away from this scene and relying more and more on the television for information. Passively absorbing streams of images is slowly impacting family unity.
The relentless pursuit of career goals and an obsessive desire for material success is also having grave consequences on the family. On average, the typical white-collar worker spends more than ten hours each day at work or travelling to and from work. Considering that sleep occupies a third of one’s day, this leaves a mere six hours out of every twenty-four to spend at home. With work-related stress a rapidly increasing problem among the working class, it is not surprising that many are psychologically unable to engage in any deep discussion or reflection. It seems that a healthy home and success in the workplace are becoming incompatible.
Evidence of the communication problems plaguing our families can be found in the form of other technological “advancements”. The huge popularity of interactive mediums such as the Internet, and in particular chatting networks, demonstrate our instinctual desire to communicate. When the family unit fails to provide the required interaction, some seek alternate satisfaction. It is not uncommon for people, especially children, to spend hours online idly passing conversation with others with whom they will have no physical contact. Yet their need for interaction drives them on. Insufficient levels of communication between family members push some to addiction - addiction to the Internet “technonarcotic”.
Having a functional family that has learned to communicate is not something to be taken for granted. It must be worked on. It is essential that each member creates a balance between the family and their working environment such that the time spent together proves valuable. Whether a family gets together for six hours or twelve is irrelevant. It is the quality of interaction that ultimately brings the individuals together to form a family.
Copyright © 1999 Andrej Bece
