For Poorer and For Poorer by Suzy Hansen - Essay Example

‘For Poorer and For Poorer’ - by: Suzy Hansen - Total Number of Words: 451 Q. How does Hansen suggest the economy has affected work roles and family roles? The economy greatly affects the roles of each individual at work and their personal relationship with their family and significant other. There is a domino effect in the performance of U.S. economy, job opportunity, and a good income each family. When the economy is good, more individuals will have the opportunity to find a good paying job.

The money they earn from their job supports their personal bills. Thus, save them from despair of being unable to pay their debts. During economic recession, more companies are implementing cost-saving programs which include mass lay-offs. The huge number of people affected by the mass lay-off adds up to the country’s high unemployment rate. Thus, more individuals lose their job and income. In most cases, a couple’s inability to pay their debts result to a lot of serious self-pity and financial arguments up to the point that these arguments could be strong enough to deteriorate the relationship of the young couples.

Thus, resulting to an increase in the number of divorce. q. How is this situation different from that of the 1990s? During 1990s, U.S. economy was very good and stable. Since it was much easier for newly graduates to find a job, a lot of young couples have gotten married at an early age. Most people could even afford to pay extravagant amount of money for a wedding ceremony. Everything was just flowing smoothly from economy, availability of job opportunity, to a sound relationship between couples as a family.

After the September 11 attack, economic recession was evident. A lot of companies have closed down resulting to a large number of lay-offs all over the country. Financial issues are one of the major causes of delayed nuptials among the young couples. Even if couples are emotionally stable and ready to enter into a lifetime commitment, a lot of them could not afford to do so because of financial restriction. In fact, a lot of American weddings are searching for smaller wedding package deals. Q.

Are there gender differences in what is expected of the men and women in the article? There is no gender difference when it comes to financial stability of each individual. Both men and women are expected to earn money to support the high-cost of living in today’s world. The economic performance of the country changes the old traditional mindset wherein only men are expected to earn money to support the financial needs of the family. This belief is no more applicable in due to a lot of economic factors such as high unemployment rate, economic recession due to terrorism attacks or national calamity, etc.

In case of financial difficulty in the lives of the couples, the partner who is more well off is expected to provide financial support to his / her partner until such time that both could recover from the financial problems both are facing. *** End ***