- Joined
- May 22, 2017
Marriage was, in the past, the universal tool to reduce living expenses, increase labor efficiency, and provide for offspring. People got married because it made practical sense. Regardless of any affections, marriage was convenient for all of the parties involved. Men received a homekeeper who would make his domestic life easier and provide him with children. Women received a sizeable income to cover personal and household expenses in addition to the legitimacy of any children in the eyes of the wider society. If anything has disrupted this convenience, it's the emergency of modern household appliances (circa 1960's) that have made the need for a person to dedicate large amounts of time to household chores obsolete, the welfare state subsidizing child rearing expenses and housing for single mothers, and shifting social values permitting bastards to be seen in a less negative view.Marriage was just a standard life goalpost that you go for because its a desirable thing, so that you can have a family. It was never obligation in the modern sense imo thats just deranged. You are obligated to your family if you have one, but you have a family because you wanted it in the first place.
The reason everyone agreed on certain goal posts is because they were based and correct tbh
I'd emphasize that boomers were born during the transitionary time when marriage was shifting from a practical arrangement of convenience to a luxury belief. Today, marriage is still convenient but it's much riskier. No-fault divorce makes the use of marriage as a vehicle to reduce personal cost of living very risky for the wealthier party, who will owe alimony in the event of a divorce. Legitimacy of offspring is increasingly dubious, at least in the US where simply failing to contest infidelity will get you shackled with child support payments for your wife's products of infidelity. And, it's cheaper than ever before to just hire a maid to stop by once a week to do your chores. Marriage is a risk engine now, not a source of security. The generations succeeding the boomers have already watched the boomers' marriages fail as this became apparent. The trouble is that the present system has seen the boomers' failures and decided that the best route forward is to double down on the absurdity that ruined the boomers and continue to make the masses into increasingly isolating niggercattle free of familial obligation and spousal duty.

