by Amela Piric

Created on: April 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 23, 2009

The reasons why people prefer cohabitation than marriage vary as the individuals involved. Human beings are indeed complex. Among the major reasons why people do not marry any longer are lack of commitment to their partner, emotional baggage incurred and carried over from previous relationships, economic, and practical reasons.

Below listed are some of the major reasons why people don't marry any longer.

1. Fear of taking a risk

As we have witnessed so many divorces nowadays, people simply do not have the courage any longer to enter into a marriage. Thus, they prefer to try themselves out in a cohabiting union first. They agree and work out sort of like a probation period. Living together works out for some couples and usually on a short-term basis. When looking at a cohabiting union from a long-term perspective, the cohabiting union tends to fall apart. This trend of cohabitation in our society gives a person the opportunity to walk from one person to the next one whenever they feel like it without any responsibility that marriage entails.

2. Pressure to fit in with others and into society

People don't marry any longer because they decided to lower their standards in order to fit into the society in which we live. We no longer have high expectations for our partners but are content to deal with mediocrity. Many young people are not even sure whether they found the right partner yet. But, they feel a need to have somebody close to them in order to not feel alone. Thus, young people are confusing intimacy that only marriage can provide with sex.

3. Lack of commitment

Marriage requires serious and long-term commitment unlike cohabitation that serves to satisfy temporary needs and impulses. Cohabitation is about satisfying short-term needs and expectations at the expense of long-term ones. There is no real willingness and commitment to work things out in spite of all obstacles as is the case in marriage. In marriage, we give vows that we will take care of each other until death separates us apart.

4. Practical reasons

Thus, they decide to cohabit out of practical reasons such as sharing everyday expenses and rent. As an added bonus they get to enjoy free sex. People figure that it is easier to live on two incomes rather than one. Then, there are tax benefits involved for couples unlike when you are living on your own.

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