Marriage and Friendship
People are connecting these days in a multitude of ways.
Social media technology is making a lot of it happen.
At the same time, more traditional forums are being reevaluated for their potential to bond with others…
…and believe it or not, one of them is marriage!
Changes in marriage itself
Claire Cain Miller reports in the New York Times about how friendship has become a big reason to get married. She notes how attitudes about this institution have been changing in recent years:
Marriage has undergone a drastic shift in the last half century. In the past, as the Nobel-winning economist Gary Becker described, marriage was utilitarian: Women looked for a husband to make money and men looked for a woman to manage the household. But in recent decades, the roles of men and women have become more similar. As a result, spouses have taken on roles as companions and confidants, particularly those who are financially stable, as the economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers have discussed.
Who would have thought that marriage could be a good way to find a friend? 🙂
Not only that – it appears to have benefits with regards to health and finance:
Even as fewer people are marrying, the disadvantages of remaining single have broad implications. It’s important because marriage is increasingly a force behind inequality. Stable marriages are more common among educated, high-income people, and increasingly out of reach for those who are not. That divide appears to affect not just people’s income and family stability, but also their happiness and stress levels.
Big benefits in life insurance
You can you can see how these benefits would be a big boost when qualifying for life insurance.
More happiness and less stress leads to better health and lower rates.
Stability and higher income help you qualify for larger face amounts and provide more money to your family, business, and favorite charity.
What do you think? Can and should marriage partners also be friends?