A new fad among millennials seems to be supporting something called a “beta marriage” or a “trial marriage.”
What this means is that, instead of making a lifetime commitment to your partner, you get to sign an agreement with your partner for two to four years, and see where things are.
According to Time.com,?“When it comes to millennials and marriage, the beta test may be par for the course. And really, why wouldn’t it be? For a generation reared on technology, overwhelmed by choice, feedback and constant FOMO, isn’t testing a marriage, like we test a username, simply ? well, logical?”
From the same article by Time, they say that a survey that was given to 1000 people certainly seems to say that it is logical, based on the forty-three percent who expressed agreement with the idea of a beta marriage. (The survey was given by the USA network to the viewers of the drama, Satisfaction.)
But based on a survey of 1000 people, is this something that should be encouraged for all? And is using technology and all of the choices that we have available to us as a society truly sound reasoning?
Is a beta marriage truly a marriage?
According to attorney Randy Kessler, no, it’s not.
All of the other firsts that most believe is reserved for a married couple aside, what about having children? Adoption? As Mr. Kessler points out, “If it’s only a “beta marriage,” do you have kids? And if so, are they legitimate? Are they treated as if they are children of a marriage or as children born out of wedlock? The potential legal conundrums are endless. What if you adopt a child — do you both need to adopt as two separate individuals, just in case you do not consummate a permanent marriage? And what about child support and custody? Is one the primary parent, as often happens in out of wedlock situations?”?
Mr. Kessler later expresses concern on whether or not people would truly try in their marriage if they knew that it was just for a short period.
Divorce Culture?
As was pointed out by S.E. Cupp of the NY Daily News, “We are, after all, awash in a culture that now celebrates divorce ? Hollywood celebrities and Midwestern housewives alike throw themselves ?divorce parties? to announce their newly single status. Marriage rates have fallen to historic lows, as the numbers of cohabiting couples rise.”
Is she correct in saying that we should cater to this culture that celebrates divorce? Or is it perhaps something deeper?
In our culture, people are taught that it is okay to be wasteful of food, to throw perfectly good clothing and other items in the trash, and that even extends to people.
We have become so accustomed to being satisfied temporarily that we are constantly seeking greener pastures. Our wasteful ways as a society (and not just in the United States, either), along with the way we even treat other people has contributed to this culture of divorce.
No longer do we value other people as we once did but instead wish to just move on once we get bored with them and we want to go forward to the next big thing.
This is detrimental to our society and to ourselves as a race. It has extended into human rights, it has extended into the global market, and now it is extending into our personal relationships.
Beta marriages, cutthroat markets, and a limited food supply based on our waste now-
Is this truly the legacy that we wish to leave our children and those after?
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