[Kriggerel]

As a Gen Xer, I can tell you that there are other big reasons, too.

Many kids my age were latchkeys that were left to fend for themselves, and whose parents were either long-divorced, or MINO (married in name only). A lot of us lived in such screwed-up homes, that it was hard to justify the idea of putting another generation of children through that.

On top of that, there is also the factor of a ruined economy, and no more job (let alone ‘career’) security. Hence, for a lot of the young men especially, of my generational cohort, marrigeable women don’t exactly see us as a good prospect.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Don’t disagree about your analysis of causes. My boys in their mid-20’s probably feel much like you do about the institution of marriage, despite their great girlfriends. And, we had a pretty good family life—but they have friends who don’t, and they’ve observed some brutal divorces among my less fortunate friends.

I just find the stated number of 18% to be astoundingly, almost impossibly low.

[GeronL]

The whole unattached sex thing is the real cause

[usafa92]

I can’t disagree with these kids either. This is another result of government interference. When they amended the laws for unreconcilable differences it enabled anyone to file for divorce basically just because they wanted to. This is one of several reasons for the decline in marriages. Why would a kid, especially a man, want to get married, work to get ahead, invest in life and then lose it all because one partner just decides they don’t want to be married anymore? Then you are dealing with a corrupt court system, attorneys fleecing you for 10’s of thousands, alimony and support payments, etc. I’m not excusing it and I’m not saying marriage isn’t work, but the fact is that the government has made it too easy to get divorced and has provided an economic disincentive to do so. And yes I am divorced and quite honestly have no desire to ever do it again. And my teenage kids are already saying they have no desire to ever get married. I wonder why?

[riri]

I tell both my kids, boy and girl, don't bother. Not because I do not believe in marriage, I do. I don't believe in the caliber of people in their generation. Hell, my generation is questionable. (genX, too).

I see men my age (40s) just frikking lost. I'd say more women than men have it together at this age but both are forever chasing some elusive state of "happiness".

I can not even imagine what it'll be like by the time they are forty. (teens now)