Marriage is a social contract?? Nothing More??

Marriage is the commitment made by two people to bond together... for the better and for the worse... for the rest of their natural life. Whatever reason they have for doing so is irrelevant. Some do it for love, some for having children, some other do it for financial security. The reason marriage has become a joke is because nobody takes that commitment seriously anymore. Nobody wants to make that sort of commitment. They want to retain their freedom to bail out if something better comes around. The woman liberation movement with its equality banner has contributed a lot towards the breakup of marriages. Women feels like they don't have to put up with anything anymore... and just walk out of that commitment. You will find that the people saying that marriage is just "a social contract" comes from people who don't believe in marriage. And most of those people have gone through a divorce or have seen their parents or friends go through a divorce. Anyone who takes marriage seriously for what it is meant to be... should never contemplate the thought of divorce. But this would take you back to the dark ages where women had to put up with all sort of abuse.

Marriage can be define by any one based on their views and experiences. For me,marriage is not just a contract or just a status symbol.It is a lifetime commitment just like being a mother to a child

Marriage is a committment between 2 people. For some couples it is a love match, for others either security or even as a result of their culture. Whatever the reason for the marriage it is up to the couple to work out any issues that might arise. My first marriage was a love match and although it did not last that does not take away from why we married in the first place. Also had we not married, then I would not have my two daughters and grandchildren in my life now. When a marriage breaks down, it is hard for everyone involved and that is regardless of the reason for the breakup. Since that time I have met my life partner. At this time we are not married and that does not worry either of us because we are extremely happy together. At the time we met, we simply got to know each other over a couple of years before we accepted that our life will be together. There are many reasons why we have not married but that does not detract from the love we have for each other. One day we will get married but for ourselves and not because that is what society or anyone else thinks should happen. In some customs marriage might be considered to be a social contract but it is not the case in my country. I would think there is more of a chance for the marriage to be a social contract in instances where the marriage is arranged and the couple simply have no say in the matter.

For me, being married is more than just a contract. My husband is my best friend. I have no secrets from him. We can even finish each others sentances. He is always there when life is difficult and he supports me as I do him. I think marriage is what the two people make of it.

Well, for me, there is something more. It is security. Because you know for yourself that you are the chosen one. And that your partner is really serious in trying to make things work in the end. WE all know the impact of the word marriage when it comes to relationship. It means lifetime relationship. And one thing more is the legality of everything.

What you are saying may be true in many sense.Many people marry for the sake of society ,ie society approval of a relationship.Manymarry for financial security.But one thing is sure without love no marriage can be successful .If the marriage is not based on Love then happiness will not be there.

We married for love. I was in college and my wife was earning minimum wage working full time. We both knew that my career choice was not going to make us wealthy. So we did not marry for financial security, convenience, societal security but for mutual love and bonding.

I think marriage is a social contract, and a way of declaring your relationship before everyone. While I am married, I don't think it is entirely necessary - I think two people can be in love with each other and stay together without getting married.

Having been married for a number of years and then divorced, my view might be slightly biased hun. Personally I would not get married again, to me it is little more than an expensive show for a piece of paper. My partner and I have been together for quite some time now and neither of us feel any need for a piece of paper to say that we love each other and are committed to each other.

I am thinking so.It is a social contract both.When we have kid that will be true.Because we both care for kid.

Hi, melody! I also believe that marriage is a social contract. But it doesn't end there, for most cases people get married because they believe that this is the next level for their relationship to flourish. It's like they graduated from friends to sweethearts, sweethearts to husband and wife. I think, why would you get into a boy-girl relationship if you have no intention of marrying the person if things work out well. So if the marriage sprouted from a loving relationship then the marriage will likely to become successful compared to those who marry for security or because of unplanned pregnancy. Nevertheless, in the present society so many young people fell into the trap of getting married unprepared and so that's the reason why there also a lot of broken marriages. It is so easy to marry but the commitment once you are already married is so hard to maintain specially if love is not enough between the couple. Then comes the children who would take most of the time of the parents...and so parents become more focused in taking care of the kids and they often forget to take care of their relationship as well. Marriage is really quite complicated. Once you enter this vocation, you have an obligation to the community -- that is to raise a healthy and loving environment for the future generation. It is a very big responsibility and this I think is what should be emphasized to the youth so that they not make impulsive decisions to marry and then split up. As for my case, I'm 30 and I'm still single. I believe I am mature enough to think of consequences of getting married and they say that once you have this perception, then you are in the right age to marry. But then, at my age, I've seen a wider perspective of life and I think that there are so much opportunity for me to grow as I am regardless of whether I'm single or married. Marriage can wait. I think there is plenty of time for that. So right now, I am simply enjoying what life has to offer me. I think a lot my friends who are already married are missing the things that I am enjoying now. However, I know that things will not stay this way forever so when the time for me to settle will come, then I shall consider getting married.

No i dont call marriage a social contract. In my country marriage is such an important thing. Marriage means commitment, it is an oath taken by the husband and the wife that they'll be always there for each other at all the happy times and hard times of the life. its a divine relationship. It means love and bond. This is how i look at it.

everyone should take this issue seriously, for this is a start of your new life, since then, you will live with another people and you two need to help each other and care muturely, in other words, you couple must make you to a one people and do not have your own secrets.Though i do not marry yet, the words up is my marriage opinion.

For me I am getting married for love.

Marriage: a social contract. Oh my goodness. I don't believe that at all. Marriage is a decision to commit to a person for the rest of one's life and it's a sign to the rest of the world that a person is no longer able to date or do things they previously done prior to marriage. Since society has become lax in what they set aside for marriage, people see no purpose in it. I think we have as society lost a sense of the beauty of marriage because most people have experimented with everything that use to be reserved only for those who are married.

I think you raised quite a few valid points. A lot of people probably marry to fufill emotional needs, for love, and financial security. Some may also feel pressure to marry as this is a social norm. Two people working together make a stronger social unit - they have each other for emotional and financial support. But this doesn't necesarily mean getting married anymore. A lot of couples are choosing to devote their lives to each other, but not get married. Some view marriage as just a piece of paper.

In my culture,people always say that marriage is not only your pernal thing,but also involved with families. It means when you get married with someone,you family,even all your social ralationships are married with his. Maybe somemarriges are base on financial security or societial security, but it would not happen to be. Becauce only when I get married with someone for true love, I can get a happy marriage. Of course, I will consider his backgroud(moral,security,career,education things) before I fall in love with him.

I don't view marriage that way. When I got married, my mainreason is to binded with my husband legally, morally and spiritually. If it is just a social contract then for sure, i will not get married at all. I'd rather have contracts that will earn me more money that contract that will only bind me socially.

i dont think marriage can give people security, it is just a commitment verified by law, but it could be broken at anytime for any reason. so i think only true love can promise you security,only true love can make marrisge meaningful. when we are preparing marriage, isn't the love be the most importment, or you marry someone else just for security, if so, you would be tired to keep such sense of security.

i totally agree..