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From: features@ihuxf.UUCP (M.A. Zeszutko)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: reasons for getting married
Message-ID: <2224@ihuxf.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 29-May-84 14:05:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxf.2224
Posted: Tue May 29 14:05:14 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jun-84 21:57:15 EDT
References: <931@drupa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 29

Wait a doggone minute!  The historical reasons for getting married were,
for the most part, economic.  I think this probably held true until
sometime in the 19th century.

What people got married for in the dawn of time and what they are getting
married for today may (likely are) quite disparate things.  

I am working on my own economic security.  I don't need to marry for a
home.  I make my own.  Let's see...what would marriage supply that
I don't already have?   
	+companionship  -- well, there's my cats :-)
	+a new name -- that's debatable.  And my friends have worked so
hard to learn this one, it's a shame to change it!
	+sex -- nice girls don't.  :-)
	+love...aha, I think I've got it.

Marrying for love or money are two different things!  If they happen to
coincide, fine, but usually things don't work out that neatly.

What I'm saying is that the *nature* of marriage has changed, and anyone
who comes down with some idea that "This is the way it was, it is,
and ever shall be" is going to have to argue with me.  And I've heard, too,
that because the nature of marriage has changed, the divorce rate went up.
We expect to get so much more out of our relationships than our
grandparents did; it's no wonder they fail more now.  Oh, but when they
work, the results are splendiferous!  And that's why people keep trying.

Mary Ann Zeszutko  AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
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