Love and Marriage - Article Example

The documentary shows how different generations view love, marriage, sex, and commitment in different ways. While the younger people harbor a hope in romance that leads towards blissful marriages, the older people are more pragmatic with marriage. The younger people seem to equate marriage to romantic relationships (How will we love 1). In this sense, marriage is merely borne out of romantic relationships. On the other hand, older people seem to know that marriage demands readiness for commitment. In a huge sense, young people hold an unrealistic view of marriage that leads to the crumbling of their unions when challenges appear.

The culture in North America has shifted as younger people maintain a romantic view of marriage. Marriage, in this sense, means people falling in love and living happily thereafter. This is in contrast to the former days when commitment to marriage was primary in maintaining a marriage. Since commitment was a priority, older couples would develop love as the relationship grew. Love arose out of the struggles that the couple went through rather than the initial ecstasy that the couple felt.

People hold on to the ideal of romantic love because modern culture reinforces the notion. Such images are explicit in advertising and other forms of media such as movies and television. Individuals escape the harsh realities of their daily lives by clutching onto this delusional ideal. In turn, people in relationships do not take practical steps to save and preserve their relationships. Besides, images of romantic love prevent people from witnessing when their marriage relationships are beginning to break.