The extended family (grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles) is less important now than it was in the past.

In the agriculture-intensive society, people often lived in a big family in order to survive, cooperating to solve formidable obstacles. On the contrary, it is not uncommon for a family to be separated within an extensive boundary now. Such a tendancy has made close connection in family fade away. As a consequence, extended family members play less important roles for us than before.

In the first place, the physical distance has let extended family increasingly unimportant now. The seperation takes credit for less communications which lie a foundation for family connection. For one thing, modern transportation tools reform the concept of distance. High-speed trains and modern airplanes enlarge the perview of people from local to international. With the help of these convenient traffic instruments, extended family members can travel in an extensive region, expanding the gap between different members. Before the industrial revolution, people needed to live together with their families so as to resist surviving threats and accomplish a better future.

But now, empty nest syndrome, attesting to the distance within extended family, is not a rare phenomenon. As long as basic living requirements are fulfilled, it is easily for teenagers and adults to be tantalized by various modern attractions. They travel to different parts of the world while giving up such a tight rope with their extended family.

Aside from physical distance, mental difference is also an issue that worth considering. Extended family members who live in divergent environments easily foster a diverse ideologies. In other words, it is equivocally for us to identify temperaments and mindsets with extended family members who are awash with various perceptions. For instance, my uncle once worked in Guangzhou, but now he has taken profession in American for several years. This fundamental change has reshaped his mindset and interests, a change that eliminates my common topic with him and made us seem like strangers.

In that agriculture-intensive society, people often lived in a big family to survive, cooperating to solve formidable obstacles. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon for a family to live separately within an extensive boundary. Such a tendency has faded connections between family members, with a consequence that extended family members are less and less important.

In the first place, the physical distance relegates extended family to the remote position. The isolation shoulders the responsibility for descending communications, which lie a foundation for family connection. For one thing, modern transportation tools reform the concept of distance. High-speed trains and modern airplanes expand the horizons from local to international. With these convenient traffic instruments, extended family members can travel in a spacious region, expanding the physical distance between different members. Before the industrial revolution, people lived together with their families to resist surviving threats and accomplish a better future.

But now, empty-nest syndrome is not a rare phenomenon, attesting to the broadening distance within an extended family. Once we fulfill basic living requirements, various modern temptations captivate teenagers and adults alike. They travel to different parts of the world while giving up such a tight rope with their extended family.

Aside from physical distance, ideological difference is also a relevant issue. Extended family members who live in divergent environments can foster divergent ideologies. In other words, it is so formidable that we can hardly identify temperaments and mindsets with extended family members who possess divergent perceptions. For instance, my uncle once worked in Guangzhou, but now he has taken American profession for several years. This has reshaped his mindset and interests, which eliminates our common topics and makes us seem like strangers.