Key Factor Impacting Modern Marriage?

Brad Wilcox discusses the resilience of marriage in American society against a backdrop of cultural pessimism. Contrary to popular belief, divorce rates have been declining since the 1980s, and a majority of marriages are enduring, beneficially impacting the upbringing of children. Wilcox also highlights the societal shift toward fewer marriages and children, attributing this trend to economic challenges for the non-college educated, increasing secularism, and the prioritization of career and financial success over family life. He notes that while elites tend to marry and stay married, they often perpetuate anti-marriage sentiments through media and cultural messaging. The solution, Wilcox suggests, lies in a cultural recalibration that values sacrifice and long-term commitments, which can be supported by community and religious institutions fostering the importance of marriage.