Changing American Values

For my sitcom I watched "Two and a Half Men".  This show revealed how society's values have changed over the years.  For comparison in class we watched "The Andy Griffith Show."  Family and conformity were the most important values.  The father was deeply involved with his sons life.  He was involved with Opie's school and friends.  While in "Two and a Half Men" the father doesn't try to be involved at all.  When Alan and his son are at the table, his son wants to have a conversation but Alan is too hungover to talk.  

In "The Andy Griffith Show" the kids will conform to stay with the group.  They will sacrifice something due to pressure from others in the group.  In "Two and a Half Men" Alan is wanting to become and individual.  He is sick of conforming to women.  He seeks out help from his brother and starts drinking.  Drinking is an action that we wouldn't expect as a value in the past but now it has become acceptable.