Social norms make marriage unnecessary in modern society

Oct. 22, 2012

Samantha Morley

Marriage isn’t necessary anymore.

For much of recorded history, marriage has been an agreement between a man and a woman as a means of social survival. In order to acceptably produce children and obtain status, a man would marry a woman.

The woman would in turn marry a man in order to survive both socially and financially. Since women rarely worked, the men were expected to provide money for basic needs. For the most part, this is not the case for people anymore.

A couple generations ago, women were stay-at-home mothers who welcomed back their husbands from long, hard days of work.

As society has progressed, women have been given the opportunity to make a name for themselves, both in the workplace and society in general.

This eliminates the societal need and desire for getting married. Women can earn their own money and hire others to take care of their children during their workday.

Now it appears to be that marriage has become more of a sacred and emotional agreement. People are marrying for the sake of having a partner to be emotional with – so no one feels lonely.

However, in 2010, Time Magazinewrote an article disputing that notion about marriage, stating that “what we found is that marriage, whatever its social, spiritual or symbolic appeal, is in purely practical terms just not as necessary as it used to be.”

Sexual relationships, success in the workforce and children can all be had outside of marriage while still being acceptable by the majority of society.

In regards to parenting, one out of four children is born into a single-parent family. America has the highest rate of single-parent births than any other developed country in the world.

The percentage rises every year. Out of these families, most of the parents are employed in stable jobs and provide for their children.

Being a single parent, while difficult, is not as impossible as it used to be. Single fathers and mothers receive discounts, tax write-offs and other benefits to assist them in raising children.

Though being single can have many benefits, marriage is not bad by any means. If two people want to get married and can make it work, they should get married. Marriage can be a wonderful and rewarding commitment.

About seven percent of undergraduate college students are married. The number rises as the age goes up. The older the student, the more likely they are to be married. Many of those couples are happy and remain together.

However, the fact is that marriage is just not as necessary in modern society as it was in past times. Women do not need to rely on men in order to survive. Women can get jobs.

Both genders can work as partners rather than playing the provider and dependent roles. Both men and women have a choice now.