In an age where “glow-up” culture extends beyond personal aesthetics to entire nations, many societies are rushing to join the ranks of the “developed.” Skyscrapers rise, tech hubs boom, and GDP graphs shoot upward—but behind this shiny façade lies a quieter collapse.
Family bonds are fraying, marriages are dissolving, and young people are drowning in anxiety, identity crises, and emotional detachment. This tension begs the question: Are we actually progressing, or just getting better at hiding our brokenness?
We’ve been sold a version of development that prioritizes output over intimacy, screens over conversations, and independence over interdependence. The irony is stark: even as the economy grows, the human spirit is shrinking.
There’s no doubt, therefore, that the health of nations begins not in boardrooms or tech labs, but in living rooms and dinner tables. When marriage and family falter, no social safety net—no matter how advanced—can substitute for the human touch, moral guidance, and generational stability those institutions provide.
And yet, many societies—especially in the developing world—are sprinting after this Western model of ‘progress,’ even as its cracks become too large to ignore. True development isn’t just about high-speed internet or a rising stock market.
It’s about whether children feel safe, whether parents stay present, and whether love, responsibility, and virtue are passed down like treasured heirlooms. If we forget this, we may wake up one day wealthy but empty—digitalized but dehumanized.
If our public spaces are expanding while our private lives are imploding, then it’s time to rethink what true development really entails. Beneath the crumbling emotional infrastructure of many modern societies lies a missing cornerstone: the family.
To move forward, we must revisit what has long been known but often ignored—the foundational role of marriage and family in holding a society together.
Marriage and Family: The Foundational Pillars of a Sustainable Society
The word “basic” denotes something “forming an essential foundation; fundamental” (Concise Oxford Dictionary). Just as a physical building requires a solid, well-engineered foundation to remain stable and resilient against natural forces, so too does a society require a solid foundation to remain cohesive, progressive, and humane.
In this analogy, the family functions as that foundational structure. Sociologist Brigitte Berger observed, “The family is the original department of health, education, and welfare”—underscoring its centrality to human development and societal well-being. Without the family, there is no sustainable society. And at the core of the family lies marriage, which has historically served as the primary institution through which social, emotional, and economic stability is transferred across generations.
Studies consistently affirm that children raised in stable, two-parent households perform better across multiple indices. The Brookings Institution notes: “Children raised in stable married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, and are less likely to be poor.” While some families succeed outside the bounds of traditional marriage—particularly in cases of bereavement or divorce—research from Princeton sociologist Sara McLanahan found that “children growing up with only one biological parent are more likely to experience a variety of negative outcomes, including lower educational attainment, higher rates of teen pregnancy, and more behavioral issues.” Thus, while exceptions exist, marriage continues to be a strong predictor of family and societal health.
However, modern development models—often driven by market logic, urbanization, and individualistic ideologies—have placed increasing pressure on traditional family structures. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs reports that “family structures are undergoing rapid transformation,” and warns that weakening family bonds have contributed to rising mental health issues, youth disorientation, and social fragmentation. As the family is de-centered in favor of personal autonomy and economic mobility, many societies face a silent crisis of cohesion and meaning. The renowned scholar Allan C. Carlson argues, “The greatest threat to human liberty is not the loss of markets or political representation—it is the collapse of the family.”
To truly understand development, therefore, we must look beyond GDP and infrastructure to the health of marriages and families. Sustainable societies cannot be built on shaky moral or relational ground. As Pope John Paul II once stated: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” If we are to secure the future of society, then reinforcing the foundations—marriage and family—must be prioritized alongside economic and technological advancement.
But even as the evidence affirms the family’s importance, cultural narratives and modern lifestyles continue to pull it apart. Instead of leaning into timeless truths, many families now grasp at trendy solutions and quick fixes that often complicate rather than heal. This move toward complexity reflects a deeper spiritual disconnection that no economic success can compensate for.
The Pursuit of Complexity: How Modern Families Are Sewing Fig Leaves
“This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.” — Ecclesiastes 7:29, Good News Bible.
This ancient truth captures the spiritual and social dilemma of our times. In the Genesis account, the simplicity and innocence of the first marriage—Adam and Eve—reflects a divine design rooted in harmony, purpose, and transparency. “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25, NIV).
This simplicity was not naïve but intentional—a state of vulnerability wrapped in mutual trust, under the covering of divine wisdom. However, the moment humans chose autonomy over obedience, they fell into complexity. Their first instinct was to cover themselves—not with God’s provision—but with hastily sewn fig leaves (Genesis 3:7). That image still resonates today as a metaphor for how modern families try to fix spiritual and moral disconnection with material solutions.
Renowned family sociologist David Popenoe notes, “The weakening of the family structure is the most serious domestic problem America faces” (Life Without Father, 1996). In a world that values independence and consumerism, many families have abandoned foundational values for what seems pragmatic or trendy.
The fig leaves of our time are oversized mortgages, luxury lifestyles, relentless career pursuits, or tech-saturated parenting—all outward signs of stability, yet inwardly lacking true covering. The late philosopher and theologian Dallas Willard described this turn as “the human tendency to try to solve spiritual problems with technical solutions” (The Divine Conspiracy, 1998). In doing so, families have turned away from divine simplicity toward self-made complexities that promise happiness but deliver disillusionment.
Organizations like the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) consistently report that material prosperity alone cannot ensure well-being. In fact, IFS research highlights that “strong, stable families are the bedrock of flourishing societies,” and family breakdown is closely tied to poverty, poor mental health, and educational underachievement (IFS, 2020).
The modern race toward individualism and economic self-sufficiency has caused many to neglect the spiritual and emotional anchors that once held families together. In the pursuit of success, we have often traded simplicity for sophistication and intimacy for independence—fig leaves that cannot withstand the storms of life.
Ultimately, returning to the wisdom of our Creator is not a call to regress but to reset. As G.K. Chesterton wisely said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” In restoring simplicity and divine guidance in marriage and family life, we find not just a better way—but the original way, rooted in truth, love, and enduring strength.
The tragedy is not merely that families are under strain, but that societies keep reinforcing the very systems that weaken them. Our pursuit of progress has become a self-defeating race—one that measures success by material output while ignoring the slow erosion of our most vital social units. In chasing prosperity, we’ve planted seeds that now yield bitter fruit.
We’ve mastered the art of looking successful—booming economies, smart cities, global brands. But beneath the metrics and milestones, a deeper fracture threatens to undo it all. As families unravel and emotional disconnection rises, are we truly developing—or just disguising our decay with glittering statistics?
In part two, we peel back the polished veneer of modern progress to confront an uncomfortable truth: without strong families, sustainable development is a myth. What if the real crisis isn’t economic, but relational? And what if the most revolutionary act in this century isn’t building faster tech—but rebuilding the home?
Please let’s interact: +1 (914) 259-0242
The author is a dynamic entrepreneur and the Founder and Group CEO of Groupe Soleil Vision, made up of Soleil Consults (US), LLC, NubianBiz.com and Soleil Publications. He has an extensive background In Strategy, Management, Entrepreneurship, Premium Audit Advisory, And Web Consulting. With professional experiences spanning both Ghana and the United States, Jules has developed a reputation as a thought leader in fields such as corporate governance, leadership, e-commerce, and customer service. His publications explore a variety of topics, including economics, information technology, marketing and branding, making him a prominent voice in discussions on development and business innovation across Africa. Through NubianBiz.com, he actively champions intra-African trade and technology-driven growth to empower SMEs across the continent.
