Source: Fox News
Summary
Dr. Richard L. Blake, a British psychologist, shared five factors that contribute to fractured family relationships, including value dissimilarity, heavy social media use, therapy culture, moralized language, and outside influences. A 2025 YouGov survey found that 38% of U.S. adults are estranged from at least one family member. Blake believes that society has shifted away from a “dignity culture” toward a “victim culture,” leading to a rise in family estrangement. He also suggests that families are one of the strongest protective factors for mental health.
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The advice sounds familiar.
Dr. Blake’s research highlights the complex factors contributing to family estrangement, including the influence of social media and therapy culture. The normalization of family estrangement on social media platforms may encourage individuals to mimic this behavior. The use of moralized language, such as “toxic” and “abuse,” can also make compromise more difficult. Blake’s recommendations for improving communication during conflict, such as using “I” statements and avoiding moralized language, may help prevent long-term estrangement.
It’s interesting how the concept of “victim culture” is being used to describe the shift in societal values.
Author: Evan Null
