In your opinion, is marriage a failed institution?
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Welcome English 203! We will be blogging on this blog. I hope you enjoy this experience and sharing your ideas. This should be fun and not a chore so please enjoy the writing. I will occasionally give feedback to different people but please don't expect feedback every time. You are, however, required to give each other feedback and to talk about what we are discussing. The links to your classmates' blogs will be posted below as I receive the links. Blog Away! Zane Sinno Name Link to blog Section 42 Soheila Shourbaji https://soheilas.blogspot.com/ Mazen Abou Chaar https://mazenabouchaar.blogspot.com/ Tatiana Baloukji https://tatianasblog986.wordpress.com/ Reem Abou Diwan https://reemaboudiwan.wordpress.com Jenna Arbid https://jenna203.blogspot.com/ Elissa Jaroudi http://alyssajaroudi.blogspot.com/2017/11/academic-english.html?m=1 Joud Abou ...
I don’t really know. I believe we should look at animals to answer questions like these. Some species are monogamous and die quickly after their partner dies, but others don’t settle in monogamous relationships in order to spread their genetic material.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, I think that animals have very similar social structures to ours, especially monkeys. However, we are supposed to be more advanced so does what applies to them apply to us? And yes the purpose of marriage is not procreation..... That being said. Is the marriage institution dead?
DeleteI really don't think we can compare ourselves to animals because although we may share several characteristics, marriage isn't one of them. What marriage was built on among humans doesn't apply on animals. Animals may "love" or "breed" but they have no understanding of marriage.
Deletehttp://bigthink.com/search?utf8=✓&q=monogamy
DeleteIn my opinion, I think it really is polarized where it is dead or alive variously. I think Marriage is still alive and an ongoing declaration of love whether it was homosexual(in certain countries) or heterosexual. True love does exist and marriage is the tool to solidify it. On the other hand, it might also be what fuels the destruction of lives because in some cases, it is enforced rather than going for it from the heart.
ReplyDeleteSomepeople believe marriage kills love.... waht do you think?
DeleteI don't agree at all, first because this is too general. Second, I believe that some marriages nourish love blossming into a developed bond IN SOME RELATIONSHIPS
DeleteAgain, marriage is a very broad concept having multiple angles, viewpoints, and situations depending on the actual people, their surroundings, way of thinking(religion), and state of love.
I agree that we cannot really label marriage as failing or not. It's relative and mainly depends on the couple and how they deal with their hardships. But we cannot also neglect how most people go into marriage without thinking of what it actually takes. I think that a married couple should stop every while to ask themselves and each other, are we happy? and if not, what can we do about it? In this case, the relation would be more dynamic and insightful.
Delete@samirsabbah most of the youngsters prior marriage bilieve that love lasts throughout marriage but, in contrary it doesn't. Marriage almost kill love or "prior marriage-love" but is it a failing institution then my answer is know because with great power comes great responsibility!!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, marriage is a wonderful bond unless the two partners divorce. The problem is that legalizing marriage means every marriage should last forever; so this assumes that everyone can and should find his soul mate, which is false. That’s why marriage is a dead institution.
ReplyDelete#Jonathan:
DeleteI agree to what Christophe is saying. However, I would like add that it is a failing institution due to the problem of social pressures on the marriage itself, as well as, the expectations from the partners in the marriage.
In my opinion, no marriage is not a dead instuistion. If it were less people would be willing to sign up to something so final. This is due to the fact thar, the relationship of husband and wife cannot be replicated anywhere else. Economically, the couple is given a tax break and support if the couple seperates. Emotionally, the couple is able to gain a life long partner. They are able to grow and face challenges together. This idea is why the institution is not dead.
ReplyDeletemarriage is not stable these days, nor is it a dead institution, it is rather changing. Marriage is fluctuating in a way that adapts to the society's needs; for example, homosexual marriage is now expanding worldwide, and the concept of marriage has to adapt to that. The same goes to people who have jobs; back then, people did not have jobs, they used to live from agriculture mostly, and marriage was different from now where most people have full time jobs, so marriage has to adapt to that.
ReplyDeleteThe writer stated that marriage is failing because it has outgrown its original purpose. And as you said, the solution is to adapt marriage's purpose to today's society. Great idea!
DeleteI think Marriage is more than a paper and a promise of "happily ever after". Marriage is not just divorce and conlicts. Marriage it is a long path , i think after a few years of marriage it is not just about love and other feelings are involved,respect ,compromise, and commitment. People who don't intend to go through marriage and grow through will back out and give up and consider it like a failure. In my opinion marriage is much more than an institution, much more than a failure. We should try to look at all the great marriages instead of the catastrophes.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, marriage is not a dead institution since it remains a “highly celebrated” element of our lives (Stevens, 2016, para. 1). However, its importance has to be reconsidered since it has many pitfalls such as the enforcement of gender roles and the many responsabilities that make a love and connections rather short-lived.
ReplyDeleteMarrige is a commitment that is chased by many. It can be a way to reach stability and have company. It can also bring happiness and peace. However, it can sometimes lead to unwanted consequences. For example a married couple can fight on a regular basis or not be right for each other. Moreover, marrige is an illusion of a "happy ever after" whereas love can eventually fade with time. Therefore marrige can be successful or not depending on the couple.
ReplyDeleteWhat people fail to realise is that the intense passionate love experienced initially by couples doesn't last throughout marriage. Most people mistake this loss of passion for the loss of love. Marriage is not just about this passion. Love through marriage can be exhibited through the stability, security comfort shared between the two spouses throughout the course of their lives. It can also be reflected through the shared love for the offspring produced by the couple. Divorce rate are mainly on a rise because couples are no longer satisfied with this steady expression of emotion. They mourn the loss of passionate love or lust for this passion elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThose are really good points! The writer was kind of shallow in her approach because she used statistics as her main argument, but numbers are not always reflective of the truth.
DeleteYes, marriage is progressing to a failing direction, since nowadays it is hard to be commited to a person for the rest of your life if the couple are not ready for it. For the mindset of the current generation to be ready to be committed for the rest of their life with someone, its a rare case. But if they are ready and able to stay commited to this marriage then its a wonderful thing. Remember, marriage is just a written agreement.
ReplyDeleteAlthough marriages have decreased in the past few years,and the divorce rates are currently increasing,I don't personally believe that marriages are a dead institution.Since only the genuine marriages survive,it would still be a conquering institution,with some of its couples lasting forever.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that marriage is a dead institution because nowadays and especially in western cultures, it is more likely that two persons in a relationship will co-live in the same house and have kids without being married. However this is relative depending on the cultural and ethnic background of those two persons and the country they live in. Marriage is gradually becoming words on a sheet of paper, a meaningless contract that does not reflect any feelings and emotional commitment.
ReplyDeleteWhat about in the Middle East?
DeleteThe success of marriage depends on the couple, their perception of marriage and their readiness. A good way to avoid a failed marriage is to read some novels about midlife crises and failed marriages. Maybe you'll avoid marriage all together.
ReplyDeleteSoheila, I think there is much value in what you imply by readiness: emotional, personal, etc... You can't get married without being really ready for the challenge, because it is a challenge.
DeleteA big, lifelong one!
DeleteMarriage is neither successful nor a failure. A lot of marriages end in divorce, as depicted in the text but a lot don't as well. The text indicates that 70% of marriages in Belgium and 50% of marriages in the USA fail. However, in other countries, especially in Eastern cultures, divorce rates don't exceed 5%. In part, this is due to certain poltical and cultural pressures that make divorcing a spouse a more difficult process. However, that doesn't eliminate the preposition that a lot of people living in these cultures are actually happy with their marital status.
ReplyDeleteIt increased by 55% in Lebanon recently. I guess that is because women are freer from the social pressures.
DeleteMarriage that is based on love, respect, and loyalty is a method to solidify the love that exists between two people and to assure that they are totally devoted to each other and responsible in their decision and willing to hold on to each other in all cases whether bad or good. I believe it is the proof that these people are totally responsible and convinced about their choice and are willing to nurture this love and loyalty till the end and build an institution "family" and devote their lives to the success and continuity of this institution and love.
ReplyDelete#Mohsen El Husseini: marriage is a cherished concept in every religion, it is based on love, respect, loyalty and affection and if it is not build on those basis it would eventually fail
ReplyDeleteI think marriage had potential to be a beautiful union between two people. However, these days the idea of marriage has transferred to a compilation of issues and struggle to compromise.
ReplyDeleteMarriage based on love is replacing traditional marriage, and if the marriage is initially built on love, so I don't really think that it is a failed institution if two people are completely devoted to each other. It is a union of two people who decided in a mature way to share their everyday life.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is more whether with the passing of years it remains a union of love or a tight prison.
Deletesome marriages are like that and many people don't take it seriously. for example, in our culture some people believe in "zawej mot3a" which means that they marry just to have fun with each other and go all the way with one another "legally". however many also still believe in love and marriage and that's what we all should believe in
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that marriage shouldn't only be based on legal sexual benefits. As you said, it should rather be based on the willingness of reproduction in order to build a family and the coping with one another to surpass any obstacles they face.
DeleteNo, in my personal opinion the institution of marriage is growing rather than appealing to a dying concept. Marriage today is based more on the foundations of love and romance rather than the need for a partner with regards to social and financial reasons, and that is exactly what marriage should be all about. The union of two people in the hopes of creating an environment of care and love for others.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of marriage has indeed changed over the years, yet a person's feelings are a in a constant state of change, which makes us think that perhaps, after several years, love would decrease or vanish, and the family would become forced to stay together due to social pressure (as an example). Such cases are like a dungen to the partner who is forced to stay and maintain the integrity and the name of the family.
Delete#mohammad . Marriage can be defined as the legal contract between two individuals that creates kinship . Before , marriage was about social stability and security where one of the couple was economically or emotionally dependent on the other so both couples are more likely to stay together . However nowadays women in general are more independent and are seeking romantic love , therefore the norm that marriage is about stability is abolished now and in this sense that is why we are witnessing an increase in the phenomenon of cohabitation which is now considered as a substitute to marriage . Due to these reasons in addition to the fact that the power dynamics has changed among males and females where both are equal now , the divorce rate is increasing making the marriage as a failing social institution .
ReplyDeleteMarriage is a failing institution. However the reason behind the failure of marriage is not marriage itself but the economical and educational development that made individuals independent and do not want to get stuck in a single relationship all their life
ReplyDeletein my opinion, I think that marriage is by no means a failed institution. instead, I think that the fact it is due to 'wrong management' of that institution. as said in class, people put very high expectations of what it will be; extreme loyalty and devotion, tender care, and constant love. however that love would finally fade and that in turn gives a lot of disappointment which leads to divorce. a simple solution to that would be having realistic expectations.
ReplyDelete#Nadim In my opinion I think that since marriage has been important for such a long time it can not be disregarded and just stoped like this. But I do think that marriage has changed and that the institution on marriage has changed, today we believe in this fairy tale and ideal marriage, but in reality it is very hard and complicated to achieve this. So sometimes when people don’t find thud ideal and perfect marriage they just divorce instead of trying to fix or figure out things. Unlike before when people tried to fix things that didnt work out in their realtionship or marriage
ReplyDeleteMarriage has been around for a while but today the very idea of marriage has changed. Marriage is being seen as a means to reach a certain happiness that can, many believe, only be reached through marriage. That is the main reason for the failure of marriage since many people get disappointed with the fact that marriage is just like anything else in life, it needs work: getting married won't necessarily make you love your partner forever or the other way around. In that way, I believe that marriage is dying but I wouldn't say it's already dead because many do find happiness in marriage but temporary happiness, because this is life and there are always going to be ups and downs.
ReplyDelete#NaghamAssaf: we go into marriage having really high expectations, we say through thick and thin but we are not really ready to be there for thick and thin. We expect unicorns and fairytales, these expectations cloud our judgment and push us to jump at the first opportunity. So marriage is a partially failed institution and it is our fault.
ReplyDelete#Elias_ElTayar
ReplyDeleteUpon discussing the success or the failure of marriage, one must not only consider the relationship between the couple (which could be positive, leading to the dedication to "death do us part", or negative, which might lead to divorce). However, it's vital to focus on the importance of marriage concerning family construction. Nowadays, kids born without both parents are more prone to emotional instability and less self-esteem. As a result, marriage enforces better societal construction and stability. In that manner, which is the most important, marriage is of much importance, and its success is crucial.
But kids, in many countries, can still be born in a family with 2 parents that may or may not be married and still love each other and their kids sometimes even more than a married couple.
Delete#charbel abi nehme
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, marriage is a holy thing which is not only defined by a contact on a paper or else it would definitely lead to its failure especially nowadays with the change in mentality and the problem faced by each family.
If we address this issue, it is not necessarily about determining whether or not the marriage know as an institution is failing, or if marriage in itself is lessening/declining in emotional value. Engaging in such arrangements have exceeded beyond economic and beneficial outcomes. The purpose of marriage becoming an emotional arrangement, likely emerges from the human nature of constantly seeking love ans companionship. In a world where marriage is not needed to be successful in life, this simply acts as an additional contributor to one’s happiness. Is it so wrong to seek happiness through companionship? Stressing that the institution is solely based on emotional relations, and the awareness in this regard, might be the solution one is seeking in order to prevent increasing divorce rates. We are enabled to find happiness in the simple act of sharing a life and a last name. Letting the romance live, in spite of hard times, may stand as a great participator to in achieving joy and life worth.
ReplyDeleteWhen the term “morality” is said, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you think that morality is something that we acquire with time? Is it a a concept that has a fixed definition?
ReplyDeleteI consider "morality" as being our ability to distinguish what is "right" from what is "wrong". In my opinion, this is something we are taught by the society and not something which is born with us. Nonetheless, it is a very broad term that can be defined differently depending on the person.
DeleteI believe that the question should not be whether marriage is a failed institution or not, but if marriage is part of the priorities of the people in the 21st century. For instance, in the past decade, woman employment has increased dramatically compared to the situation of most females before the years 2000. Thus, marriage is no longer their priority and they often don't have time to raise children and build a family. Therefore, it is very common nowadays for women and men to be single and live alone since they now have other alternatives replacing marriage.
ReplyDeleteWe can't tell in general whether marriage is a failed institution or not, because it depends. Also, over years women became more independent and marriage became based on love. But still there is child marriage which is mainly for stabilization in the economical situation in the shadow of lack of education in some societies, and I think this kind of marriage might be considered as a failed institution.
ReplyDeleteif one thinks why people marry he will definitely wont find a direct answer due to the various reasons many people have. I think that marriage is a way to find someone to support you in your life and if you chose the wrong person marriage will turn into a failing institution, so the cases differ but I believe that marriage can turn into a wonderful thing if couples shared the same emotion and supported each other
ReplyDeleteI personally think marriage is on its way to become a failing institution, because the we have lost sight of what marriage is actually for, as notions like compromise and respect have been ditched for the holy grail of self-fulfillment and happiness, is not new. My point can be proved with all the statistics being made that show the exponential growth of divorce rates over time.
ReplyDeleteOf course marriage is not a failing institution. People get married because they want to build a happy family and to enjoy life together. So for those people it's not like that, it is like that for some people who get married to someone they don't have feeling for; so eventually thinks will not work out. So we can say that marriage is a failing institution only for the people who don't pick the partner they love.
ReplyDelete