Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The extended family (such as grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles) is less important now than it was in the past.
大家庭是不是没以前那么重要了。不同的人持有不同的观点。
字数要求:300字以内。
In the past, people made great use of their extended families to help improve their lives. However, this is not the case anyone as extended families are clearly less important now than they used to be.
These days, it is much easier for a person to live alone and not rely upon any family members for help. In the past, extended family members were crucial to people's survival since most of them lived on farms and needed much physical labor to cultivate the land. But this is not the case nowadays. For example, my uncle lives alone in a big city and works for a bank. Most of his work involves dealing with figures, reports, and records. He gets paid enough to make a living. He does not require any of his family members' assistance to “survive.” This is a tremendous change from time in the past.
Furthermore, while people often relied upon extended family members to take care of various household chores in the past, this is simply not the case anymore. Instead, people can employ various services to take care of all their needs. In the past, a grandmother or aunt might have helped to take care of the children in a family. However, parents now merely send their children to daycare centers. This is what my parents did for us when my brother and I were growing up. Duties and chores once done by extended family members are being replaced by people in paid positions.
Finally, most extended family members live too far away from one another to be of any use both in general and in times of need. A person who is not around cannot have any influence on the other members of his or her family. While my grandparents are wonderful, loving people, they live several hours away from us. We typically only see them on holidays or occasions like weddings or funerals. They have virtually no influence on me or anyone in my family. While this was not the case in the past, it is definitely true for many people today.
In conclusion, because people can survive living alone, can employ others to do important chores, and do not live close to many extended family members, it is clear that extended family members are not nearly as important as they once were. Additionally, I find it likely that this trend will continue and that extended family members' influences will continue to decrease.
Numerous claims have been made lately that the extended family is not as important now as it was in the past. I, however, disagree with this contention and instead believe that it is just as import to people nowadays.
For one, in my country, extended family members still form a tight-knit social group that is tremendously important. Many people do not make crucial decisions in their lives until consulting with various members of their extended families. For example, my extended families often get together several times a year, especially on holidays. During these times, each family member talks to the others about what is going on in his or her life. The grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins then offer their opinions and give advice on what they think each person should do. Assistance like this has helped extended families retain their importance.
In addition, many extended family members live with other family members, playing important roles at home. Rather than merely taking up space, these extended family members become vital family members. My grandmother lives with my family. She provides invaluable help to everyone. She helps my mother with the cooking, especially on days when she is tired from her job. My grandmother also helps clean the house and raise my younger sister. Without her, our home would be chaotic.
Last of all, extended family members have extensive connections, so they can provide crucial help to others in times of need. When and extended family is big, it provides ample opportunity for its members to take advantage of this network. In my country, personal connections are incredibly important in all facets of society. One of my cousins just got hired because my father knew his employer and recommended him for the job. Without that personal connection, my cousin would probably still be seeking employment in what is currently a tight job market. Thanks to extensive networking, extended family members can prove their value time and time again.
I feel that extended families are still of great importance these days thanks to their ability to provide good advice, to help take care of other family members, and to provide a network for others, In many countries, like my own, people can use their extensive families to get ahead in their lives.
