Marriage vs Cohabitation - Creating Generative Value

In relation to my blog’s main theme, weddings, I came across a recent online article by The Wall Street Journal which basically supports society’s ongoing perceived trend of cohabitation over marriage. Since my blog’s aim is to sustain diversified weddings it simultaneously serves as a platform to embody this traditional event hence I am highly against the notion of the total shift from marriage to cohabitation.

There is a huge difference between the terms ‘delay’ and a ‘decline’. From my perspective, it is true that people opt for cohabitation during the early stages of a new found relationship but media publications should rather focus on the issues that lead to cohabiting couples instead of bluntly assuming the extinction of marriage with some statistics.

As mentioned in my previous entry, the lingering of nuptials depicts society’s increased value to this rite of passage. Statistics show that marriage were most conducted three decades ago and beyond. So let’s ponder into why the delay of marriage is not a bad thing after all.

According to Settersten Jr. and Ray, during the 1950’s, youth would transition to adulthood by leaving the nest. Staying with parents were considered humiliating which led to many getting married at a young age. Nowadays the longer you stay with your parents, the more overwhelmed are your benefits right? Free laundry, prepared food, the list is endless. Simultaneously people are finding it as important to take care of their elderly parents which suppresses the time to find “the one” when balancing work and care taking. Which leads to our next point!

This contemporary society has become work laden. The equality of gender and work has led to both sexes engaged in their career. The need for the higher education in order to fulfill the ideal well off family is a catalyst to marriages being conducted later in life. The need for being financially stable indicates that family life has more merit more than ever.  

University goals for both genders for a successful future

Nowadays we are well aware of discriminations against all morphologies. We are exposed to our rights and equality whether it is race, gender or religion. We are educated about our exposure to the prescribed authorities that led us to disregard those we do not relate to. This has led to many people choosing to be in an intimate relationship whether it is within their norm or not. Hence there is the  need to accept interfaith marriages in order to sustain this traditional event.

Get involved!

Marriage is a rite of passage conducted within every society, although the ceremony and people involved may be different compared to the usual scenery it depicts how we are all intertwined to the notion of this union. According to sociologist and blogger Philip Cohen, using Eurostat database, found out that people tend to get married at least once in their lifetime and further stressed that marriage is not ‘declining’ but delayed due to its increase social significance. So if you're single and find no reason to be reading this blog, be aware that one day your time will come so you might aswell consume as much information.

Universally, people are engaged with the idea of getting married and this shows through their personal understanding which diversifies the meaning itself

              

Ever since the appearance of Alan Kurdi in the media, this has caused an uproar within media outlets in relations to xenophobia and prompted a call to action in which the world have responded. 

                                                                                                      (Filson Lee, 2015)

My blog will also shed light on this social vice in depicting ways to reinforce social relations within our households despite being from different cultures.  

The topic itself, cultural weddings is of interest to many people as the web itself is the platform for many groups, blogs, communities and forums dedicated to interfaith weddings and their traditional events. These platforms are the product of endless personal accounts and followed by thousands.

Interesting enough, this shows the ex-nomination of a wedding between a couple of similar cultural backgrounds. Why is a heterogeneous couple of the same religion termed to be having ‘a wedding’? While other nuptials outside this perceived “norm” have a name attached to their wedding for example “gay wedding, interfaith wedding”. Think about it? Why it all couldn't be termed “wedding”!

This blog will explore different cultures and the ways they prepare for their ceremony(ies). While it becomes a source of knowledge outside of what we are accustomed to, the posts on different events could be a source of inspiration for your big day. Adding twists to the homogeneous ‘white wedding’, by giving it a more intense and unique stance. We are the ones who make up society, we should be aware and accepting of practices within our environment therefore if nuptials are conducted within all societies, it is relatable to all of us!

		Why worry about refugees, famine and wars when we are blessed with coconut trees and clear blue seas. We feel like the vices of society and its hardships are only experienced around the world, it is not our battle as we are well protected within the barriers of our good country. How strong are these walls?

Why weddings Raissa?

Why weddings Raissa? It’s only a commitment ceremony and the process is similar; find your significant other, plan the event and live happily ever after.

Well…my interest in nuptials ponder beyond this perceived black and white “fairytale”. Ever since I studied the unit Culture to Cultures and currently delving into Making Meanings at Charles Telfair Institute, this has change my perspectives on society especially the unforeseen vices in which we fail to identify. In my opinion, the wars between countries and religions are solicited by each culture’s prejudices covertly inculcating their propaganda within social actors. The authority’s key messages are delivered via mass media with the aim to create XENOPHOBIA. To better understand this social vice, Tafira defines xenophobia as the dislike of other cultures integrating with ours in fear of social changes and economic deprivation. In this blog I want to show how interfaith weddings is fundamental in realizing that xenophobia exist in most societies by depicting the complex issues these couples go through for approval of their union. I want to show that through these interfaith wedding entries, xenophobia is only a myth as these couples’ vows show that it is possible to be accepting of each other’s diverse cultures and it is workable within their household.

© The union of two souls despite their cultural differences. My sister's wedding.

As it was detailed in my Avatar Annotation this blog will also shed light on different nuptial ceremonies aside to the common, slowly homogenized Christian ways of exchanging vows. Professor Ingraham acknowledge the domination of western society’s traditional ritual; the white gown, the church and the cake in which he terms the ‘white wedding’.

By publishing rituals from different cultures I hope to educate my viewers that although ceremonies are done differently (hence acknowledging and accepting different cultures) it serves to one purpose that is to bring together two people by their own rituals. I believe that diversified marriages is the foundation to erode such social vice.

Besides this main focus, I am keen on indigenous discoveries whether its gastronomy, transportation and weddings itself. Like most people my egotistical goal is to travel the world and the cheapest way to do it right now is to live it through online research.