A whole generation lived thru the Great Depression. The divorce rate during the tremendous financial difficulties of the Great Depression never approached what it has been during our time of relative affluence.
Perhaps "financial expectations" would be closer to a cause of today's marital problems.
When my wife and I were married in 1971, we didn't "expect" an expensive honeymoon, big salary, new house, new cars, new furniture, electronic gadgets, computers and other measures of affluence right out of the chute.
We expected to have to WORK for years to improve our creature comforts.
We still don't have all that stuff and DON'T NEED all that stuff. We're still married - 30+ years later.
Nobody wants to wait for anything today. Maybe today's expectations are the problem.
Actually, Dr. Laura gets plenty of calls from spouses, usually women, who married an X and are now complaining about his X-like behavior, trying to change him into a Y.
Absolutely !!!!!!!!!!
Infidelity is not a marginal cause, my friend. It's the result of the "free love", "do your own thing", "if it feels good, do it" thinking of the 60's. Then you have the case, like my ex-wife, of an alcohol problem coupled with a veiled hatred of men masquerading as a seductress. She enjoyed the feeling of being able to get any man she wanted. It was a power trip for her, because deep down, she hated men. She hated me, but I didn't see it for a long time, because I loved her. I divorced her, to get away from the destructive, emotionally abusive situation. Fortunately, even though my 3 kids stayed with her, they turned out fine (they're grown and have lives of their own), not because of her influence, in spite of it. I was able to stay involved with them, despite her efforts to prevent me. They were able to see the difference, and I am closer to them now than ever. Each one of them had to declare their independence from her, and stand their ground. My son did so at 16 (he's now 25), and became fairly self-sufficient (he's now married with 3 kids, a wonderful wife, and a very supportive extended family). My oldest daughter did so at 18 (she's now 23), is now married with a wonderful husband and son, and my youngest daughter (22) is in college, working her way through because mom won't help her, and I don't have a cent to help her with. I'm still digging out of the financial hole the divorce put me in.
My ex remarried almost immediately, and got what she deserved, a wife beater. I never laid a hand on her, never even raised my voice to her in our 16 years of marriage. Now she gets knocked around every so often, and I have no sympathy for her at all. She got what she deserved.
I have not remarried, mostly because it's hard to find a woman that hasn't had her mind poisoned by the feminists, the media, and the idea that money will buy happiness. If I ever find a good woman, I'll think about it, but I won't be an easy catch.