11/14/07 American Family ...Next Endangered Species

TV commercials tell us a lot about the state of society and I would have to say the future of the American family looks pretty grim judging from two spots currently airing on the networks. The first, for Verizon features a dopy dad who comes home with new phones for his family. What follows is indicative of how self centered we have become. He gives the first phone to his daughter who barely looks at him, he interrupts his exercising wife and gives her a phone, and she simply takes it . The third phone goes to his young son who grabs it on the way down the stairs. Not one family member bothers to say thank you, and dopy dad couldn't care less because as he walks out the door he prides himself smugly for tricking his family and saving the best phone for himself. The second spot is a mini van commercial, naturally the wife drives, while another dopy dad continually beams at the children in the back seats. When the mini van reaches its destination the sea shore, the family remains in the vehicle too enthralled with the two television screens to play together on the beach. The American family, the next endangered species.