Deep Thoughts about paper umbrellas

After 3 months in Asia, I have had a lot of time to compare and contrast the cultural differences between Laos and Cambodia and America. In Asia, the hub of the umbrella represents the wise elders that keep the family together by providing spiritual strength and moral guidance. The paper thin material is held together by the spokes which are the family members who each work together to keep the delicate structure of the family together.
Whereas in America....the hub of the umbrella represents the TV set that sends out the messages that the family happily digests and mistakes as spiritual sustenance. The paper thin material is the ever thinning barrier our children have to keep them safe from the harm that lurks on their computer screens, ipods and and cell phones. The spokes separate and divide the families making them even more isolated than ever.
So in the beauty of such a delicate umbrella, I pause to consider if being a member of a westernized culture is protective or isolative. Your comments?