Families

"Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do.  With no relatives, no support, we've put it in an impossible situation."  ~Margaret Mead

I never before understood this concept until I went to Mexico and saw how families can function together happily, and how many less mental issues they have, than what we have here. Here we have two impossibilities that we have imposed upon society and families.

The norm has become to make as much money as you can to buy countless, meaningless material items. You are called poor and looked down upon if you cannot achieve this. What is more important, our health and well-being, or gathering so much "junk" that only serves to clutter and collect dust in our over-sized, "luxurious" houses? We work our asses off for money, to buy stuff, that we cannot even enjoy, because work does not permit time off to enjoy those things. I am not devaluing hard work, working hard is good for us- we just don't have to work as long, or as much. We should not have to place work above our loved ones. I am simply stating that we are enslaved to our own stupidity. We need to work smart, leaving room for investing time in those who are most nearest and dearest to us, our family!

Second, we insist that the nuclear family be broken up and individual members go on their own. You are not normal if you do not "leave the nest" upon graduation and find your own way, and life. This I believe is the cause of so many health and mental issues we face in our nation. We make it impossible to succeed. We cause people to be alone and isolated emotionally and financially. It is no wonder that people crack under the pressure and have mental issues, as well as health issues like heart attacks and strokes. It is no wonder that people are obese and have such high blood pressure. It is also no wonder that we have to medicate ourselves with such toxic, and unnatural medications to feel normal, or not lonely, and why depression is so rampant. We have taken what is most important, family, and pushed it aside for pride and material things; for the mere thought that it is what is expected and correct. Who are we to decide that, that is what should happen in society? And how dare we look down on those who would attempt to change this norm, in order to find their sanity and health in a different way than expected.

Is it so horrifying that we allow our families to stay together? We would succeed, and benefit ourselves on so many levels. We would eliminate stress, we would teach our children correct values, one being the value of family and staying together, and we would NOT BE ALONE! Not to mention, we would save money on harmful medication we consume in an effort to feel accepted by society, or those doctor and hospital bills we rack up from other diseases and disorders that come along with stress. Gone would be the days of paying someone to judge our mental health- psychiatrists, and therapists; we would not need them. Our therapists would be our friends and family around us. What is the larger value? Our well-being and health, or society's perception of us?

It has become second nature to push our children to succeed. But the success we burden upon them is impossible! They would be just as prosperous, in my opinion more so, if they were working for the family as a whole, than on establishing their own way and life. Why is this not considered as thriving?

George Romero was right in his views, we have "zombified" ourselves and become shabby, mindless, drones at the cost of ourselves and family, all for things and acceptance from society.