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Between 1950 and 2011 the US marriage rate fell "a stunning 66 percent," writes Stephanie Coontz in The New York Times. "If such a decline continued," she adds, "there would be no women getting married by 2043!" One presumes there would be no men getting married either, but that's of course if we're only talking heterosexual marriages. Now that DOMA has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and new states secure marriage rights for all year after year, it's hard to predict precisely how the US marriage rate will be affected in years to come. But the declining marriage rate in the US doesn't tell the whole truth about what's going on with marriage even among straight couples. "People are not giving up on marriage," Coontz says. "They are simply waiting longer to tie the knot. Because the rate of marriage is calculated by the percentage of adult women (over 15) who get married each year, the marriage rate automatically falls as the average age of marriage goes up. In 1960, the majority of women were already married before they could legally have a glass of Champagne at their own wedding."
The article explains what is going on, people are just waiting longer to get married. There is little need to marry someone straight out of high school, only to be potentially divorced in 10-20 years. I am currently getting married at 35yrs old and it is the best decision I could make.
Great news. Young people marry less because they realize how easy it is to cause fight, disagreement and it ends up in divorce.
I have been married for 25 years and think marriage to my wife has been great. She is the best person I have ever met and could never do any better.
If you read the link, it suggests that the numbers are skewed by people simply getting married at a later age. I personally think that males do not fully mature until age 30. Younger marriages result in a higher divorce rate, as people are still "growing" during their 20s and have not fully arrived at "who they are".
People getting married at a later age is a very good trend, as it may decrease the divorce rate.
Before one gets married, you should date quite a few people so that you are SURE that you can spend the rest of your life with your spouse. Every marriage has its "bumps" and arguments, but more mature, financially stable spouses are better able to deal with the problems that can arise in a marriage.
Methinks the OP did not actually read the article. Some excerpts:
"People are not giving up on marriage," Coontz says. "They are simply waiting longer to tie the knot. . . In 1960, the majority of women were already married before they could legally have a glass of Champagne at their own wedding." ***Another interesting marital tidbit: In the 1960s, less-educated and poorer women were more likely to marry than wealthy, educated ones. Today, "Women in the top 15 percent of earners are now more likely to be married than their lower-earning counterparts."
More women are working, more of them are making good salaries and can enjoy independence. They don't have to marry for financial security. When they do, it's for love and companionship. Contrary to the mantra that "two can live as cheaply as one", it's really not so.
Government programs encourage out-of-wedlock children by providing support and aid to single moms. Deadbeat dads get away without assuming responsibility for their offspring. There is neither cultural/societal pressure nor financial pressure to change. There's no need to marry.
The significance of marriage is being marginalized by liberals and by the moral decline of society where "anything goes" is generally accepted, now including same sex marriage. Marriage is a sacrament, and there is no sacrament in same-sex marriage, which is a counterfeit.
Marriage requires a commitment that few are willing to follow through when times get tough, as they will -- that's how life is. Fewer people have the character and moral fiber to make that commitment.
We can expect marriage to continue to erode now that tax-favored sexual perversion is being considered marriage.
You mean married men and women that are into kinky bondage? Sure, that is a bit much for my taste, but not sure what that has to do with eroding marriage.
We can expect marriage to continue to erode now that tax-favored sexual perversion is being considered marriage.
Only people with the critical thinking skills of a pre-schooler can "expect marriage to continue to erode" due to same-sex marriage.
And to be frank, if anyone out there is dissuaded from marriage because "the gays" can get married, then they should also do the next logical step and refrain from breeding as well to improve the gene pool because it's obvious they were dealt less than a full deck, and kids deserve better than to go into life handicapped by dumb parents and bad genetics.
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