Introduction
There are various reasons why families can break up, for example, disagreements of parents, the unwillingness of one of the parents to have a family, pregnancy in the early stages of the relationship, when young future parents did not want to create a family. Black families are no less prone to disintegration than white families. This can also be dictated by various reasons, one of which is slavery, which led to an unstable situation in black families. Modern realities are such that the preservation of a family is a difficult matter and requires joint efforts of both men and women. The purpose of this article is to consider the disintegration of African-American families from the side of the Thomas theorem.
Theorem Formulation
From the perspective of sociology, Thomas theorem expresses the idea that people look at situations differently, and their interpretation will determine the reaction. Even if the perception of the case is wrong, the consequences are as accurate as if they were correctly interpreted. Thomas theorem is formulated as follows: “If people define situations as real, these situations become real in their consequences.” (Parillo, 2019). In this case, the reality is that black people are forced to believe that their marriages are likely to break up. And as a result, there is a situation in which marriages break up, sometimes for invented reasons. In this case, Thomas theorem is reflected clearly.
The Problem of Disintegration of African-American Families
In the issue of the disintegration of African-American families, the problem is not that they are prone to disintegration but that people destroy their families with their own hands. This is because the idea was once formed that slavery affected families, destroyed them, and this opinion has remained to this day. Although there is no slavery at present, marriages are still breaking up. It was probably once the cause of unstable relationships in families, and then this opinion was passed on from generation to generation. It turns out that modern people have accepted this, and today it is true for them no matter what.
Other realities undoubtedly exist because still, some people understand that significant factors influenced the collapse of their family. Nevertheless, this imposed reality can be dominant since it is the most common cause of family breakdown. It can be said that some people get married and are already a priori ready for divorce. However, when creating a family, it is essential to think about this family’s well-being, development and that people will be together for life.
People have determined that their reality is that sooner or later, the family will break up. And the consequence of this is the disintegration of the family. Because of this, they may suffer, feel bad and be afraid to remarry. The biggest problem is that children born in a marriage that will break up in the future suffer because of the consequences. It is likely that if people were aware of modern reality, there would be much fewer divorces, fewer single parents, and unhappy children.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are different reasons for divorce, both for African-American families and for others. For all people, there is also a reality that inclines them to specific actions. Anyway, the theorem formulated by Thomas has the right to exist, and it applies to many people. For all people’s efforts to be justified, it is necessary to realize what applies to today’s reality and think about whether truth is imposed.
Reference
Parillo, V. (2019). Strangers to These Shores. Pearson.