What's the point of marriage?

[imthebadguy]

With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

 

[dawks]

It gives people security, much like religion does. However useless or not.

 

[Wallydraigle]

It's what you're supposed to do. I'll have none of it.

 

[Ranger X]

Originally posted by: dawks
It gives people security, much like religion does. However useless or not.

How can you call it security when over half of all marriages end in divorce?

 

[Waylay00]

It's kind of like a driver's license. Sure, many people who don't have a license can drive. It's just an official certification.

 

[miniMUNCH]

If you have no religious belief of a 'holy union' of some sort...marriage is completely and utterly pointless.

I wish more people would just shack up instead of marrying.

 

[Baked]

Don't be hatin' 'cause I'm completely religion free.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
If you have no religious belief of a 'holy union' of some sort...marriage is completely and utterly pointless.

I wish more people would just shack up instead of marrying.

It helps kinship relations by tying groups of people together. Its inherent purpose seems to be to increase the number of social relationships one person has...

Marriage in this loose, anthropological sense is a universal institution.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

Don't also forget, the remarriage rate is very high as well.

 

[OulOat]

Tax breaks.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

1. Financial and emotional security
2. Mechanism for controlling sexuality
3. Love

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

Legal rights to you or your stuff in case of emergencies and death.
*looks at random news channel*
Oh, wait, it really is useless.

 

[db]

What's the point of *not* getting married?
What are you trying to avoid?

 

[KK]

Isn't there something were if you live with someone for an amount of time, you become common law or something like that?

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: db
What's the point of *not* getting married?
What are you trying to avoid?

Effort?

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

Well, if you're a gold digging wh... nevermind.

 

[Kadarin]

It is ceremony that serves cultural purpose (any religious meaning is artificially grafted onto that). It serves to provide "official" recognition of a couple's social status, and society's "blessing" to form a family unit.

 

[db]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: db
What's the point of *not* getting married?
What are you trying to avoid?

Effort?

Exactly. At some point, some people decide that another person *is* worth the effort.

 

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

And out of the 50% of the people who do not divorce, 50% of them are miserable, thus approx only 25% of all those who marry are truly happy.


Marriage is akin to a late night phone call.... you get a ring and then you wake up!

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: KK
Isn't there something were if you live with someone for an amount of time, you become common law or something like that?

yeah...but i think it varies from state to state as to how long the period is, and what not

 

[loic2003]

so your girlfriend doesn't have to have sex with you any more and can screw you over and have half of all your stuff in a few years' time.

 

[OverVolt]

el oh ell!!!!

you don't know!?

It's so that two people can raise teh childrines is a good famileee environmaaaant.

oh em geeeee!!

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy
With nearly 50% of marriages ending in divorce whats the real point of marriage and why get married as opposed to just living with someone....what real difference does that certificate and ring really make?

It gives you a range of legal protections as a couple. If you are in an accident, you're wife/ husband will be your legal guardian and make decisions for you (if you are incompetent to make those decisions). If you weren't married, your parents would make those decisions. Look at what is happening with the Shiavo case. Who do you want making your life and death decisions? If you die suddenly, your possessions will pass automatically to your wife. If you haven't married, your relatives (even those you despised) will be able to go to the court and demand a share of your belongings. Your partner might get nothing. This is one reason why gay people would like to be able to marry. 'We' are sick of our homophobic relatives stealing our stuff when we die. If you are married, you can put your partner on your employer's health plan. Etc.

Then there are the social reasons. It's the done thing. It's a way of publicy stating your committment to each other. Etc.

I think there should be civil partnerhsips or domestic partnerships - with all the same legal protections you get with marriage -- available for people who don't believe in marriage. Or the legal protections associated with marriage should somehow be made available for couples who don't choose to marry.

 

[MAME]

Originally posted by: Ranger X

Originally posted by: dawks
It gives people security, much like religion does. However useless or not.

How can you call it security when over half of all marriages end in divorce?

because while married, you have a less chance of your partner sleeping around

tax breaks is also a good reason

 

[BillyBatson]

well if you are religious you MUST get married it is the whole bond thing
if you are not religious like me then yeah living with someone might look to be the samething but. Even if you put aside tings like joint taxes, car insurance, etc etc there is still a bond thing. A bf gf can just walk away with one another even if living together for 20 years with kids, and though it is true a married couple can do the same it is harder with a legal devorce so some couples actually try harder at the marriage. Also ust for the couple themselves it is a ritual showing others they are TOGETHER and not just dating, there is bond there. It's a mental and social status this really