I've been coming to the same conclusions recently about the idea of legal marriage versus social marriage. I used to think that marriage was the natural, right way to go, and it's possible I could meet a woman for whom I would think that again, but right now, I doubt it.
What does a man have to gain from marriage?
- It's a sign of commitment to each other.
But it isn't anymore, is it. Divorces are easier to be had than ever before, so where's the commitment? You both know you can leave whenever you like.
- Lots of sex.
Available everywhere.
- Partnership.
You don't need to be married to be an equal partner to someone.
- A legal right to expect your wife's fidelity.
Doesn't mean a damn thing. If she's going to cheat, she'll cheat, if she isn't, she won't. The legalities are irrelevant nowadays, and the social stigma of infidelity has vanished.
- Your kids won't be called b*stards
Illegitimacy isn't a stigma anymore, so who cares.
Against marriage:
- Between 10-20% of all children (depending on the source) are being brought up by men who think they are the kids fathers, but aren't
- 50% of all marriages end in divorce, and of the other 50%, there'll be plenty of infidelity, abuse and misery
- The woman is more likely to leave you than you her
- If she cheats on you and you divorce her, she still gets half your stuff. Prenups have become irrelevant and powerless
- If you have kids, you can't rely on the courts to give you any rights as a father. Even if they do, if she ups sticks and moves away, you can do nothing about it. Mothers are hardly ever prosecuted for breaking access arrangements
- If you have kids and divorce in the UK, if you don't get a legally valid DNA test at the point of divorce (which requires the mother's approval and participation) and it turns out later that they're not your kids, it doesn't matter, you still have to pay for their upbringing.
- Fathers nowadays are basically seen as irrelevant to the lives of their children, and that's how they are treated by the courts. All they're good for is cold cash.
As the divorce laws have become slanted more and more in favour of the woman, and the easiness of divorce has increased (again to the woman's advantage - it's mainly women who instigate divorce, 2:1 I think), the more it seems that marriage is an unnecessary legal minefield for a man nowadays.
I'm all for the idea of social marriage when the time is right for you. A longterm LTR with someone, children, is a natural step for a mature adult to take at some point in their life. But, as a man, the legal side of it just doesn't make any sense to me.
And regardless of how much I love a woman or she me, as soon as the first kid pops out, married or no, I'm going to get a DNA test. You can get over 99% certainty just with your own and the kid's DNA - no need to involve mum at all.
Like the Muslims say - "Trust in Allah, but always tie your horse up".
Here's a good article:
The Marriage Strike
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/...ial/3604644.htm
Oh yeah - this guy's pretty bitter and twisted but he has some interesting things to say in the free articles:
http://nomarriage.com
bp1974
What does a man have to gain from marriage?
- It's a sign of commitment to each other.
But it isn't anymore, is it. Divorces are easier to be had than ever before, so where's the commitment? You both know you can leave whenever you like.
- Lots of sex.
Available everywhere.
- Partnership.
You don't need to be married to be an equal partner to someone.
- A legal right to expect your wife's fidelity.
Doesn't mean a damn thing. If she's going to cheat, she'll cheat, if she isn't, she won't. The legalities are irrelevant nowadays, and the social stigma of infidelity has vanished.
- Your kids won't be called b*stards
Illegitimacy isn't a stigma anymore, so who cares.
Against marriage:
- Between 10-20% of all children (depending on the source) are being brought up by men who think they are the kids fathers, but aren't
- 50% of all marriages end in divorce, and of the other 50%, there'll be plenty of infidelity, abuse and misery
- The woman is more likely to leave you than you her
- If she cheats on you and you divorce her, she still gets half your stuff. Prenups have become irrelevant and powerless
- If you have kids, you can't rely on the courts to give you any rights as a father. Even if they do, if she ups sticks and moves away, you can do nothing about it. Mothers are hardly ever prosecuted for breaking access arrangements
- If you have kids and divorce in the UK, if you don't get a legally valid DNA test at the point of divorce (which requires the mother's approval and participation) and it turns out later that they're not your kids, it doesn't matter, you still have to pay for their upbringing.
- Fathers nowadays are basically seen as irrelevant to the lives of their children, and that's how they are treated by the courts. All they're good for is cold cash.
As the divorce laws have become slanted more and more in favour of the woman, and the easiness of divorce has increased (again to the woman's advantage - it's mainly women who instigate divorce, 2:1 I think), the more it seems that marriage is an unnecessary legal minefield for a man nowadays.
I'm all for the idea of social marriage when the time is right for you. A longterm LTR with someone, children, is a natural step for a mature adult to take at some point in their life. But, as a man, the legal side of it just doesn't make any sense to me.
And regardless of how much I love a woman or she me, as soon as the first kid pops out, married or no, I'm going to get a DNA test. You can get over 99% certainty just with your own and the kid's DNA - no need to involve mum at all.
Like the Muslims say - "Trust in Allah, but always tie your horse up".
Here's a good article:
The Marriage Strike
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/...ial/3604644.htm
Oh yeah - this guy's pretty bitter and twisted but he has some interesting things to say in the free articles:
http://nomarriage.com
bp1974
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