The Current State of Marriage

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Marriage is an institution that has always been considered sacrosanct in societies around the world; however, recent trends and statistics indicate that the importance of having a sound and lasting marriage has declined in recent years. The divorce rate in America is currently 50% of all marriages; this means that for every two couples wed, one of those couples will end up separated. (CITATION) The current state of marriage as exemplified in Didion’s essay “Marrying Absurd” and evident in modern society is a direct result of cultural values towards marriage, religious beliefs in relation to marriage, and the ideas today’s society has towards marriage. (CITATION) Such issues, along with financial issues and infidelity, are what cause such high divorce rates in America.

Money is one of the leading causes of divorce. A large percentage of marital stress comes from financial strain; couples that struggle financially are more likely to argue regularly about money, which greatly increases the risk of divorce. (CITATION) On the other side of the spectrum, a couple with financial stability and an abundance of money is just as likely to divorce as the financially struggling couple. When there is enough money to be split equally between the couple, divorce becomes a financially viable option for marriages already on the brink of failure. (CITATION) While finances do play a hand in the general happiness of married people, divorce statistics across time show that divorce rates are independent of the economy. So what else causes irreconcilable differences in marriages?

Infidelity is another concern for the couples of today, seeing as how affairs have become increasingly common as of late, with 50-70% of divorces ending due to infide...

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Guide to Divorce, Laws about Divorce, Divorce Rates, Free Divorce, Divorce

Lawyers & More. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

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Dowd, Casey. "Why So Many Baby Boomers Are Getting Divorced." Foxbusiness.com.

FOXBusiness, 23 June 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

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