Marriage has been one of the most respected institution until in the recent past when the value that had initially been accorded to marriage started degrading. People see little value in marriage as of now as compared to two to three decades ago, this explains why adults will opt for cohabiting short-term relationships instead of being confined to a long-term marriage setting. The American society is a good example of a society that has witnessed the loss of value of marriage as an institution, some will attribute this to the American culture which is linked with the American dream, a dream that is geared towards an individual’s financial stability and material gains. This dream has killed the value of marriage with most adults seeking financial stability in marriages meaning that the ordained purpose of marriage is sidelined (Cherlin 2). It is therefore with this regard that various researchers and scholars have tried to study the reason behind the degradation of marriage and why we are coming to a conclusion that marriage has lost its value and purpose in the current society.
Thesis: It is incredible how marriages still exist with the current trend in the society where divorces and domestic violence is almost an everyday highlight. Marriage has not only lost its value but also its purpose.
Description of the Problem (II)
Marriage degradation is one of the issues that have been controversial in the recent past. The dignity that was initially accorded to marriage as an ordained institution is no longer there. The issue that this paper intends to address therefore is the degradation of marriage. The degradation has resulted from causes such as the change in reasons why people marry. Some people get into marriages to establish financial stability. Other causes include the legalization of same sex marriages by some countries, cohabitation and child-bearing out of wedlock such as by use of surrogate mothers among other causes. With these reasons the ordained purpose of marriage for procreation has been lost, marriage has lost meaning and this has led to so many adults who have attained the marriage age to shy away from marriage (Wolfinger 16).
The Importance of Action (III)
The reason why this issue should be treated with the attention it deserves is simply because if we are not careful in the near future, marriage will be a thing of the past meaning with the current trend we will find that less people in the future are likely to be interested in marriage. This is why studies are being undertaken by researchers and scholars to try and root out the cause of the degradation in marriage and how to curb this worrying trend. The high divorce rates and the rise in cases of short-term cohabiting relationships which lead to child rearing out of wedlock is also prove of why this issue deserves the attention it has been accorded (Brady 11).
Recommendation (IV and V)
My proposal towards curbing the issue of degradation is simply redefining the meaning of marriage so as to create a proper understanding of the purpose of marriage in adults who have attained the marriage age. The reasons behind this proposal is that the perception many adults who are mature enough to get married and the society at large have in relation to the purpose of marriage has great relation to what is happening to the institution of marriage currently. The perception that marriage is meaningless and that people can do without marriage and still live a normal life is creeping into the minds of both the adults and by extension the society. Changing the negative perception that people tend to have about marriage currently will help revive the degenerating institution of marriage. As depicted in Cherlin’s article “In the Season of Marriage, a Question. Why Bother?” most of the people especially adults who have attained the recommended age for marriage often ask themselves the question why should they bother when statistics indicate that those already in marriages are facing the risk of divorce at a higher rate.
Implementation (VI)
A change from a negative to a positive perception of the society towards marriage will ensure that marriage is appreciated and give the dignity it deserves. The link between the perception being portrayed and the proposal is that the perception that marriage is meaningless in this current society can be erased and replace with a more positive thinking if awareness is created of the importance of marriage in the society. Creation of awareness on the significance of marriage as an institution would aid in the society acknowledging and appreciating the significant role that marriage is playing hence solving the problem of degradation of marriage.
Research has indicated that the best solution to handling any kind of problem is first of all getting a clearer understanding of the problem before initiating measures to contain the problem. The issue of contention that this paper focuses on is the problem of degradation of marriage. As a remedy to this problem therefore, a proper understanding of the what marriage as an institution entails as well as well as the causes of degradation and the probable solutions to the problem.
Opposition (VII)
Other possible ways to tackle this problem include initiating financial and health benefits for married couples so as to encourage adults who have attained the age recommended for marriage to marry so as to get this benefits. This strategy is an application of the fact that most individuals have associated marriages with financial stability hence most of them would consider marriage as the last option after gaining financial stability. However, this remedy does not solve the root cause of the problem which is the change in perception towards marriage.
An application of my proposal on redefining marriage as an institution reinstating meaning and purpose of marriage through the creation of awareness on the role and purpose of marriage is feasible and achievable if there is goodwill from both the implementers and the subjects of the strategy. However, there are those who will argue that creation of awareness will not be enough to handle the problem and that more tangible solutions such as making marriage compulsory (Esteve and Lesthaeghe 13).
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it is evident from the discussion above that marriage has not only lost its value but also its purpose. Marriage as an institution has been ripped of its dignity thus degrading the institution. This therefore demands that measures such as the creation of awareness on the role and significance of marriages be initiated to save the institution.
Works Cited
Cherlin, Andrew J. "In the Season of Marriage, a Question. Why Bother?" The New York Times, [New York], 27 Apr. 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/why-do-people-still-bother-to-marry.html?pagewanted=all. Accessed 15 Feb. 2018.
Esteve, Albert, and Ron J. Lesthaeghe. Cohabitation and Marriage in the Americas: Geo-historical Legacies and New Trends. 2016.
Wolfinger, Nicholas H. Understanding the Divorce Cycle: The Children of Divorce in Their Own Marriages. Cambridge UP, 2005.
Brady, Sally R. A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage. St. Martin's Griffin, 2012.
