Do you agree or disagree?

Question

It is sometimes said that people should be encouraged to get married before they are 30, as this is best both for the individual and for society. Do you agree or disagree?

Answer 1

There are a number of benefits to individuals and to society afforded by the institution of marriage. On a personal level, getting married brings with it a sense of security and commitment as the result of the solemn vows undertaken by both parties during the wedding ceremony. In the wider sense, married couples are more likely to provide stable homes for any children that might result from the union, sparing the family from undue pain and suffering and sparing the state from the financial burden of supporting single – parent families. However, the notion that there is a preferred age (suggested to be around 30) for a marriage to be regarded as optimally beneficial for both private and public interests is difficult to quantify, for the following reasons.

Firstly, there has been a change in the general health of the population as time has progressed. In the past, the life expectancy of individuals in our society hovered at around the sixty – mark. These days, due to advances in medical technology and an an increased awareness of health – related issues, people are expected to live well into their eighties. In addition, due to the improvement of artificial insemination methods, women are now able to have children well into their forties. As such, it is not immediately apparent why people should hurry to settle down and get married at around the age of 30 as there is no medical or biological reason why this should be the case.

In addition, due to changing economic conditions, many couples are saddled with debt well into their thirties, as they struggle to pay off student loans, mortgages, and other payments. As modern marriages are generally very expensive affairs, the added pressure that a wedding can bring on a household’s finances may in many cases be too much to bear. With this in mind, it is potentially beneficial to postpone the wedding plans until a budding couple are more financially secure in their later years, before tying the knot.

While the benefits of marriage have been in no way diminished by the claims made above, there is certainly a case to be made that there should not be any established age limit beyond which the benefits of marriage may no longer be felt.