4 ms·
You seem to be describing a committed relationship? For me the significant markers of committed relationships were first moving in together, then perhaps buyin
by laurencerowe 3y ago
You seem to be describing a committed relationship?
For me the significant markers of committed relationships were first moving in together, then perhaps buying a home together (in those places where that was still affordable), and then for those that wanted them and by far the most important having children together.
Many of my friends and family have gotten married along the way too but it never felt like a big deal because by the point they got married they'd already been together for several years. It was a nice opportunity for a celebration! But having children together seems the far greater commitment. Marriages may end but even if you split up you'll still be parents together.
I grew up in a far less religious society than the US so maybe this just reflects a different cultural background. The US has always been more religious than Europe while also having far higher rates of teen births and children living in single parent households. But US rates of religious identification and teen births have both been falling rapidly over the past couple of decades.
- EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK 3y agoMarriage, apart from a nice opportunity of celebration, is a legal contract.
- n4r9 3y agoIn my experience the legal nature of it is not what encourages one to get outside of oneself, as the original reply describes.
- Veen 3y agoIt's also, and perhaps primarily, a vow.
- WastingMyTime89 3y agoExtremely American way of looking at it. Here in France most of my friends have been in committed relationships and living together for years, some have children, only one couple is married. Marriage is an holdover from a time far removed which is both utterly useless and slightly paternalistic.
- Veen 3y agoI’m not American, thank you. Also, there were almost a quarter of a million marriages in France in 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/464239/total-number-marriages-france/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/464239/total-number-marr...
- orhmeh09 3y agoI think your view is an extremely Western way of looking at it. Maybe examine attitudes in India for example. Also Indonesia and many others; possibly a supermajority of people in the world, even.
- pjmlp 3y agoIn some European countries you can have that contract without marriage as such.