Marriage versus living together - Essay Example

Marriage versus living together Thesis ment: living together- a supplement for marriage? The norms of relationship between a man and a woman are moving on a different perspective nowadays. People are divided into two ways of relationship in the society- marriage and living together. Marriage had its lineage of many years whereas living together is a new coinage to the society. Both have its merits and demerits. The topic- marriage versus living together- has gained much attention in the sociological level and hence forth hot debates were put forward to analyse the positive and negative aspects of both.

The present tendency of the youngsters is for advocating the notion of living together. This research analyses the major differences between these two. Moreover the various aspects of both marriage and living together are put forward to stand that both are different in its inherent meanings. Marriage has been a strong ritualistic ceremony to tie a woman with a man and thereby establishing family in the society. It has become a strong agency in society for the overall developments of the younger ones.

Marriage aims at the unification of two- a male and a female-who constitute the aspect of family. Marriage has both social and moral contract in the society. Marriages are not fruitful always. The situation of a man or a woman living with another person without knowing much of other person has turned failures in marriages. This has led another notion of living together, though it has no legal and social acceptability. It was difficult for the couples to divorce if any discrepancy existed between the two.

The complex nature of marriage has also paved way for the growth of living together in the society. A man living with a woman can understand that person well and this can lead to the marriage of both. It has been considered by many as the pre-requisite for marriage. It is less complicated and easy functioning. If any difference between the couples occurs they can freely get themselves free from it. Barich R.R. and Bielby D.D. in the article ‘Rethinking Marriage: change and stability in expectations, 1967-1994’ clearly state the decline of marriage in America over the period and the growth of living together among the adults in America.

The institutionalized character of marriage has been changed with personalised aspects of it (Barich & Bielby). In a country like America the rate of divorce is very high. Paul C. Glick states in his article that “About one-half of the first marriages of young adults today are likely to end in divorce. For second marriages, the projected level is closer to 60%” (Glick). This data put the youngsters to think of another option for marriage and so the notion of living together takes a firm position in the social life.

The youngsters now take living together as a prior step before marriage. It enables for the couples to know more about their partners and thus it is believed that they can lead a good life. What actually leads for the failures in the relationship between couples? It is not the negative aspects of the marriage and the positive aspects of living together. It is according to the notions of the persons involved in it. The article, Cognitions in marriage: The relationship between standards and attributions by Baucom, Donald H, Epstein, Norman, Daiuto, Anthony D, Robert A, Rankin, Lynn A, Brunett and Charles K.

assesses the three dimensions of relationship standards- boundaries, distribution of power between the partners and demonstrated investment in the relationship. The article clearly state that that it is the negative attributions of the partner towards all these cause problems in the life of couples and it in a way state that marriages in a way becomes failure (Baucom et.al). The new concept of living together takes advantage here too. True, if any problem occurs in any of the dimensions in marriage couples the separation is difficult whereas in living together the separation becomes easier.

More over the partner gets equal status in living together. Of course, living together is faced with many harsh criticisms. As it has no legal and social acceptance, this practice has higher level of failure than that of marriage. This practice will make an aversion for marriage. As this practice is against the moral strands of society, there can be a clear evidence for the decline of social values with living together. Living together in the outset seems to equal with marriage but if a close analysis is done it can be seen that marriage has always a social reputation.

Marriage is the one proposed by many whereas living together gets less popularity. To sum up it can be said that living together is a new term in the field of marriage and so it has to work a lot to get popular acclaim. Marriage always stands as supreme in all levels as it has strong support both from constitution and religion. The widening practice of living together in the society may soon make this practice legally, religiously, and socially been accepted in the country. Works Cited Barich RR, Bielby DD.

“Rethinking marriage: change and stability in expectations, 1967-1994.” PubMed. (1996):139-69. Print. Baucom, Donald H., Epstein, Norman., Daiuto, Anthony D., Carels, Robert A., Rankin, Lynn A & Burnett, Charles K. “Cognitions in marriage: The relationship between standards and attributions.” Journal of Family Psychology. (1996): 209-222. Print. Glick, Paul c. “Marriage, Divorce, and Living Arrangements, Prospective changes.” Journal of Family Issues. Sage Journals Online. (1984): 7-26. Print.