#98 Get Married

 

Is this what we have to look forward to?

It’s 2008, and it seems like marriage is on the decline. Take a look at Hollywood where the divorce rate is between 67 and 70 percent… there are too many people breaking up, and not enough people making up. 

Generally, I think the institution of marriage is failing in the midst of this divorce revolution. But, according to statistics, our national divorce rate per capita has gone down to its lowest rate since 1970. The most troubling statistic, though, is that the divorce rate broken down by age and gender is the highest for men ages 20 to 24 (38.8%). They are closely trailed by women ages 20 to 24 at 36.6%. This statistic pretty much encompasses everyone in my journalism course (excluding Seth, our prof). What does this mean for my generation?

More young people are choosing to cohabitate rather than tie the knot. Now in the generation my mom grew up in, the idea of living with someone of the opposite sex who you are not married to was seen as a little scandalous. To this day, my parents would probably balk at the idea of me living with a boyfriend. But, millennials actually view cohabitation as a legitimate alternative to marriage. Katie Anderson, a 20 year old female, said that “marriage is a smart decision economically, but who knows if I will ever tie the knot. After I get my degree, I won’t need a man to support me like my mom did since she didn’t go to college.” Also, the high rate of divorce is discouraging. Who wants to get married, fight all the time, and then lose half of your stuff after the whole thing is over?

Despite all of these statistics and popular sentiment, marriage seems to remain on the agendas of many 20-24 year old Americans (including one of the onefourfour writers, Laura)! I can remember day dreaming about the dress and the cake and even the groom when I was a little girl. Honestly speaking, I still day dream about these things. There’s something endearing about the thought that my prince charming is out there, and we have the opportunity to make a life together with a car and a dog and a white picket fence (Sadly, only heterosexuals have this right in most areas of the Nation). I want to get married. I want to have kids. I do not want to get divorced. But, we’ll see…

What about you? Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years?