Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Cohabiting: Not Quite The Answer

Couples who cohabit before marriage tend to be less satisfied with their marriages — and more likely to divorce — than couples who do not.  
NYT: The Downside of Cohabiting Before Marriage

5 comments:

san said...

Well, just remember that traditionalists - the kind who do things the old fashioned way and cohabit only after marriage - are also the ones who are likely to just keep on with the grind even after they've lost interest in each other.

People who want to "try before buy" are being practical and smart, but it's also highly likely that smart people will decide to move on when the marital relationship eventually becomes too humdrum.

Does that mean practical-minded people are the downfall of society? Nonsense, it's just that human beings have evolved to want more for themselves, rather than completely sacrificing their personal happiness for social obligations.

Pagan said...

Even after the "try before buy", there are more "returns". The question is: WHY?

Ghost Writer said...

it is an interesting piece in the nyt; I am not against cohabitation on moral grounds (I am all for liberty and individual free will); however, in this matter I am with the traditional way of doing things.

I personally don't understand what 'keep on with the grind' and 'try before buy' mean in terms of marriage. What do people want? All marriage involves compromise - some more than others. Low divorce rates should be a societal goal - it just leads to healthier lives.

However, like I said I am not for moralising - it should be up to individual discretion.

san said...

Inferno, I suppose people are just becoming choosier and increasingly prone to fatigue in relationships.

Pagan said...

So, in your words, San, the 'practical-minded' are choosier and are prone to fatigue while the 'traditionalists' are able to accept and move on. Contradictory, no?