Why marry? (podcast)

[EL PRESIDENTE]

http://freakonomics.com/2014/02/13/why-marry-part-1-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

This episode is about all the ways that marriage has changed over the last 50 years. We begin by challenging some of the myths of modern marriage. For instance: does marriage make you happier? Is divorce as common as we think? The discussion then moves on to how the institution of marriage is perceived these days, and to what degree it has outlived its original purpose.
We begin by hearing the voices of people all around the country, talking about why they got married or want to. As you might imagine, their reasoning runs from pure romance (love!) to hardcore pragmatic (a visa, a pregnancy, to conform).

Stephen Dubner spends a lot of time talking with Justin Wolfers, an economist at the University of Michigan and the Brookings Institution. Along with his partner/co-economist Betsey Stevenson, Wolfers has done significant research on marriage, divorce, and family. He explains one dramatic change to marriage over the past half-century — from a factory-style model of “production complementarities,” where the mister went off to work and the missus ran the household, to something very different:

WOLFERS: We’ve moved to what economists would call consumption complementarities. We have more time, more money, and so you want to spend it with someone that you’ll enjoy. So, similar interests and passions. We call this the model of hedonic marriage. But really it’s a lot more familiar than that. This is just economists giving a jargon name to love. So you want someone who’s actually remarkably similar to you or has similar passions that you do. So it fundamentally changes who marries who.

But this new model hasn’t just changed the way marriage looks; it has also changed the numbers. In 1960, two-thirds of all Americans aged 15 and older were married. By 1990, that number had fallen to 58.7 percent. Now? It’s dropped to around 50 percent. Harvard economist Claudia Goldin, who has done extensive research on women’s career and family attainments, tells us what accounts for this drop:

GOLDIN: In the U.S., one group of individuals who eventually marry, marry late. And one group is not marrying — the lower-educated, lower-income Americans are not marrying for lots of different reasons. So I wouldn’t say that marriage is still the institution that it once was.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Marriage is an outdated institution that should not exist. In 200 years, it probably will no longer exist. We're meant to procreate and be slutty, folks.

:MARIS61:

 

[Eastoff]

Aww El Pres is having trouble finding a girlfriend for valentines day? =[

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Aww El Pres is having trouble finding a girlfriend for valentines day? =[

Quite the opposite. Avoiding two currently. Should be a good weekend though.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Yeah, they live in Canada, and they are hot

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Yeah, they live in Canada, and they are hot

:MARIS61:

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

decent first half of the podcast actually. :MARIS61:

 

[maxiep]

Marriage isn't for everyone. In fact, I would encourage anyone who questions the validity of marriage not to do it. For me, however, it's been the best decision of my life.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

They briefly discussed how marriage is much more popular in the US than elsewhere in the world. People marry here younger and more times (via divorces, etc). I think a lot of this is the marketing of marriage and how every girl dreams her whole life about her "dream marriage" and having everything perfect.

 

[santeesioux]

They briefly discussed how marriage is much more popular in the US than elsewhere in the world. People marry here younger and more times (via divorces, etc). I think a lot of this is the marketing of marriage and how every girl dreams her whole life about her "dream marriage" and having everything perfect.

My cousin just married a woman that's been married five!(counting him) times. Hearing shit like that scares me off of the idea until i'm at least in my 30s.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

My cousin just married a woman that's been married five!(counting him) times. Hearing shit like that scares me off of the idea until i'm at least in my 30s.

You need to sow your royal oats.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I saw yesterday on the news that more women are "marrying down". More males have figured out that marriage is a scam, especially earlier in life. Women have an expiration date when they start hitting their 30s, while men just get better like fine wine.

:MARIS61:

http://www.latimes.com/business/mon...g-down-20140212,0,3296715.story#axzz2tFPJ8rzN

 

[santeesioux]

You need to sow your royal oats.

He's one of those gotta be married to stick your penis in her type guys, so that probably doesn't help.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

My theory is that in Oregon, there are very limited options for potential spouses, that's why its easier to get married younger. You don't see yourself leaving there, so you may not find anyone else. When you're in a larger city, there are endless supplies of potential mates, so you're always looking for the bigger better thing.

 

[santeesioux]

My theory is that in Oregon, there are very limited options for potential spouses, that's why its easier to get married younger. You don't see yourself leaving there, so you may not find anyone else. When you're in a larger city, there are endless supplies of potential mates, so you're always looking for the bigger better thing.

That certainly seems to be the case in small towns up here. I can't tell you how many people got knocked up right after high school either.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Want to keep her . . . but a ring on it.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Want to keep her . . . but a ring on it.

If she'll leave simply because she doesn't get a ring, I wouldn't give her one I found in a crackerjack box.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

If she'll leave simply because she doesn't get a ring, I wouldn't give her one I found in a crackerjack box.

Nope. You'll cave. They always cave. :MARIS61:

 

[riverman]

I recommend to any who want to marry, have the financial means to support a marriage and don't be too young. I was mid 30s when I married. There are advantages whether you have issues with the institution or not. I traveled extensively and never thought I'd get married until I met my wife and we've been together 25 years. It's by no means for everyone or necessary, but if you find the right person you'll know and there will be no question. I think when you get my age, you'll appreciate the companionship more than you think you will when you're young.