The state of matrimony and other unions

[secretlyevil]

news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/y-big-story-state-matrimony-other-unions-203417966.html

North Carolina's Amendment 1 reaffirmed the "defense" of marriage, but for whom are we saving the hallowed institution?

These days, barely half of eligible Americans are yoking themselves to each other, an all-time low. A half century ago, 72% of Americans took marriage vows. The recession, a scapegoat for many societal ills, has been blamed for accelerating these rates, but marriage was already in decline. The way things are going, spouses will be a minority group.

So what does it take to put a ring on it? And will this handwringing stop when the millennials come of age? (Answer: Maybe. Maybe not.)

Japanese newlyweds, a less common breedThe new global singles: The United States isn't the only country with abandoned wedding aisles. Nuptials are passé in Britain. The French don't see the point. New Zealand says the breakdown of the traditional family costs $1 billion a year. In Asia (Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong), women aren't hooking up at all, which drives mothers and demographers crazy, since their aging societies need new blood to keep up the population.

What is marriage: Marriage historically was rooted in financial arrangements. Today's economists describe American mating — in an age when women are becoming as financially independent as men — as "hedonic marriage," based on love and companionship. Other scholars have bandied about models of passionate love, but a generation that may not subscribe to the "living in sin" notion can indulge in lust without marital constraints.

Who's getting married and who's not: People with money and degrees are marrying. Less educated women, with the "least to gain from the modern hedonic marriage," aren't.

Traditional marriage has evolved from a near-universal rite to a luxury for the educated and affluent. ... Americans with a high-school degree or less (who account for 58% of the population) tell researchers they would like to marry, but do not believe they can afford it. Instead, they raise children out of wedlock. Only 6% of children born to college-educated mothers were born outside marriage, according to the National Marriage Project. That compares with 44% of babies born to mothers whose education ended with high school (June 23, 2011, The Economist)

[dylanite]

I hope proboard allows us to like a post in the future. I'd exercise it on Moxie's post above.

[UMaineTeach]

Marriage is too expensive if you want to have kids and are in a low paying job.
If you don't get married you can only claim one income on public assistance applications and you get all of the child tax credit and earned income credits because you can still file single.
Just live with the guy! and if you want to feel more proper, get him to buy you a ring and you can be engaged forever.

[marie427]

May 11, 2012 7:12:31 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

I don't understand why people think marriage is too expensive, yet they have children.

But also, I think they're confusing "getting married" with "paying for a wedding." If you really want to get married, go to City Hall or wherever and do it the Short Short Way ("Do You? Yes. Do You? Yes. Good, you're married, now kiss her."), which also happens to be the Cheap Cheap Way.

ETA: I forgot about the public assistance aspect of all this, but that can't be the reason for everyone to not get married if they really want to get married.