Introduction: Millennials Are Not Getting Married
Millennials are not getting married at the same rates as previous generations, citing reasons such as financial instability, the inconvenience of married life, and a focus on higher education and career goals. Marriage, declared a sacred institution in both religious and social terms, appears to be at stake due to the onslaught of technology and financial pressure on the current generation. This is the very reason why this generation is called millennials, as they are born in the technologically most advanced era. Marriage and millennials seem to be opposed, standing at opposite poles in the current social fabric. This not only takes a heavy toll on the social structure but also jeopardizes the future of the existing social setup, as noted by Katrina Alcorn in her declaration of a “Generation Child-Free.” She adds that this situation bodes poorly for the economy of the United States, with the birthrate already falling below 1.9 (Alcorn).
This implies that millennials are hesitant to marry, and if they do, they often choose not to have children. However, this is not the whole story. In reality, they avoid marriage due to financially unstable careers, the inconvenience of married life, and the pursuit of higher education or better career goals.
Comparison: Millennials Are Not Getting Married
Millennials are showing a reluctance to marry compared to previous generations, largely attributed to financial instability in their lives. Belinda Luscombe highlights two plausible factors—absence of jobs and diminished importance placed on marriage—citing a Pew Research report to substantiate her claims. According to Pew, not only are millennials marrying in fewer numbers, but they are also delaying marriage, citing reasons such as difficulty finding the right partner, financial instability, and unsettled lives (Luscombe).
However, the primary factor appears to be financial stability, as emphasized by Maureen Henderson. She asserts that millennials who are financially secure do not express a reluctance to marry. Henderson argues that there is a “financial logic to it,” indicating that the decision not to marry, delay it indefinitely, or refrain from hastily taking the plunge is rooted in financial considerations (Henderson). Once again, financial stability emerges as a critical factor, leading to life inconveniences.
Millennials Are Not Getting Married Due to Responsibility
Inconvenience, in this context, implies that millennials are hesitant to take on the responsibilities of married life, which demands not only a full-time commitment but also the obligations associated with raising children. Taylor Tepper emphasizes this point, noting that marriage entails children, and raising kids consumes a significant amount of time (Tepper). Conversely, Maureen Henderson directly quotes Gallup, stating that marriage is, to some degree, a matter of timing and convenience, underscoring the perspective that marriage is not perceived as a necessity by millennials (Henderson).
The millennials’ view that marriage is not essential aligns with the notion that they can marry when it’s convenient for them, reflecting the product of an era shaped by the Great Recession. Katrina Alcorn, quoting Dr. Stewart Friedman’s monumental work on millennials, points out that this generation is grappling with anxiety about its future, contributing to their perception that there is no convenient time to get married, particularly as many are already burdened with debt (Alcorn). This reiterates the consistent theme that financial instability is a significant factor.
Furthermore, millennials’ reluctance to embrace married life is also linked to their desire to avoid having children. This reluctance is intertwined with their financial concerns, further reinforcing the notion that economic stability plays a pivotal role in shaping their views on marriage and family life.
Millennials Are Not Getting Married Due to Kids
Having kids after married life is a natural progression, but it adds substantial responsibilities to the lives of the couple. Taylor Tepper eloquently explores this aspect of millennials’ lives, drawing from his own experience of feeling like a prisoner and a machine to the happiness of his two-year-old toddler. The responsibilities of caring for the child not only take away moments of enjoyment but also disrupt dreams of vacations and other luxuries. Tepper describes his two-hour “spell of cleaning, organizing, and readying” as the realization of a Millennial nightmare, a sentiment shared by many in this generation (Tepper).
Tepper quotes Dr. Friedman, emphasizing that becoming a parent comes at a significant price, one that many millennials are not ready to pay due to various economic and personal reasons. He points to the American maternity leave and expensive childcare system as contributing factors to millennials’ aversion to having kids, highlighting that raising a child means sacrificing self-interest for the sake of the child (Tepper). In essence, having kids translates to a loss of time and convenience, two elements millennials are unwilling to compromise as they prioritize their education and career aspirations.
Millennials Are Not Getting Married: Carreer Oriented Women
Specifically, for millennial women, prioritizing a career over having kids is more prevalent, whereas millennial men show less enthusiasm. Quoting Dr. Friedman on the impact of the Recession Period, student loans, and fears of the future, Katrina Alcorn rightly emphasizes that this generation, characterized by anxiety, prioritizes obtaining a good education and establishing a solid career before considering marriage (Alcorn). Nanette Fondas also cites Dr. Friedman, noting that millennials find it challenging to integrate work with parenting. The percentage of people with plans for children has decreased to 42%, with uncertainty about managing “manageable lives” being a significant factor (Fondas).
The decline in the number of people planning for kids has various reasons, including the increased number of jobs for women, a shift in gender roles, and a preference for marrying individuals with stable jobs. Fonda argues that the primary issue is financial, as not all millennials can afford to make arrangements like marrying working women and sharing work responsibilities (Fondas). Thus, the combination of a full-time commitment to work, a desire for higher education, mounting student loans, and lingering anxiety from the Recession period collectively dissuades millennials from rushing into marriage. However, this does not imply that millennials are avoiding marriage altogether.
Millennials Are Not Getting Married Due to Decreasing Number
It indicates that while the number of millennials getting married has significantly decreased, some still manage to navigate marriage and parenthood successfully, as exemplified by Taylor Tepper. Tepper highlights that child-rearing becomes more manageable when individuals align their self-interest with that of their children, acknowledging that experiencing the “sublime joy of yielding your wants and desires” is not an easy task (Tepper). Similarly, Nanette Fondas suggests that millennials, having experienced harsh economic realities, are reluctant to burden their children. Their “realistic outlook on work and life explains the current baby bust,” she argues, emphasizing that if they choose to marry, they approach it with a “pragmatic and sensible” mindset (Fondas).
This implies that millennials are more conscientious about the times and the future than the previous generation. They recognize the responsibility involved in bringing a child into the world, as emphasized by Taylor Tepper, and, as a result, they choose to marry when they feel they can prove themselves to be responsible and capable of providing for their children.
Conclusion: Millennials Are Not Getting Married
Putting it briefly, millennials have multiple reasons for refraining from marriage, as highlighted by Fondas, including “long work hours, heavy student debt, job and career stress, anticipated work-family conflict, and health and social tradeoffs” (Fondas). It is evident that these considerations weigh heavily on the minds of millennials, who are aware that marriage often leads to the additional responsibility of raising children.
As a result, adopting a sensible and pragmatic approach to marriage becomes a practical solution that many millennials choose to pursue. While some individuals within this generation can effectively balance work, parenting, and married life, they are in the minority. Their numbers are not as significant as those in the previous generation. For the majority of millennials, marriage is not viewed as a necessity but rather as an achievement that they wish to prioritize in their lives with careful consideration of time and convenience. This perspective is why many millennials are either shying away from or delaying this crucial life role.
Works Cited: Millennials Are Not Getting Married
- Alcorn, Katrina. “Millennials Want Children, But They’re Not Planning on Them.” The New York Times. 08 Jan. 2014. https://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/millennials-want-children-but-theyre-not-planning-on-them/?_r=1. Accessed on 24 Jan. 2022.
- Fondas, Nanette. “Millennials: Too Realistic to Have Children?” The Huffington Post. 07 Nov. 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nanette-fondas/are-millennials-too-realistic-to-have-children_b_4221885.html. Accessed on 24 Jun. 2022.
- Henderson, J. Maureen. “Does Marriage Make Sense for Millennials?” Forbes. 20 Jan. 2014. https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jmaureenhenderson/2014/01/20/does-marriage-make-sense-formillennials/&refURL=&referrer=#2f59acb3108f. Accessed on 24 Jun. 2022.
- Luscombe, Belinda. “Why 25% of Millennials Will Never Get Married.” Time. 24 Sep. 2014. http://time.com/3422624/report-millennials-marriage/. Accessed on 24 Jun. 2022.
- Tepper, Taylor. “Why Millennials Should Have Kids– And Soon.” Time. 17 Sep. 2014. http://time.com/money/3341220/millennialsshould-have-kids/. Accessed on 24 Jun. 2022.
Relevant Questions: Millennials Are Not Getting Married
- What societal factors contribute to the trend of Millennials Are Not Getting Married, delaying or forgoing marriage?
- How does the delay in marriage among Millennials Are Not Getting Married impact family structures, social norms, and individual well-being?
- In what ways do economic factors, such as student debt and housing costs, play a role in Millennials Are Not Getting Married, their decisions regarding marriage?
