America on the Move - The Social Costs

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by: john.moesier
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Word Count: 462
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 Time: 12:00 AM
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Each year Americans are moving intercity, interstate and abroad. Migration has become a common feature with every citizen chasing his or her version of the American Dream. Such a movement has its effects, some good and others not so good. On the downside, moving is at the price of the social well being of the traditional American family.

Two or three generations of family living together in the same house or the same city comprises the traditional American family. This model is still prevalent in rural America but is becoming scarce in the cities. Better economic prospects in states other than that of original residence are forcing the Americans to take a hard choice. More often than not they choose to move with its direct adverse effects on their immediate family. More often than not, moving hits the elders of a family the hardest. The choice to move usually involves leaving behind the elders. The elders are thus faced with an ‘empty nest’ which has a direct impact on their emotional health. Families moving sometimes opt to put their elders in old age homes and institutions for the aged so as to concentrate on their aspirations. Some senior citizens cope up with this ‘banishment’, while others find that sadness and melancholy dominate their lives.

Along with the elders others are also affected. Children too feel the adverse effects of moving. The moral values and lessons of life passed on verbally by the grandparents are lost to them.

Moving to a new place consumes finances. Relocation involves a careful management of your budget as well as your various insurance policies. A move abroad requires far more careful financial planning than an interstate move. The financial health of unitary families is also affected. It may well happen that the children plan to move away requiring the parents to ‘chip in’ thus increasing the financial burden. Despite doing that, the children may not reciprocate on reaching their new place thus straining the family social relations.

Moving also affects the way families relate to each other and the society at large. The vacuum created by loss of family members requires to be filled. When suitable role models do not fill the space, siblings become vulnerable to the darker sides of human nature and at a later stage visits to the psychiatrist become a norm. Ever wondered why the psychiatrist has become such an important figure in daily lives of Americans? The answer possibly lies in the disarray caused by the breakdown in the American family social structure - a possible outcome of migration. The issue that needs to be addressed is whether we as Americans must reconsider our choices, or continue our quest for fulfilling the American dream at all cost.

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