The word “nostalgia” should always be written in pink, because it, itself, implies a rose-colored glass-tinged world. Nothing embraces this idea more than the way we talk about and think about the concept of family. There’s an idea–particularly in the U.S.–that there was a time that was a golden age for “true families.” You know, the “Leave it to Beaver” kind. Well, family’s always been a complicated, multifaceted creature.
The Way We Never Were: American Families And The Nostalgia Trap by Stephanie Coontz
. Amazon for $10.85. The Way We Never Were examines two centuries of American family life and shatters a series of myths and half-truths that burden modern families. Placing current family dilemmas in the context of far-reaching economic, political, and demographic changes, Coontz sheds new light on such contemporary concerns as parenting, privacy, love, the division of labor along gender lines, the black family, feminism, and sexual practice.
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I believe vintage TV shows, such as “Leave it to Beaver,” are responsible for the bogus notion of the perfect American family. June Cleaver cleaned house in high-heels and pearls – completely unrealistic.
Precious Monsters
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Yes, a locket would have been more realistic 😉
Seriously, though I absolutely agree with you, it painted an image of America that never actually existed, and one that people cling to today, to great detriment to real people.
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As kitsch goes, I will always remember the coffee-table glass grapes knick-knack in the early 70s. Each “grape” was the size of a golf ball, and they were wired onto a wooden “stem”. They came in several colors. Mine was amber. I must have really liked it to remember it now, all these years later!
Gail visiting for AtoZ
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I’ve got to tell you, they sound absolutely fabulous in that kitschy way. How does the mind come up with this stuff? And how does it become a trend? Fantastic description.
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