skripka:
1. Regardless of what family size is or isn’t representative of, what is your explanation for the huge differences in family sizes between Chareidi and MO families?
And it is certainly representative of materialism; the reason some “choose” a smaller family size, against Hashem’s decree to be fruitful and multiply, is to live a more comfortable life by reducing expenses incurred by having more children.
2. The point about getting drunk was simply a response to another poster’s canard that getting drunk on Shabbos was more prevalent among the more religious. The entire crisis of this vice famously began in the more modern communities.
That being said, I’m very happy to read your report that listening to, respecting and and adhering to the instructions of one’s Rabbi is becoming more normative in the MO communities. Unfortunately this was less the case in the past. May they continue moving in that direction. But what you’re certainly incorrect about is the canard that this is becoming less the case in Chareidi circles. In fact, this remains very much the practice today as it has been traditionally.
3. The only thing the higher tuition rates in MO schools versus Chareidi Yeshivos represents, is increased quantity and quality of secular studies in MO schools. The quantity and quality of Limudei Kodesh has always been, and remains, indisputably on a much higher quality and level in Chareidi Yeshivos; and the resulting quality of Torah knowledge between their students clearly demonstrates this among elementary and high school graduates.
4 and 5. I’ve been down all those avenues. The fact remains that MO communities have proportionally many more fancy homes than found in Flatbush. The material standards of living is higher in MO communities than in Flatbush. That said, I certainly agree with the notion that standards of living in frum communities, in general, have gone way way up over the last 30 years.