The Black Vault

I never heard this on TV but I'm sure everyone will agree once you think about it. In the name of "progress," i.e. "Progressivism," the traditional family unit was attacked and downgraded in importance. Progressives long ago, and still today, tout the family unit as an unnecessary evil.

Has the following occured to everyone:

• Somewhere I guess in the late 80s or early 90s, the American family decided that having 2 incomes is more important than raising children effectively
  
• With former housewives working instead of raising children, TV, the PC, and Xbox became the new parental units
  
• When housewives entered the workforce, the number of people seeking employment quickly doubled

So just this little innocent "progressive" maneuver has been in my opinion the greatest contributor to unemployment as well as the greatest contributor to a cultural epidemic. I'm talking about the disaster we face regarding children who have zero respect, aspire to be street thugs, and sit at home becoming obese, insulting everyone via console gaming, text and internet chat rather than going outside to play.

Stretch this out over a few more decades and God knows where we are going to be. These kids raised by computers and TV--the ones that did at least make it through school somehow--are now entering the world of politics.

It's just going to get exponentially worse as the elusive dollar becomes more and more important and marijuana is legalized.


Happy New Year, America.

*raises a glass in salute to Progressivism*

um...
Life is complicated?
(I use to believe..I don't believe anymore..but I aspire to continue to believe..in some way)

This is a great subject, but I think you need to stand back a little further on the time table to compare era's and events that shaped what we have today. My grandparents and parents went through the great depression. My grandparents were always considered poor, Grampy(I'm one now ) worked on the railroad so was lucky, they had an income but very low. Granny was very thrifty, and canned regularly, including meat Grampy hunted. My parents were married in 1941 and Mom worked for a insurance company. They kept their marriage secret becasue it was expected a married woman should give up her job once married as a married couple now had a man working, and the woman was expected to be a housewife. Thats the way it was in our parents generation, Moms did not work, they raised the kids.

My wife in high school wanted to become a vetanarian in the mid 60's, was told by counselors NO, women should be prepared for marriage, and they insisted her high school major would be better in home economics. The mindset that woman not have carreers was still in full force, and they were expected to just be "housewives". AFter high school she did go to medical assistant school, and worked in the medical profession for several years. The economy and the mindset was still more to the side of Mom's were stay homes and raised the kids. She became a stay at home mom, but also worked part time jobs. She was there for the kids growing up.

A few things happened that changed everything forever. First was the drug culture and vietnam era protesters, and the hippy movement, that challenged the traditional "establishment". Womans rights movements also began, and the ol famous "burn the bra", woman were tired of those old stereotypes of cooking an cleaning, keep the man happy. With that scene all set the third ingrediant was inflation that began in the 70's and went off the map with Jimmy Carter. That has been a fact of life ever since and continues every year. Housing skyrocketed, for the next 30 years. Now duel incomes was nessesary in order to make ends meet. In order to have a home, you had to have 2 incomes, but employers still regarded women as "they could have jobs but their wages should be lower becasue the Man in the main breadwinner", and that took a long time to overcome. They still struggle with equal wages for the same positions, which is a subject in itsself.

Yes, the kids have suffered with the decline of traditional families, and Moms having to work. Unfortunatly the drug culture of the 60's progressed right along through other generations and is still one of the main concerns today. The computer age is an extention of becoming a "instant gratification" culture, everyone on the run, in a hurry, an not having time for long dinners, valued family time. Entertainment at your fingertips. Nobody home, to make the kids do homework, and we wonder what else they get away with, between school and parents coming home.

Yes, the job market has increased now to where almost everyone needs to work today, and only so many jobs available. Companies outsoursing to Aisa isn't helping. Almost like back in my mothers time, when it was expected a woman give up her job because "Her Man will take care of her now". Old traditional ways are not always bad, and kids need guidance. when nobody is home, what happens? Even back in our parents generation, this was the mindset, and they were right. Kids need to come home from school to a parent, and its even more important today.

Although I understand it may go back a lot further, I don't understand the point you were making. Yes, it was "expected" that the Mother would stay home and raise the kids back then, and yes, the hippy movement sort of threw a wrench into our whole cultural paradigm.

But I remember distinctly... even in the 70s, the woman was still expected to stay home and raise the kids. In fact, it seems that until video games and computers came out, there was nowhere to stick the kids where they would be entertained for hours on end.

I was born in 66. I represent the transition... the very beginning of this video game/pc/parental unit thing. My mom worked part time. I stayed in front of the tv with my video games on a constant basis. But I still had some parenting though it was part time, and I did still go out and play with my friends because most of them didn't have video games yet.

Nowadays 8 year olds have cell phones, xbox's and laptops. And both parents work 50 hours a week. That's what it's come to and really I don't think the hippy movement had much of anything to do with it because that movement was about not being materialistic. Materialism is what drives the family unit apart and forces both parents to work.

A modest, 3 bedroom ranch isn't good enough anymore. Folks have to have a 3-story, 4,000 square foot, 5 bedroom house in the nicest neighborhood.

unless you are really lucky, you NEED a two income family these days..it's wrong..it is what it is
I believe it started with the women's movement..which I am all for..but things got..I dunno..weird

Richer, 3ducated women chose to work..poorer women followed suit.. and now women HAVE to work..along men..because you need two incomes to raise a family..unless you have one kid, maybe..but even then..many jobs pay crap these days..and people are compelled by the media to live beyond their means, as it is..it's a cluster fook

...and don't even get me on to all the divorce remarriage crap..step kids..half sibs..all over the fricken place, BS


It's obvious to me..society is in some kind of transition..which, of course , is always going on..but it does seem to be turned up a notch or two these days, no?

unless you are really lucky, you NEED a two income family these days..it's wrong..it is what it is

No offense but the about is complete fallacy. Nothing more. I'm bound by law not to discuss the things I know in this regard...........WHAT IT TAKES TO RAISE A FAMILY.......

You wanna know what it takes..................Living within your means...............Nothing else.


It'd be cool if people would stop projecting, especially about things others wish them to believe. Many of these things just don't happen by accident, they are manufactured by a system that is in turn manipulated for the benefit of a few who actually pull the strings.

The things people waste, just think about it.. Today there are more ways for people to make money than at any other point in History........Only those most willing will ever recognize this as a fact.

Women deciding to leave bad marriages or abusive Men had a great deal to do with a crowded workforce. This became a lot more fashionable in the early 70's. Prior to that they were told to stick it out, or was it taught to stick it out...

Simply saying that people needed two incomes was/is a poor excuse......What some need are smaller homes, lesser vehicles, and a ton less credit card ( instant gratification ) debt! Just sayin!

Cole

It could be Cole that where you live, the housing market did not skyrocket off the map like other places. Supply and demand for housing at least in California, has been a big issue for decades. Only now has the market dropped. OUt west, the demand for housing, affordable housing sprung up outside of Los Angeles proper, in communities further out from the working centers. People began to commute forinstance from our desert areas of Palmdale, into LA daily for work, carpooling 50-75 miles one way. Homes within the city were much higher, and people could buy further and further out, but to did take 2 incomes. 2 cars, both commuting, as much as 3 hrs a day. Those are the situations Frrostedman is talking about, parents not home, no afternoon supervision, etc. You are right Cole about what goes along with that is not living within your mean. credit abuse, and a mindset of being able to make payments, jobs will always have overtime and plenty of it. Nobody invisioned the jobs and housing markets, banks all collapsing. People also made the mistakes of refinancing, buying expensive toys, another payment, maxing out cards for dinners, holidays, entertainment, etc. People wanted to buy homes because renting apartments was throwing money away, and the American dream to own a home, could not be done with a single income.