Oct 1, 2010
The obvious first point here is that everyone is born and most of us are born into a family, or perhaps orphaned at an early age, and if we survive, grow up with or without siblings. Also, most of us grow up inside a family structure of some kind, or at the least with significant adults providing supports, love, direction and succor.
The next logical question is how does the circumstances of our rearing affect us, our values, our beliefs, and our political and social views?
I propose to discusss the given structure of a family and relate that structure , to the birth position and sex of the child in that family structure and to that child's social, political and world views.
A tall order indeed; one which will likely fail- but well worth the journey, in my view.
But first we need to identify what family structures posited.
We could identify many but the ones I propose are:
1-The single mother family
2-The single father family
3-The dominant father-passive mother family structure
4-The dominant mother-passive father family structure
5- The father-mother competitive family structure
6- The absent mother and the absent father family structure (not the orphaned structure)
7- Divorced and Seperated Families
8- Blended Families
9- Interracial Families
10- Intercultural Familes
11- Other structures. (Oldest male child, oldest female child, youngest male or female) Gay families, Lesbian families
12 Minority familes
13-Culturally Dominant families (or white families in the US.
(This typologies alone can provoke responses, indeed, are instructive in themselves.
I will direct my discussion to the impact of these structures on:
1-The oldest male and female child
2-The middle male and female child
3- The younger male and female children
A second set of variables will be what is the impact of these structures are apt to be on the child's notion of:
1-Freedom
2-Love
3-Justice
4-The family itself
5-Society and Politics
6-The State
7- World views
A through look into all of this cannot be done in a single blog (a book is coming) I am hoping discussion and feedback can sharpen that proposed book.
So lets start out here and see what we come up with in the coming days.
I believe a good look at important issues to start one's day is as important as a good breakfast. Let's have toast.
