Agree or disagree: Nowadays it is not important for people to have regularly family meals together. Having meals are definitely one of the most important activities in our lives, because it is not only about filling the belly, but also a chance to interact and connect with other people. Different people from different time period may vary in their choosing of eating companion. Notably, people used to prefer having family meals regularly in the dining room in their home, while nowadays they are more likely to ask a friend out to a restaurant. This trend is becoming more and more clear and I think it is mainly caused by the shift in the center of socialization from home to workplaces. In the past, people used to relay on their family members to provide resources and connections in society. If you come from a family of scientists, then you are most likely to grow up interacting with professors, scholars and even astronauts. Naturally, you would hang out in places like libraries and labs, and would pick up knowledge in that area more than others like someone whose family are in the industrial business. It is safe to say that in the old days, family was one’s access port to society. When having meals together, family members would exchange their information about events that have happened and people they have met. It is important for everyone to gather around a table and bound with each other, because a family is a group of people that share a common interest and look after each other when in trouble in society. But ever since the Industrial Evolution, this pattern has been broken. With the invention of machines that can produce far more effectively, people start to work in factories instead of their own home. This means one can make a living for himself if he has the knowledge of operating certain machine. This kind of knowledge is not necessarily attached to certain family but is instead open in the society for everyone who’s willing to learn. Under this circumstance, it is not surprising at all that people stopped dining with their family. After all, with friends made in workplace, one has more immediate access to the latest news about business. (Continue in the picture...) (Sorry, it's a bit long, thanks a lot~~)