I think it’s all terrible. My own life and childhood were miserable due to all of these factors. Parents divorced, strayed, remarried total losers, over and over. (Dad was married 5 times). One abused me as a kid. I still live with the scars of it, and I’m 50 now.
Kids now REFUSE to marry young. It simply isn’t done. The best of them just stay in long-term fornicating relationships and they MIGHT marry, but only closer to their 30’s, automatically limiting their family size to no more than 2 if that.
It’s pitiful, if you ask me.
I think longevity has a lot to do with it also. People seem to believe they have until their 80’s or 90’s to live, so why live it married for 50 years or more? Why not experience at least some freedom your first 30-40 years.
Sadly, I’m seeing my fellow 50 something friends who never married are not regretting it deeply. With no family and nothing to show for their years of freedom and partying, they are left empty.
I married young, and I’m glad. We’re heading now almost to 30 years and I’m petrified I won’t get another 30, yet another year with my husband. We will enjoy a very full life TOGETHER ...I like “together” better ...don’t understand why more people don’t.
Sadly, it has all to do with one word and one word only, MONEY.
Heartbreaking all the same.