From nuclear families to Kardashian clans

Let’s look at facts here: the Western hetero 2-child family model moved into cities with the industrial revolution, and families have seemingly been shrinking since with growing divorce rates.

Leaving childrearing to just two people is irresponsible and unrealistic. TV and social media will then have a greater impact as educators.

Now, it seems successful families are different in the fact that there are more than two parents. Polygamy is growing, whether as a trend or here to stay, and it does on paper seem like a great idea.

If it wasn’t for jealousy, or bitterness, or pride, or the comfort of depending on one person until you die. All of those are myths. We all engage with them which makes us co-exist and relate to each other but sometimes we need to step out of them right? And some people seem to do it?

This is not an endorsement of polygamy. One can have multiple subsequent stepfathers, but why choose one over the rest as the father figure? What did people do before DNA testing? Esther Perel, a relationship psychologist, talks about how monogamy used to mean one person for life, and now its one person at a time. Are we already polygamous, whether we want it or not?

Just a reflection on how patchwork families seem to be the reality of families now. Maybe growing divorce rates are signs of new families forming. Maybe marriages breaking down don’t have to mean families are.