American Family Decline Analysis

After reading Popenoe's account of his views regarding the decline of American families, I could not help but agree with him more. He supports his viewpoints which much evidence. He states that the American family has been in decline since 1960 due to many reasons including a decline in fertility, a decline in the number of children in a family, and increased divorce rates. In fact, he notes that the divorce rate in 1960 had been 9 and more than doubled in 1987 to 21. Currently, the divorce rate has exceeded 50% !! He states that divorce has clearly replaced death as the dissolver of marriage, which is quite evident since divorce is so widespread. Popenoe also points out that the relationship between being married and relative happiness has also declined. As a result, people are less likely to devote time, energy, and money to family life. Family members investing more time in themselves has become a current trend, which certainly threatens the traditional nuclear family mentality. He believes that the values constituting a healthy family have also been in decline. Also, he states that cohabitation has been a reason as to why families are in decline. Living together before marriage postphones marriage and very well might delay the beginnings of a family. All these factors combined has certainly led to the decline of the American family.
The articles written by Judith Stacey and Philip Cowan challenge the ideas of Popenoe. Stacey believes that family is not an insitution, but rather an "ideological, symbolic construct that has a history and politics." She disagrees with Popenoe's claim that family was "the only social institution in existence." In fact, she does not accept the instituional definition of family. She states that Popenoe did not take into consideration the post industrial economic transformations that had a profound effect on the dynamics of family. Philip Cowan feels quite similarly. He criticizes Popenoe for failing to take demographic and psychological changes into account. He also contests that smaller families certainly do not mean that family life is in decline, but rather smaller families promote quality of life for the children. He also believes that the effect of divorce on children is more short-lived than Popenoe suggests.
I would most definitely take Popenoe's side of the argument. First of all, I feel that the divorce rate in our world today is terrible. I feel that people are too hasty in their decisions regarding their future spouse. True love is also being disregarded. I feel there would be much less divorce if everyone could wait to find the love of their life. Instead, a lot of people make concessions and end of marrying someone who is not a perfect fit. I feel as though this marks the fundamental reason as to why there is so much divorce, which ultimately leads to the decline of the American family. As my dad always told me, "You can't build a house on a bad foundation." Popenoe has clearly stated that the traditional nuclear family mentality is hardly common anymore. This has certainly triggered a decrease in the amount of happiness in a lot of families, which has led to an increased number of dysfunctional families. It is so hard not to agree with Popenoe because I am able to see his arguments firsthand in the very world in which I live!