Marriage

           The majority of people in the American society view marriage as a very important life goal. This goal that people strive to obtain, typically in their 20's, is something that our society puts a great emphasis on at young age. When children are young, they constantly watch television programs and movies that show families that consist of a man, his wife and their children. Many toys are also family based, such as Barbie and Ken, and infant dolls. Young girls are constantly bombarded with movies that show a young woman or a princesse who falls in love with a "handsome" man, and who then has a large wedding. People usually feel that there is an age limit to marriage and that there is a time when a person may be too young to marry, as in the teenager years, and also the age that could be too old to marry, which is usually late 30's and 40's. Because there is an age restriction that society has placed on individuals, people tend to feel like they have to rush marriage and may even place searching for a companion at a higher rank, rather than their own personal success and fulfillment. Society also places different restrictions on both men and women, and this is also seen in different cultures. Women who tend to not marry in their twenties or early thirties are looked down upon by society because some people feel that it is not normal for a woman to want to pursue her own life without establishing a family first. This is a different case with men because when men do not marry, they are seen as "bachelors" who are looking for a suitable mate and companion. Because of these stereotypes of marriage, many people in their twenties constantly search for someone who they feel they can marry and start a family with. This does not always end well because because there is a time limit set upon by society's values, marriage may be rushed and may happen not with the right person which can lead to divorce. 

            Not only is the concept of marriage highly pressured among people growing up, but also the marriage ceremony is sometimes placed with a higher emphasis than the marriage itself. This value of tradition that has been taking place for centuries could now be seen in some instances as the main part of marriage and courtship. We see this in many different forms of pop culture with the huge royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Kim Kardashian wedding, and many others. This tradition of having a large ceremony to publicly show that two people made the commitment to get married has become part of a social status. This makes women want to have a large wedding in order to make themselves known within family and friends that she is furthering her life by becoming a bride. What many people fail to realize is that because so many people put such an emphasis on the marriage ceremony and making it perfect, they usually forget why they are getting married in the first place and half of all marriages end up in a divorce, as in the 72 day Kim Kardashian marriage. If half of these marriages are ending in divorce, then there must be something wrong with the values that govern marriage, and these values have to be redefined in order for more marriages to prosper. If people are getting married because they feel like it is a tradition that they have to follow and that their religion prefers marriage before sexual intercourse, then these divorce rates will continue to be high. If marriage is changed into being something that requires companionship and commitment, and also individual success and not only one person's success out of the couple, then people will start placing a greater importance on making marriages last and accomplish more with their lives. If these values are changes, marriage and the ceremony that accompanies it will not be seen as a merely a social goal that people need to experience and achieve, but a couple's bond that takes time and should not be rushed.