Culture Study Podcast All the Ways We Surveil Motherhood
Jul 30, 2025
Hannah Zeavin, an associate professor at UC Berkeley and author of 'Mother Media: Hot and Cool Parenting in the Twentieth Century,' dives into the complex relationship between motherhood and technology. She explores how surveillance impacts parenting norms, revealing the ethical dilemmas surrounding childcare camera use. Zeavin critiques societal pressures on parents, especially regarding breastfeeding and technology, while discussing historical narratives that drive modern parenting anxieties. Her insights illuminate the intersection of media, psychology, and the evolving dynamics of family life.
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Sci-Fi Shows Tech Replacing Motherhood
- Ray Bradbury's sci-fi story "The Veldt" features a smart home replacing maternal care and a VR playroom controlling children.
- The children become addicted and trap their parents in the VR room, leading to mysterious deaths, reflecting anxieties about tech and caregiving.
Mother as Medium and Media
- Mid-20th-century psychology defined mother as a medium conveying all care exclusively to the child.
- Media technologies like baby monitors emerged to stand in for or aid mothers, reshaping our conceptions of mothering.
Nuclear Family is a Social Construct
- The nuclear family image is a recent social construction, not immutable historically.
- This ideal excludes diverse family forms, yet its pressures have unevenly affected all women regardless of class or race.
