|
|
Throughout the years much effort has been given to understanding the “family” and its role in society. With time, many changes have taken place in civilization that have affected and inevitably shaped the purpose of the family in the modern world. Today, structural functionalists believe that the functions of the traditional family have been taken over by other social institutions and, therefore, the family as an institution is “breaking down”. Although I understand that much change has taken place in the lifestyle and the structure of the family, I disagree with the above statement. I believe that today, more than ever, the family unit is the backbone of society and the most influential social institution in our culture. There are two family functions that are of main importance: 1) the primary socialization of children so that they can truly become members of the society into which they have been born, and 2) the stabilization of the adult personalities of the society (Eshleman & Wilson, p.13).
|
