TED Community » Lisa Marie Johnson, Ph.D.

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  A reply on Conversation: Do you think marriage, as a social commitment device, still works? Or did it ever work?

  Dec 22 2011: "many of us tend to grow up differently and thus apart"
  
  Indeed, and that, I would argue, is more a function of the diminishing significance and prevalence of homogenized ritual experiences. Ever increasing choice and variety of entertainment and "lifepath" in many post-industrial societies, at least, tends to allow for varied growth. I.e., traditions bind a people and for USAmerica and many societies that are similar to it globally in 2011 the traditions are in flux and therefore less cohesive and effective.
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  A comment on Conversation: Do you think marriage, as a social commitment device, still works? Or did it ever work?

  Dec 22 2011: Marriage, from an anthropological perspective, is not one thing per se, but has historically served some universal functions, such as what Ferraro (2009) described as a series of customs formalizing the relationship between males and females and a socially approved union that regulates the sexual and economic rights obligations between two or more people, involving an explicit contract or understanding entered into with the assumption that it will be a permanent union (Applied Anthropology, p. 209-211). The concept and practice of marriage are also inextricably linked with systems for residence and the establishment of the "family" unit in communities small and large. My thoughts are that acceptance of the constant evolution of the marriage contract and its purpose in all societies over time in all places can only occur with education and self-awareness. I find the more educated people (not necessarily intelligent, but educated) tend to grasp that marriage is a contractual social commitment and economic arrangement device, and, to specifically address the question of whether it worked, seems that depends on what we are defining as the benchmarks of success or "working". Yet, interesting question nonetheless!