Technology within the family

D'Emilio states, " I have suggested that the relationship between capitalism and the family is fundamentally contradictory. (Beedles, 235)" He says on one hand, capitalism continually weakens the material foundation of family life, making it possible for individuals to live outside the family, and for a lesbian and gay male identity to develop. On the other, it needs to push men and women into families, at least long enough to reproduce the next generation of workers (Beedles 235). I find these same statements to be held true when relating the impact of technology in the family.

Technology, like capitalism, allows even further for individuals to live outside the family and has made it possible for a lesbian and gay male identity to develop. Things like surgical procedures that allow a sex change take lesbian and gay indentities to another level. Contradicting, technology also pushes men and women into families, or allows them to be closer, and when talking about the gay and lesbian community, technology has also made it possible for a homosexual couple to reproduce and develop their own families. New technology has provided lesbian couples or other families with the option of IVF and GIFT and fertility clinics that provide donated sperm. This is becoming a increasingly more common part of society and it allows people who otherwise wouldn't be able to develop a family, have that option.


Our world has changed dramatically due to the impact of technology. There are positive and negative effects, although I believe the positive effects outway the negative. Technology has increased means of communication all around the world. With cell phones, interenet, blog sites, video chat such a skype, and website such as facebook, there are numerous ways to communicate with family members and makes it so much more accesible to keep in touch with family members who may live far away. Some may argue however, that this same technology, keeps us occupied in front of our TV's, on our cell phones, or in front of our laptop, rather then spending time face to face with family members. However, I do believe that this is not the case for a lot of families, and that technology has provided many great opportunies far beyond communication that will allow us to adapt to our constantly altering world.