Family

In class we also spoke about family. I was raised in a household where family is extremely important and I believe that your family is one of the most important things you have. I believe that in Nancy Folbre's book there is not enough emhphasis on how the nuclear family is run lately. I think that the caring problem is nurtured due to the lack of caring in the nuclear family and that this is the element that needs to be addressed rather than swept under the rug, people now days are so quick to hand their children off to the next person so they can continue their pursuit of their own personal gain. It seems like all to often people who have professional lives family's have to take the runner up position. The lack of caring in families I believe is what is leading to the decline in the "invisible heart", and like Folbre's stated this is due to the increase in the pursuit of personal gain.When Smith came up with this theory he believed in the good of humankind and didn't think that people were capable of being that selfish,but this is where he is at fault because it seems that personal gain is far more rewarding that caring for others. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and look at what is occurring and if that doesn't work then more money should be put into the business of caring so people have an incentive to care. In the end I still think that this is a problem that has it's roots deeply embedded in the family,and nuclear families in this country have some issues that need to be worked on.

• The Invisible Heart: Economics and Family Values. New York: The New Press, 2001