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In Reply to: Back to the Future: Reflections on Family Reorganization posted by Coordinator on March 12, 2004 at 19:38:47:
I would love to know the demographics of The Family right now--how many young adults versus older adults, how many singles and/or couples without kids versus families, the general health of the older adults, and what cultures are producing the greatest number of new members. That would tell me a lot about how this reorganization will shake down.
The communal house thing will appeal to young adults, particularly those without families. In the Western System, young adults go off to college and live together in dorms and group homes. After graduation, they form their own families or get an apartment alone or with fewer roommates.
In Homes that draw converts from traditional cultures, I can see extended families making up a Home--mom & dad, one or two of the young adult children and their families, with marital partners throughout the extended family coming from the Home country.
But I have read that Leadership pretty much maintains the line of authority among the Americans and Europeans. And they have this habit of breaking up families and teams that have built cohesion--this keeps the ordinary folks from developing resources or gathering much strength and unity. I don't know if we'll ever see the day when whole Homes break away.
