Has Our Lifestyle Increased The Divorce Rates?

The divorce rates in the U.S. have been on the rise for quite some time now. Studies exhibit that nearly 40 to 50% of all first marriages in the United States end up in a permanent legal separation or a divorce. However, this figure goes up to 60% when taking into account the second marriages. The history of separation has been prevalent for as long as the institution of marriage in our society. However, the divorce rates have significantly taken a huge leap in the last fifty years. There are several factors that influence our propensity to divorce our partners. The most significant one, however, is the lifestyle change that we have encountered in the past few decades. Let us see how this so-called lifestyle change has driven us towards a higher tendency to divorce our significant other.

Our independence has made us self-sufficient 

We all are trapped in the race for rapid urbanization, and as a result we have started to trust our independent lives more than our marital lives. We are a highly independent lot of people, earning six figures already and coveting for more promotions and a heftier pay packet. It is a decreased dependence on each other, which makes us prone to feeling that there is no problem or issue that we cannot solve ourselves, including the one related to our marital lives. A decline in our humility, restrains us from seeking outside help from friends and family, in dealing with our issues, and usually ends up making us a victim of a divorce. 

Our declining morals and skewed beliefs 

Nowadays people do not hesitate from seeking solace elsewhere, if they are not finding comfort within their wedlock. With a change in our mindset, we find this act of straying away from our spouse, quite justifiable, and end up damaging our relationship, sometimes even beyond repair. We have developed a distorted notion about the sacred institution of marriage, which encourages us to indulge in devastating acts of infidelity.

Marriages are viewed as indispensible

Adding onto our skewed beliefs, is the fact that now we live in a society, that views everything as disposable. If a thing doesn’t serve our purpose anymore, we tend to discard it, instead of trying to mend it. The belief is extended to marriages that are unable to give us happiness, and we end up throwing them away as well. In the world, where everyone is looking for a quick fix for their problems, we do not want to invest any time and effort in resolving our marital disagreements.

The times are changing, and so are our beliefs and ideals. However, it is time to wake and smell the coffee, and understand that our marital life is not a dispensable commodity. It is a relationship that commands respect and efforts to withstand the test of times.

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Gerald A. Maggio is an experienced Orange County divorce and family law attorney and family law attorney located in Irvine, California, serving the Orange County and Riverside areas. Mr. Maggio assists clients with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, divorce mediation, child custody, prenuptial agreements, stepparent adoptions, and other family law issues. Mr. Maggio has practiced law in California since 1999, and founded The Maggio Law Firm in 2005, focusing exclusively on divorce and family law matters.