As the “Impressive Clergyman” says in Princess Bride, “Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam…”
There are some who deny marriage as any possibility in their future, but for most of us dating folks, at some point… marriage is at the very least an option and for others a lifelong dream. Students of history may wonder what this economic decline signifies for dating and mating during an era of increasingly troubled pocketbooks and hearts. Here’s what history says about it…
According to the numbers cited from the Future of Children Website:
Rates of first marriages have fluctuated dramatically over the past 70 years. In the 1920s, annual marriage rates were approximately 99 per 1,000 single women. Rates declined during the depression era (early 1930s) to 81 per 1,000 women. Marriage rates then rose to an all-time high of 143 per 1,000 women in the post-World War II era (mid-1940s) and declined steadily for the next 30 years. Rates declined sharply in the mid- 1970s to 85 per 1,000 women. In recent years, the rate of first marriage continues to decline and reached an all-time low of 76 per 1,000 women in 1988. Thus, during the marriage peak in the mid-1940s, approximately 14% of never-married women wed each year, compared with the current low of approximately 7%.
Without getting into a debate over whether or not we are in an actual depression, the stats from the 30’s bear looking into since they more closely mirror the emotional and mental outlook of today than a post-war boom or period of economic growth. So, 1930’s folks were looking at 81 per 1,000 getting married. Our most recent stats had that number even lower at 75-78 per 1,000 during the mid 2000’s (according to a more recent study.) So, what does that signify for today? Are the rates going to go even lower?
Perhaps. Does that mean you should just give up?
Never!
Consider this daters — yes, times are tight. But when the going gets tough, you can get such a clear picture of someones character and how they handle adversity. Is your man folding under the pressure or making plans for the eventual upturn? Is your woman turning into a complete worry-wart or figuring out ways to barter for what she needs? How are YOU handling things? Have you gone into hiding or buried yourself in a bottle? Or did you lose your job and parlay it into an opportunity to start your own business?
Its a good time for seeing where the chips fall when life throws a curve ball in your direction and take the necessary steps towards getting your mind into a healthier and more balanced place. Yes, bad things happen to good people, so what are you going to do about it?
Just because stress and depression are becoming hallmarks of our American psyche, doesn’t mean you have to follow the trend. I know it may seem hard to believe men, but women aren’t all wrapped up in the depth of your wallet. Yes, there are a few, but I think the majority of women look more at the depth of your spirit and how you treat her even when you aren’t rolling in the dough. And women who dream of marriage and family, think more along the lines of being one of the married 75 than giving up hope and letting yourself die on the vine.
Opportunities exist in every fold of history, so find a way to take your own opportunities and make history happen. And even find a little love along the way.
3 Comments
January 8, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Ironically I heard on the news just last week that online dating sites are booming during this recession. So maybe marriage itself is on the downturn, but I’d hesitate to throw dating into the sinking ship with it.
January 8, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I heard that news too and am curious to see what comes of it. More “hooking up” or actual relationships. As if you can really metric that one. LOL
January 9, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Great research on the rates of single woman marrying based upon what is happening in the economy and politically. I remember reading that marriages increased after 9-11 in America.