Disappearance of "family"

Description:

The concept of family will be far from the “two parents two children” of the last century. divorce will not be an exception; children will live with only one of the parents, possibly in a new family. the concept of contiguity among natural parents children and relatives will move away from geographical proximity. Webcams might by 2020 be playing the role the telephone did in the 20th century, a vital communication link for families who might live hundreds of miles apart.

Enablers:

- increasing purchasing power: the higher purchasing power will allow high independance from the original family, or better from the general concept of family increasing an individualistic approach to life. Being humans social animals this approach needs to be counterbalanced by communication, possibly easy virtual communication

Inhibitors:

- increasing number of enclaves: One vision: Creation of gated communities and compounds where "scientific workers" live and work, guarded by armed security men. Outside, visible from the trains and toll-ways that link the Compounds, are the Pleeblands, where people toil, consume and exist in a state of under-educated chronic insecurity. As the hero's father explains to him, it is like a throwback to the days of castles and moated manor houses” In this case Technology will be used to reinforce closed community inaccessible networks and to link the different communities

Paradigms:

lonliness and virtual communication will represent human being

Web Resources:

NRI Divorce: South Asians and Relationship

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