[Antoninus]

Good job-- check.
Circle of friends-- check.
Nice home-- check.
Dog & cat-- check.
New car-- check.

Now let me see what's missing?

Uh, how about:

Emotional maturity -- bzzt.
Solid spiritual life -- bzzt.
Understanding that spiritual and emotional affinity is extremely important -- bzzt.
Desire to selflessly give your life to another person -- bzzt.
Understanding that marriage is forever -- bzzt.

Thus, it's not surpising in the least that the people you described above have miserable married lives. The folks I know who have taken care ALL the criteria mentioned above have happy and strong marriages.

[najida]

What is weird,
Is I see this more in the over 50 set these days.

It's so in their mindset to 'have someone in the house' (to quote one widower). Which makes me wonder about their first marriages.