Why do people marry? This was the topic of discussion we had on the terrace of my building the other day. The Anti marriage group was of the idea that no one really knows the reason to marry. We are all programmed by the society and so just jump into it because we have to.
This statement is true to a certain extent. We do find people getting married out of family pressure. Some get married for the fear of being left alone. Marriage is also for the ease of identification for one’s progeny. Humans need companionship, but marriage is not always the solution for this need. Why can’t we humans live with each other without the custom of marriage? Why is it that two signatures on a stamp paper or a small religious custom can only give two people the authority to live together as partners?
I feel that humans are after all a part of the animal kingdom. Humans to a certain extent still have the animal instinct present. Due to this we cannot remain committed to something that does not bind us for eg. How keen would one be to lend a sum of money if it is not on paper? Basically humans are not responsible enough to remain in a relationship without any commitment. And this lack of responsibility gave rise to the institute of marriage. Another reason could be that humans at times can be instinctive. After a small fight a couple may decide to split, but a married couple will think before filing a divorce. So small fights will not lead to splitting families which could be the case in a non married couple’s family.
So ultimately marriage is a solution to a flaw that exists in humans. So after all marriage is not important if humans get rid of this flaw. What it means is that humans need to evolve themselves into greater beings where responsibility is an inherent quality. Humans are thinking beings, but they need to become reasonable thinking beings.
It is still a long way before humans can be accepted in a relationship that is not bound by a paper or a ritual.
This statement is true to a certain extent. We do find people getting married out of family pressure. Some get married for the fear of being left alone. Marriage is also for the ease of identification for one’s progeny. Humans need companionship, but marriage is not always the solution for this need. Why can’t we humans live with each other without the custom of marriage? Why is it that two signatures on a stamp paper or a small religious custom can only give two people the authority to live together as partners?
I feel that humans are after all a part of the animal kingdom. Humans to a certain extent still have the animal instinct present. Due to this we cannot remain committed to something that does not bind us for eg. How keen would one be to lend a sum of money if it is not on paper? Basically humans are not responsible enough to remain in a relationship without any commitment. And this lack of responsibility gave rise to the institute of marriage. Another reason could be that humans at times can be instinctive. After a small fight a couple may decide to split, but a married couple will think before filing a divorce. So small fights will not lead to splitting families which could be the case in a non married couple’s family.
So ultimately marriage is a solution to a flaw that exists in humans. So after all marriage is not important if humans get rid of this flaw. What it means is that humans need to evolve themselves into greater beings where responsibility is an inherent quality. Humans are thinking beings, but they need to become reasonable thinking beings.
It is still a long way before humans can be accepted in a relationship that is not bound by a paper or a ritual.
posted by Nitika at 2:42 AM
2 Comments:
nitz, i think that marraige as an institution came up because of insecurity we feel while dealing with someone else.
I mean lets track back to a tribe, a guy likes a gal and he sure as hell wont like anybody else to hv relation with her. wt does he do, there is a ritual invented which gives him exclusive rite to her and vice versa. this was beneficial to both the parities involved. The question u raise is quite idealistic 'wt if humans behave like responsible beings take responsibility of raising the family and of the other party' this wd be too good, but how cn we reach this stage?
then first they wd have to hv a live in relation and then decide whether they shd take responsibility of each other? lets say this is also possible then wt abt divorce? when will the two human beings decide its not working and i am not going to carry any more of responsibility? or is it that now they cant move back and have to trudge on?
see if we remove the term marraige, its a hell lot of chaos. it mite succeed for two independant persons who are financially secure but surely that wd also be an exception rather than a rule.
nice thought process and well written too.
Post a Comment
<< Home