Instead, many young people openly accept living together and unwed parenthood. Another study conducted by Rutgers University reviewed statistics on marriage and divorce form the last four decades to find out how many people were getting married, at what age and how many of those marriages lasted. The study s researchers blamed the decline of marriage on a new trend where more and more couples are opting for alternatives such as living together outside of marriage or putting off the vows until later in life. Women s disenchantment with marriage may reflect their higher expectations for emotional intimacy in marriage and more exacting standards for a husband s participation in child rearing and the overall work of the household. Because women are better educated and more likely to be employed outside of the home today than in the past, they are not as dependent on marriage as an economic partnership.
Popular culture reinforces the sense of pessimism, even doom about the chances for marital success.
Divorce is an ever-present theme in books, music, and movies of the youth culture. Our children and young people face challenges in life and in believing in the institutions that have been sacred in our culture. It is important for us to remember the challenges that our young people face and to try and encourage dialogue with them.