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One thing I found out was that we need extended families…

“One thing I found out was that we need extended families. We need gangs. And, of course, if they're tribes and clans and so forth have been dispersed by the industrial revolution by people looking for work wherever they can find it. And a nuclear family, a man, a woman and kids and a dog and cat…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut
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“One thing I found out was that we need extended families. We need gangs. And, of course, if they're tribes and clans and so forth have been dispersed by the industrial revolution by people looking for work wherever they can find it. And a nuclear family, a man, a woman and kids and a dog and cat is no survival scheme at all. Horribly vulnerable.”

Kurt Vonnegut

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Modern society’s nuclear family is vulnerable; extended families, tribes, or gangs provide survival and support.

In simple terms: Extended kinship offers resilience.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate broader community ties.

Themes

community survival family structures

Mood

reflective critical

Type

sociological philosophical

When to use this quote

  • urban living
  • migration
  • social policy

Key Concepts

sociology collectivism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we rebuild community bonds?
  • What role do extended families play today?
A Different Perspective

Changing norms may resist tribal concepts.

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