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Total numbers of divorces have trended down modestly in recent years, but as a percentage of marriages they are still at historic highs. Prior to the 1970s only

Total numbers of divorces have trended down modestly in recent years, but as a percentage of marriages they are still at historic highs. Prior to the 1970s only a low single digit percentage of marriages ended in divorce. It then rose steadily and is something like 50% now. The marriage rate has also declined since the 1970s. Fewer marriages and more divorces have compounded to result in far fewer families per population (at least as families have conventionally been defined) than just two generations ago.

watwut 7y ago
No, divorce rates are going down since 1980 or so. Rates, not just absolute numbers. It peeked sometime after divorces became easier and more socially acceptable. And when women could be trully independent after divorce (her having job makes her less likely to stay when things go wrong.) Another peek was after WWII when quick marriages made before war were failing. Also, single digit divorce stat of 1960 hides a lot of bad relationships with partners that hate each other, abuse each other, domestic violence and where one partner is alcoholic. The divorce there is an improvement. At the time, you effectively had to marry else be discriminated against. Single men were seen as neurotic and thus less promoted in work etc.
- kerkeslager 7y ago
  > No, divorce rates are going down since 1980 or so. Rates, not just absolute numbers. Okay, apatter's claim without citation was bad enough, but if you're going to directly contradict something someone says, link your damn source! I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying nobody wants your opinion on what the stats are, when we can have the stats themselves!
  - watwut 7y ago
    Given that he opposed me first, if direct contradiction is what requires source, he should do it anyway. I literally dis this to very whether I am right: https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-samsung&source=android-browser&q=divorce+rates+over+years https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam...
    - kerkeslager 7y ago
      > Given that he opposed me first, if direct contradiction is what requires source, he should do it anyway. Uh, no, if you're claiming facts, they require sources, always. I only pointed it out when it became absurd that you thought people would accept your word on faith, since it was clear someone already didn't accept your word. > I literally dis this to very whether I am right: https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam.. https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam.... Ah yes, well, you didn't actually verify that very well, because most of the links I found with that search cite the same meaningless "per 1000 people" stat, and the remaining links contradict each other. Also, given the top link is a divorce lawyer trying to sell their services, I'm really not sure which one of those you thought was a credible source. Some of us search on other search engines with other search phrases, so you can't just assume that everyone will find what you found. See, the thing about research, is you have to actually read what you link, or you haven't actually done research. We're all familiar with how to use Google to find sources, but if you want to actually participate in an intelligent debate, you should actually, you know, use Google to find sources, which you have yet to actually do. And it's not clever to tell me to Google it when you didn't actually read what you Googled.
    - alexmingoia 7y ago
      Maybe I’m missing something, but number of divorces per 1,000 people (the “divorce rate”) does not control for marriage. It includes people who don’t get married, which makes the measure meaningless. I did some quick searching but did not find any statistics on divorce as a percentage of married per capita over time.
      - Bombthecat 7y ago
        Luckily Germans like paperwork and statistics: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/76211/umfrage/scheidungsquote-von-1960-bis-2008/ https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/76211/umfrage... Can't speak for US / world. But I assume it's very similar.
        apatters 7y ago

watwut 7y ago

No, divorce rates are going down since 1980 or so. Rates, not just absolute numbers. It peeked sometime after divorces became easier and more socially acceptable. And when women could be trully independent after divorce (her having job makes her less likely to stay when things go wrong.) Another peek was after WWII when quick marriages made before war were failing. Also, single digit divorce stat of 1960 hides a lot of bad relationships with partners that hate each other, abuse each other, domestic violence and where one partner is alcoholic. The divorce there is an improvement. At the time, you effectively had to marry else be discriminated against. Single men were seen as neurotic and thus less promoted in work etc.

kerkeslager 7y ago
> No, divorce rates are going down since 1980 or so. Rates, not just absolute numbers. Okay, apatter's claim without citation was bad enough, but if you're going to directly contradict something someone says, link your damn source! I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying nobody wants your opinion on what the stats are, when we can have the stats themselves!
- watwut 7y ago
  Given that he opposed me first, if direct contradiction is what requires source, he should do it anyway. I literally dis this to very whether I am right: https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-samsung&source=android-browser&q=divorce+rates+over+years https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam...
  - kerkeslager 7y ago
    > Given that he opposed me first, if direct contradiction is what requires source, he should do it anyway. Uh, no, if you're claiming facts, they require sources, always. I only pointed it out when it became absurd that you thought people would accept your word on faith, since it was clear someone already didn't accept your word. > I literally dis this to very whether I am right: https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam.. https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-sam.... Ah yes, well, you didn't actually verify that very well, because most of the links I found with that search cite the same meaningless "per 1000 people" stat, and the remaining links contradict each other. Also, given the top link is a divorce lawyer trying to sell their services, I'm really not sure which one of those you thought was a credible source. Some of us search on other search engines with other search phrases, so you can't just assume that everyone will find what you found. See, the thing about research, is you have to actually read what you link, or you haven't actually done research. We're all familiar with how to use Google to find sources, but if you want to actually participate in an intelligent debate, you should actually, you know, use Google to find sources, which you have yet to actually do. And it's not clever to tell me to Google it when you didn't actually read what you Googled.
  - alexmingoia 7y ago
    Maybe I’m missing something, but number of divorces per 1,000 people (the “divorce rate”) does not control for marriage. It includes people who don’t get married, which makes the measure meaningless. I did some quick searching but did not find any statistics on divorce as a percentage of married per capita over time.
    - Bombthecat 7y ago
      Luckily Germans like paperwork and statistics: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/76211/umfrage/scheidungsquote-von-1960-bis-2008/ https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/76211/umfrage... Can't speak for US / world. But I assume it's very similar.
      - apatters 7y ago