What is family solidarity, and how can it affect a culture?

What do you think family solidarity is?

I believe that family solidarity is the unity and support the family members provide for each other in a household. However, I'm not sure if that is correct, and I can not comprehend the correlation between the lack of family solidarity and culture.

Yes, that's correct -- as far as you went. Family solidarity includes a close relationship with those not in your household. It includes aunts, uncles, first and second and third cousins, as well as ancestors. A culture that has strong family solidarity ties usually has the extended family as the first social ties. Often that means hostility toward other family or tribal groups.

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=BE4KWt_pKMLXjwTck564Cg&q=+family+solidarity+and+culture.&oq=+family+solidarity+and+culture.&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i22i29i30k1.2553.2553.0.3649.1.1.0.0.0.0.181.181.0j1.1.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.180....0.32lm3CLwauA

So, a lack of family solidarity in a culture or in a community results in a loss of the true aspects of a culture? Like the meanings and values of a tradition or custom?

No. I think all cultures have a degree of family solidarity. Most of us in the U.S. have a solidarity with close family members, but not usually with more distant relatives. We tend to feel a solidarity toward work mates, class mates, neighbors, fellow club members, etc.

It's different from cultures that emphasized solidarity with an extended family.

So, in your opinion, how would a lack of family solidarity affect a culture?

I've given you the facts in the link and with my ideas. Now you draw your own conclusions.

I feel like because, as you stated, American families tend to not focus on their ancestral relatives and extended family as much as other cultures, we do not necessarily understand the values in our particular culture because we do not connect with our roots as much as other countries and cultures do. Sorry if I'm asking so many questions!

That's one way of looking at it.

Thanks!

Think about how strong family unity can affect a culture as well as lack of it. What happens when a member of the family is accused of doing something wrong? Does the family tend to defend the accused, sometimes against evidence? That may not be limited to people related by "blood", but members of the church "family", a professional "family", the people wo work together on the assembly line, any place where there is a "kinship" of one kind or another. And what happens when a strong sense of "family" unity comes up against an opponent in sports, religion, political party, or any other endeavor that bonds people together. Does the "other side" become an enemy? Is that enemy the "bad guy" in everything they do or say, even if it has nothing to do with sports or religion or politics? As to the lack, how does strong family unity reinforce the values and mores of the family, community, workplace, whatever unit makes up that "family"? Lack of such unity might lead to what? A lack of agreement on how to behave in society? Every man, boy, woman, and girl making up his/her own mind about how to behave, with no guidance? Think about these things. Keep in mind that your teacher does not want my opinions or Ms. Sue's opinions. Your teacher wants your opinions based on what you have learned.

Thank you both for your amazing help!