How important is family?

[ak_Archangel]

Both of mine parents died so I live with my grandparents and my brother (younger) even if I hate there guts I couldnt stand not seeing them to make sure there alright.

I havent meet a family that ahsnt gotten on each others nerves. As for abusive asshole side of the story then I would understand.

 

[Adm. Empoleon]

I love my family. Well, just my mom's side of it. as for my dad's side, well... except for an uncle or 2, i want to kill them.

as for my relationships with my dad, i'll have to say that i hate him. end of story. looking back, i start to cry. (no really, i am *shit what am i, an emo?*)
ever since i was born, he never spent time with me, always working, and working and working. guess for what? to help his sisters who are "poor", when they were actually living in villas, based on his mom's idea.
then there was my cousin, who was like a fucking leech. tl;dr version: he treated him like he was his son, with me and my brother being next door neighbors.
it even got worse as i hit 16; i had performed Umrah in Ramadan (which is something really extraordinary for someone my age), i was in high school (we only have 2 years of them in Jordan), and i was listening to metal, and my dad wanted me to spend more time with him. great, after 16 years of having me, now does he realize that he has two sons of his own,
even though my dad works as a Respiratory Therapist in KSA, we still live in -to quote Bart- "a crapshack that's going to hell." in the middle of fucking nowhere, with my grandma (dad's side) as a fucking next door neighbor. and i have to visit her 2 times a day, which i don't do. she's the head of the snake that's caused my life to become a living hell.

my small family consists of me my bro, and my mom. i don't know my dad, tbh.

 

[AJers]

Hmm, how to answer this? My family is... everything. Everything I've done so far is because of them, and everything I will do in the future is for them. I don't have a perfect family life, I don't think we'll ever be anywhere near the "typical" happy family, but in spite of that (or perhaps because of it?) we work.

Anyways, I can't imagine NOT having that support center, even if it is somewhat dysfunctional. :)

I guess I should note that in Middle/High School I couldn't wait to leave home and hated my parents, haha. But then I moved to New Mexico in my Sophomore year of High School... so I've had years and years where I've lived far away from my family.

 

[apologies]

i hate my family. after i move out i do not plan on maintaining contact with them.

 

[Echo.]

In my view, there are two families. The one you are biologically given and the one you choose.

I love the one I am biologically given, though I do not share many views with them. I do see myself continuing contact with them in the future because I'd feel as if a portion of my life was missing if I did not. I can see how some would not like this type of family, though, and do not think it is as important as the second type.

The family I chose, composed of the friends I choose to surround myself with, I obviously love and will maintain contact with as long as possible.

 

[Chou Toshio]

Am I the only one absolutely bewildered by the fact that the majority of posts in this thread either completely disown family, or at least appoint it as secondary to friends or other loyalties? I can easily understand a few such posts, but the majority?

To me, that's truly tragic. If you can't even trust your own family-- who can you trust? What a cruel world it must have become.

 

[McGrrr]

Anyone who has ever cared about me is worth caring about. Obviously close family members are included within this, but so are friends and guardians. Distant uncle x, doesn't-speak-to-my-parents aunt y and never-met-before cousin z may be blood relations and I may attend their weddings/funerals, but they mean nothing to me.

 

[tape]

I don't really like my family at all, except for a few members (can probably count it with my hands)

Whenever I'm finally able to get a job and live by my own, I'll do it ASAP, and I don't think I'm keeping much (if any) contact with my nuclear family or... anyone.

Then again, I don't really like people, and the closer I get to them, or the closer they try to be to me, the more disgusted and terrible I feel. Living with people that think you're entitled to care or like them just because they share the "same blood" is just a excruciating thought.

 

[afterburn]

IMO, family is very important, and by family I mean father/mother/siblings (not talking 'bout grandmas, etc.) You've spent your entire childhood with them, your parents have raised you up to be who ever the heck you become, provided you with love, and care, education and all that shit comes after that. When you do get a job, you should return the favor; instead of dumping your parents in an apartment, you should probably keep them with you and provide the same care and love they once provided you, especially if they've become elderly. Sorry for focusing too much on parents, but imo, they are the two most important components of a family.

Also close friends fall into a similar category, since they also care about you, help through tough times, and are always there to bring a smile.

tbh, yeah there are times where I have feuds with them, and feel pissed off, but those are petty things and shouldn't get in my way and make me say "fuck em all"

 

[DarthChake]

I don't really like my family at all, except for a few members (can probably count it with my hands)

Whenever I'm finally able to get a job and live by my own, I'll do it ASAP, and I don't think I'm keeping much (if any) contact with my nuclear family or... anyone.

Then again, I don't really like people, and the closer I get to them, or the closer they try to be to me, the more disgusted and terrible I feel. Living with people that think you're entitled to care or like them just because they share the "same blood" is just a excruciating thought.

That's how it is for me. I'm going to steal from anthem. "I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man's soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.
I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me. And to earn my love, my brothers must do more than to have been born. I do not grant my love without reason, nor to any chance passer-by who may wish to claim it. I honor men with my love. But honor is a thing to be earned."

 

[SOMALIA]

It's frightening to see so many people speak so negatively about their families. Unless you have been abused by your parents or they've abandoned you, you should always try to respect them and even there might be times where you are angry with them, you should keep it to yourself when possible. Of course its cool to have healthy arguments with them at times but you have to remember that you owe so much to your parents, do you even know how much your Mother had to go through raising you as a child. Of course i could be wrong as not everybody's family is loving and caring. When you are older and have children you will see things from a different view.

 

[NightShadow]

I agree with Eraddd. I feel grateful of having a good family. They sometimes get angry at me, but they're not assholes, and they are open-minded. For those of you have bad parents, I wish you luck in solving the problem. =(

AND WE FROM HK YO

 

[M BLADE]

My family is the best in the world.
My brother piss me off very often though. Still, i must say i love him.

I must say that family is one of the most important things in life. Being on good terms with everyone feels really good.
I know i can count with them: still, i want to walk on my own. Damn, i'm too old already >_>

 

[Revolution.Z]

None of those poll options express my feelings.

'My Life wouldn't be the same without them'

 

[SMZ]

I chose 'I have mixed feelings', because that's the closest thing to what I'm feeling/thinking. While I love my parents, they can be on many times hard to communicate with, thus I feel like I can't truly share anything with them, since the argument will elevate and be 'on their side by force' or so to speak.

Not to mention, my father (which is the hardest to communicate with) on many occasions makes me feel like he's not pleased with me, even if I do a minor thing, or nothing at all, he may consider it as a bad thing, and sensing/telling me that I've done something wrong/don't appreciate him quite enough. Which to be honest sucks, because I constantly try to please my parents, hell even sometimes I do stuff I don't like/hate.

Even with all of that, I still respect them for the good things they do to me, and love them.

 

[Sir Koopaman]

Mixed feelings. I hate my grandparents, sister, and some of my aunts and uncles because they all keep pressuring me to learn German when I wish to learn French. My cousin however, is in a french immersion so I quite a bit of admiration. He laso introduced my to Pokemon, video games, Runescape, and ssbb. Everyone else, I have mixed feelings but I'm sort of suspicious of my dad, because hbe's lamenting about me joining the US Army/Navy/Air Force after college, yet I have a D in Phy.Ed and I absolutely hate it.

 

[Probably]

I can honestly say I don't love my siblings that much, they are too fucking annoying and don't care about me. I fucking hate my dad. My mom is cool though, I love her. Other then that I like my family.

 

[FrenzyB3ar]

Not everything is Black & White, alot of issues can be raised that I don't wont to get into, fo rthe sake of bringing this to a negative discussion.

But on the positive:
Family is important, they are the ones who will always be there no matter what and also love you for who you are. External family like a partner and her family is uniting both - which is the one of the best things in the world.