Aside from religion, why do people get married ?

Question

Okay so im only 17, but the whole idea of marrige totally freaks me out..and somehow I dont think thats gonna change.. I think the wedding would be cool.. and the ring (lol) but just the whole idea of being legally bound to one person for the rest of your whole entire life - pressure much?? wouldnt you just get lazy, knowing your 'married now' and the other person is just gonna be there "forever".. doesnt it stop you trying to impress them? take the excitement away? I dont know if its just me but just knowing i was legally tied to someone would make me bored..

plus id rather know the person was in it for ME, not just cause they couldnt be buggered going through a divorce... not to mention the fact that practically 40% of marriges fail anyway.

I know I probably sound naieve, but i was just wondering.. yea i think too much lol. But honestly if you can have a perfectly good stable relationship without all the legal stuff then why put the pressure on.. ?

Answer 1

Well, there are the obvious reasons such as love, commitment, tradition and religion.

Beyond that, it comes down to money and legal protection of assets for the most part.

- Married couples receive greater tax incentives than singles.

- A married person can carry their spouse on their health insurance,singles can't.

- If one spouse passes away, the other is entitled to survivor's benefits through Social Security.  Singles are not.

- Unless there is a will when someone passes away, all of their assets go to either the state or next of kin.  The live-in can be left with nothing.

- There are laws in place to provide for equitable division of assets if a married couple divorces.  Enforcing such a division when an unmarried couple splits up becomes more difficult.

I'm sure there are tons of other things, but this should give you a general idea.

Answer 2

I agree with you. I have no plans of ever getting married. You can live together and still have all the benefits of a marriage if you file the right paper work  (as an exp. a will).

It's a matter of your spiritual beliefs too.

Answer 3

Somewhere in the lines between and bit and pieces with people you know that are married people want to share their life with someone. Skip some of the points you think are the negative reasons marriages fail. People don't always know what they really want in life, and they think they have the answer. Mistakes happen due to the fact it's a human experience and the human nature blow it big time. Know the person you love real well, and size his behavior as you live it. It's a difficult adjustment to settling down to one person for as long a time as your family. Remember to make that choice wisely and with caring feelings. One can only hope he will do the same. The opportunity of success is about dead even, if the odds are unknown. Much better if you do your homework right.........

Answer 4

Its called Love =)

Answer 5

Regular s*x.  Steady meals.  Clean socks and underwear.

Answer 6

Its all a matter of personal choice.  It comes down to commitment and whether or not you are willing to commit to one person.  Relationships only work if you are willing to commit and communicate.  Without these, the relationship would be doomed.  Not everyone has these qualities in them, therefore, marriage may not be for them.

Answer 7

Some people do it because they are simply scared of being alone for the rest of their life.