In the cultures that have preserved this knowledge, the education encourages tools of reconciliation, respect, and humility when it comes to maintaining the relationship with parents, even in the face of conflict and generational divides.
by Teryshaat Maaheqwur
The concept of individualism underlies many aspects of modern society and how people form and maintain relationships in this day and age. As the values that underlie this society are informed by political leanings rather than time-tested culture- just as the question of identity- many now look at the concept of family as something that you pick and choose based on the identity you’ve created for yourself. One manifestation of this phenomenon is an increasingly popular trend of people choosing to go “no contact” with their parents.
Several groups now advocate for family estrangement, using mental health and stability as a justification for cutting off communication with your parents and other family members. This is on the rise in the era of safe spaces and cancel culture, where the common thread- from the individual, the virtual world, and even the public eye- is that anyone who has views or expressions outside of what is defined as acceptable by one group of people and their identity is now deleted, excluded, and canceled from their environment. Only what allows comfort and acceptance is permitted within the bubble, and anything that threatens to be challenging or uncomfortable is excluded.
Even on the topic of mental health, as rising rates of depression and anxiety are reported amongst all generations, the solutions provided in counseling and therapy are informed by societal norms and scientific theories rather than cultural values. This leaves people in a vulnerable position, as the solutions presented to their challenges in relationships are only informed by what the modern society espouses, when these are the same circumstances that are leading to increased instability within the individual and in interpersonal relationships.
