American beauty

It tells the story of a family living in a happy neighbourhood in a peaceful suburb of America. But the fact is that the main character Lester is deep down depressed and considered him as boring and unsuccessful. He eventually decides to cut loose the things which worries him. He quits the job blackmailing his boss and got a hefty leaving package. He changed the attitude towards his wife and daughter. He started working-out to impress his daughter's girl-friend Angelina. But everything ended in a disaster eventhough he felt GREAT at the end of his life.

If I extrapolate the story further the climax, the life of the rest of the characters would never be the same as before. Its a collapse.

In America, liberalism empowered the private life like the social and economic situation there. Few of the finest achievement of liberalism is the evolution of human rights as basic rights and the rise of feminism. The traditional family life was under the tyranny of patriarchy. And it is these movement emancipated the society from the shackles of subjugation.

But when it came to the cases of traditional institutions like marriage and family, looks like it resulted in its collapse. Individual freedom seldom goes in line with each others in the family. And that might have ended up in the collapse of those institutions.

Lets look at whats happening in the traditional societies in India. Following Patriarchy model by the rural india(1) ensures the continuity of the institution of marriage and family. But this comes at the cost of individual freedom. And because of that, it cannot be taken as the alternative that society needs. No empowered individual will be ready to accept the subjugative patriarchy model as their lifestyle.

Following is what I think as the solution for the crisis(2). Man(3) can take the responsibility of the family where he nurtures his own individual freedom and other households. He and others take the path of Sabr - sacrifice - and attain happiness in their life. And also this might save the institution of family. This solution is inspired from the new age Islam.

Epilogue:
I love my family.

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(1) It is applicable to urban families that practising patriarchy.

(2) Solutions are never conclusive. It might evolve as I mature through my life.

(3) Here "man" can be best substituted by I as a person