3 ms·

Maybe because you took a vow to care for each other in sickness and in health.... Marriage is a social contract. Some of the benefits (lower income taxes, pref

• mikekchar 8y ago
  That's a very culturally specific view. In the culture where I was married (Japan) one person (either one) is removed from their existing family registry and inserted in another one. You do it at the city hall and it is entirely composed of paperwork. They even give you a free pen :-) You don't vow anything. What you are responsible for and what benefits you enjoy from being married is very much a product of that culture. In my case, if my wife is ill, I do have to provide for her (Fun fact: in Japan you require your spouse's written permission to get a divorce except in certain circumstances). However, it would not surprise me that some other cultures (perhaps Norway) have different responsibilities. The world is large and "marriage" means different things to different people.