Introduction
Marriage is one of the oldest social institutions, with a long history of formation and transformation. Relationships with others based on mutual love and respect often seem to be one of man’s greatest aspirations. However, recently, the institution of marriage has received more and more criticism, and its ethics have been questioned. Despite this, I am convinced that marriage is not only ethical but also an integral part of a person’s life, contributing to their personal development and self-discovery. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of various aspects of marriage in order to argue for its ethics in modern society.
Pros of Marriage
Companionship and Emotional Support
By nature, humans are social creatures who seek communication and interaction with others. This is necessary for personal development, self-identification, and the formation of emotional intelligence. Moreover, socialization ensures the availability of social support, which helps to cope with severe life crises. Based on this, “marriage is the best answer to the deep human desire for connection and belonging.” Marriage guarantees that you will have a person nearby who will not only be a pleasant conversationalist but who you can rely on in all matters of life.
The best way to understand this assumption is to imagine a modern society where marriage as a concept has been abolished or never existed at all. Such a system assumes that all aspects of life, such as healthcare, financial stability, and self-development, are entrusted to the individual. People do not have the opportunity to come home and share problems at work with their spouses or are forced to take care of themselves in case of illness. In theory, all this is feasible, but in practice, the absence of anyone’s help will significantly slow down a person’s individual progress. Much more sedative is the knowledge that a person has solid support and companionship.
At the same time, marriage does not exclude the possibility of disagreement and differences in worldviews. Moreover, it rather implies these concepts as integral characteristics of the union of two adults. At the same time, Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist, notes that marriage is based on understanding each other’s difficulties and imperfections and solving them together. The confidence that the spouse will remain close regardless of the scale of the quarrel guarantees a person’s emotional stability and creates opportunities for fulfillment in other areas of life.
Social and Cultural Significance
Marriage was conceived as a social construct with a completely logical justification. It is much easier to survive together or as a collective family than alone. This meant clearly dividing the responsibilities of each family member and adhering to a strict structure. Even though marriage has significantly transformed and is not a key factor necessary for survival, its social and cultural significance remains important.
Firstly, the family is a community within a community. It has its own system of values, beliefs, traditions, and culture. To some extent, this is a social guarantee of a person and their stability. Addressing problems collectively is one of the most effective approaches to them.
Secondly, in ineffective relationships based on mutual support and understanding, a person receives more opportunities for professional fulfillment. Brooks notes that a lack of career achievement is far less important to overall happiness and life satisfaction than a lack of a strong marriage. Support and empathy from a partner provide the necessary motivation to achieve goals in other areas. On a global scale, this affects the politics, economy, and social system of the country.
Religious Perspective
The morality of marriage is grounded in a religious context and has supporting arguments from the Bible. Even though in the Holy Scriptures, the importance of marriage was justified primarily by the need to procreate and create children, it can be transformed in accordance with today’s society. In creating man and woman, God decreed, “Shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Although the position in which spouses are considered to be a single entity can be criticized, it is not without common sense. This does not imply restricting each other’s freedom or lack of personal interests.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of unity and having someone who can provide protection and security. 1 Timothy says, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” This verse, in a contemporary context, can be perceived as the importance of creating families to protect one’s own culture and overcome social issues. The adversary is any person who undermines the social system by promoting inequality, discrimination, and oppression. From this perspective, the family is one of the key elements of armor for society.
Cons of Marriage
Freedom and Autonomy
For many, the issue of marriage is inextricably linked with a violation of personal freedom and autonomy. The autonomy of each individual is one of the key concepts in ethics. This is why many young people do not want to tie the knot, as this may threaten to limit their personal space.
However, this problem does not lie in the marriage itself but in the way people treat each other. Pursuing the outdated traditions of the patriarchal system, society often considered women to be objects without opinions or skills. However, today, women and men have equal rights, which makes them equal members of society. Consequently, any disdainful attitude towards a woman in marriage is primarily a violation of her civil rights.
The oppression of women over time has led to significant positive and negative transformations. An obvious positive development has been the feminist movement and the changes it has achieved. However, Candace Owens argues that this has led to women becoming too eager to express their freedom and literally baring themselves to claim their rights. As a result, marriage loses its sacred meaning because men consider women to be easily accessible, and women perceive men as a challenge that they need to overcome.
Another factor that demonstrates the limitation of personal freedom in marriage is the perception of couples in the community. Catron says that for others, the appearance of a person’s partner a priori implies their inseparability. Spouses are rarely invited anywhere alone, and the frequency of communication with others is reduced. As a result of this, relationships, and marriage especially, are considered to be what makes a person give up his life in favor of another person.
Deinstitutionalization of Marriage
Furthermore, marriage as a social system is gradually collapsing and losing its significance. In America today, “only 32 percent believe that marriage is critical to self-fulfillment”. For others, professional development and pursuing a career are more important factors. This is largely due to the historical context and changes that have occurred in society. Improved living conditions and the promotion of equality dealt a major blow to the institution of marriage. Changing the social behavior patterns of people does not lead to development but to deinstitutionalization of marriage. Today, when humanity is experiencing globalization, automation of processes, urbanization, and scientific and technological revolution, it has become much easier to go through the entire path of life alone.
Moreover, many women, due to radical feminist views, deny the need for marriage. Emancipation and gaining independence from men have become the reasons that women do not want to consider the possibilities of their fulfillment as a wife and mothers. At the same time, men remain faithful to patriarchal values, dividing responsibilities in the family into male and female. This adds to the hostility towards marriage among women, who often choose careers over family.
In addition, the nature of marriage has significantly transformed, turning it into a formality. Concluding marriage contracts and the need to re-register documents takes time, which many are not willing to sacrifice. Although formalizing the marriage has potential benefits for both parties, it also has negative aspects. Benefits include financial security and simplified economics for individuals, for example, through tax simplification. However, people’s changing priorities and potential litigation in the event of divorce are stopping people from getting married.
Divorce
Divorce statistics are another factor that raises the question of the ethics of marriage. In 2021, “a total of 689,308 divorces occurred across the 45 U.S. states”. However, these indicators do not mean discouragement of people in romantic relationships. For most, these statistics are indicative of potential paperwork and the need to resolve issues. Jordan Peterson argues that divorce potentially ends in poverty for one of the parties, as well as a decrease in their “market value.” Although the transfer of marriage to the plane of market relations causes ethical considerations, it is justified by the capitalist system on which society is based.
Moreover, statistically, an increase in the number of divorces is associated with major crises. Increased stress factors, including economic instability and unemployment, have a negative impact on spouses’ perceptions of each other. Therefore, the capitalist system leads people to carefully assess risks and analyze various factors before deciding to marry.
Conclusion
Marriage is one of the fundamental principles of building society. However, it is changes in society that influence the perception of this concept and its ethics. Factors such as globalization, the development of market movements, and social movements influence the role of marriage. Therefore, the question of its ethics is not directly related to marriage as a concept but to changes in the forms of social interaction.
Important aspects such as companionship, social security, cultural perspective, and religious justification often prove less compelling to today’s young adults. Nevertheless, it is these factors that shape the ethics of relationships between spouses and should be key in the analysis. Therefore, I believe that marriage, in the form in which it exists in contemporary US society, is an ethical and sacred form of confirming the commitment of partners to each other.
References
Bieber, Christy J. D. 2023. “Revealing Divorce Statistics in 2023.” Forbes. Web.
Brooks, David. 2023. “To Be Happy, Marriage Matters More Than Career.” The New York Times. Web.
Catron, Mandy Len. 2019. “What You Lose When You Gain a Spouse?” The Atlantic. Web.
Cherlin, Andrew J. 2020. “Degrees of change: An assessment of the deinstitutionalization of marriage thesis.” Journal of Marriage and Family 82 (1): 62-80. Web.
Jordan Peterson Fan Channel. 2017. “The Real Reason for Marriage – Prof. Jordan Peterson.” YouTube video. Web.
King James Bible. 2023. Web.
The Roommates. 2021. “Candace Owens Explains the Biggest Problem with Women Today.” YouTube video. Web.
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