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The family is hands-down the most effective means of social control, negative or positive.

People are products of their homes. They are products of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. People are products of generations of legacy. They are products of values, standards, cultural mores, beliefs (religious and otherwise) that parents teach and pass on to them. People begin in a family before they become members of any other institution or organization. The home is the beginning chapter of a life's book.

Social control must begin at infancy. Governments attempt to "cure" the societal ills of life by welfare spending and implementation of social programs to benefit those who weren't fortunate enough to have a family who cared. These means of social control are well-meaning and effective to a point, but real change MUST take place in the walls of homes.

Mothers and fathers need to be educated and re-wired on HOW to be good parents. Moms need to learn that they need to teach their children how to be useful and respectful. Dads need to teach children order and discipline. Moms and dads share in the responsibility of rearing children to be productive members of a society by teaching them to be an essential part of a family. Part of the problem is that kids are having kids and dads aren't sticking around to perform their part of the deal.

Moms are going back to work so that the family can keep up with the Joneses. I'm glad the Joneses don't live in my neighborhood. I couldn't keep up with them anyway. Divorce is at an all-time high...social control occurs in a family who sacrifices for each other, loves each other, wants each other to be happy.

When men and women forget that others come first, that's when social control becomes uncontrollable and sad.

Learn more about this author, S.D. Bills.
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