Are you hoping to get that ring by spring? Well, you may not want to hold your breath.
People are waiting longer to get married, which is caused by society’s devaluing of marriage in lieu of economic success and prestige.
“Knot Yet: The Benefits and Costs of Delayed Marriage in America,” a study conducted by the National Marriage Project, explains the growing trend of people getting married later in life. According to this study, in 1980 the average age that women and men were married was 21 and 23.5, respectively. As of 2014, however, these averages have risen to 26.5 for women and 28.5 for men.
This study reports that more people are waiting longer to get married in pursuit of higher education and career stability.
People have been cultured to believe that the best way to be successful is to be alone, and it is not until you have achieved everything that you want to that you should consider “settling down” and getting married.
Marriage has become the life “capstone” instead of a “cornerstone” – it is no longer seen as the foundation of adult life, but rather as the final piece in the puzzle of a successful life.
Society has elevated success and wealth above family and interpersonal relationships altogether.
While it is important to be emotionally mature and financially stable before getting married, it is not necessary to be on Forbes’ list of wealthiest people before even entertaining the idea of marriage.
This breakdown is ultimately part of a bigger moral dilemma. Society has deflated the importance and significance of marriage relationships, and has substituted this traditional view with a much more casual understanding of romantic relationships.
More couples live together before getting married, and it is becoming increasingly common for people not to get married at all, whether or not they have a significant other.
“Knot Yet” also cites that people who wait until their 30s to get married are less likely to experience a fulfilled life and are less likely to develop a sense of familial community.
Both success and relationships are important, but if we are sacrificing fulfillment and community for the sake of success in the workplace and wealth, then it is time to reevaluate our priorities.
While the idea of ring by spring might be antiquated, it is time for us to return to the belief that a ring, and the relationship that it symbolizes, is worth more than climbing the corporate
ladder.
