The Warm, Happy Marriage: Cold Hard Facts to Consider

A study was done that explored the United States versus other countries with data collected on 18,000 adults in 17 nations. The results offer strong evidence to date in support of the relationship between marital status and happiness. In 16 of the 17 countries, the married people were happier than their single counterparts. They also found that cohabitation, instead of marriage, was associated with less chances of happiness, health, and financial security. All of these studies showed clear evidence that marriage is essential to true happiness and joy. (Successful Marriages & Family)

Movies, more often than not, portray sterile married couples desperate to break free of constraints; Internet confessions boast of the marital liberation; and influential writers like Elizabeth Gilbert offer destructive praise for the institution in their bestsellers. In Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert's journey begins with the emotional escape from  marriage and husband, while her latest bestseller, Committed spends most of its pages excoriating the institution that throughout history, she claims, has destroyed women's freedom.  

Under, "The Benefits", section of this chapter, it is quoted . . . "'Marriage is sexless, boring, and oppressive,' declares the headline of a blogger who goes on to declare that marriage is failing people as an institution (marcotte, 2009, p.i)."

As for being unfulfilled and stifled, married people are generally happier, the studies find, with greater life satisfaction, lower risk for depression, and greater economic stability, all contributing to better mental health. (Scott 2009; Stack & Eshleman, 1998; Wood Goesling & Avellar, 2007) 

Now I want you to ask yourself a question, What makes a good marriage?

According to Gottieb's diverse assortment of experts they said that it is distinguishing "needs" from "wants." I know that if there is something that I just want it usually a lot more worldly and is less important. 

Married couples, even those with lower incomes, report greater financial security and, as a result, have greater access to better housing, food, and services like health care than the never-married, divorced, or widowed. (Stack & Eshleman 1998)

 

"A lasting marriage is the reward, usually of hard work and self sacrifice. We recognize that it is something of great worth, but we are increasingly less willing to put in the hard work and personal sacrifice to get there" (Flanagan) 

"Neverless, most couples today choose to 'test-drive' their relationship by living together before choosing to marry. Young men and women usually move in together without understanding the realities of premarital cohabitation. Couples who live together before marriage have higher rates of divorce and lower levels of marital quality. They report more negative communication in their marriages and have lower levels of marital satisfaction than married couples who did not live together." (Jose, O'Leary& Moyer 2010)