Day 21 – Q 1. Do you think, family as a social institution, is losing its influence on the way the collective morality of a society is shaped? Discuss. 

1. Do you think, family as a social institution, is losing its influence on the way the collective morality of a society is shaped? Discuss. 

क्या आपको लगता है, एक सामाजिक संस्था के रूप में परिवार, किसी समाज की सामूहिक नैतिकता को आकार देने के तरीके पर अपना प्रभाव खो रहा है? चर्चा करें।

Demand of the question:

It expects students to define family as a social institution and collective morality. Students should also write about influence of family in shaping collective morality of society.

Introduction:

Social institutions are structures of society like family, education, religion, etc. that fulfil the needs of the society. They guide and shape the expected behaviour of individuals, they also help to build and sustain the society itself.

Body:

Morality is dominantly considered as the individual sense of right and wrong while, Collective Morality is collective sense of right and wrong of the group, community, etc.

Family is the basic and important social institution that has important role in influencing the individual as well as collective morality:

• Family nurtures and preserves cultural and social values
• It is major source of emotional bonding, socialization and generate the sense of right and wrong.
• Children are seen as making moral judgments according to the “social conventions” of their parents, their peers, and their society.
• It is first source of habit formation like discipline, respecting, obedience, etc.
• Family system is a single, powerful strand which for centuries, has woven the our rich, social fabric replete with diversity, into a whole.
• It provides stability to society by providing law abiding citizens.

However, due to following reasons family as a social institution seems to be losing its influence in shaping collective morality of a society:

• Increase in geographically dispersed and fragmented nuclear families erodes into emotional bonding and socialization.
• Dispersed families are exposed to diverse cultural and social values thus impact on collective traditions, ideas.
• Socio-economic and physical stress of fast paced world provide causing less time for nurturing of younger generations.
• Increasing divorce and separation rates, domestic violence, inter-generational conflicts, social problems of drug abuse, juvenile delinquency etc.
• Increasing influence of technology, internet, social media easily make diverse ideas, cultural aspect available to individuals and groups. E.g.: many Indians reacting to ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ but are ignorant about the manifestation of domestic racism, casteism.
• Family as an institution is lagging behind in keeping pace with changing values of globalized world. E.g.: Global outlook is now accepting girls as equal stakeholder but restrictive family morals are still not letting girls out.

Still, Family as a social institution is crucial in shaping collective morality of society:

• The scope of family as concept has increased, today it is not restricted to a group of individuals with blood relations. Globalization backed by technology has made whole world as great one family.
• Our solidarity and sensitivities are not limited to blood relatives, neighbours; today they cut-across borders. E.g.: #BlackLivesMatter is now a global movement and has initiated discussions on domestic issues also thus, shaping progressive collective morality of future.
• Healthy competition among countries to eliminate social evils for harmonious future. E.g.: In India, Enrolment of girls has increased at par with boys, job opportunities are increasing.
• Even environment is being increasingly seen as part of family – encouraging ecological values and ethos in society.

Conclusion:

Covid-19 pandemic has generated a sense of global consciousness which is similar to ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’ principle of India which expects whole world to fight and come out of this crisis as one global healthy family and pass on this collective wisdom to coming generations.