A former student alerts me to a NY Times article, that seems to follow on to previous post:
For centuries, marriage was viewed as an economic and social institution, and the emotional and intellectual needs of the spouses were secondary to the survival of the marriage itself. But in modern relationships, people are looking for a partnership, and they want partners who make their lives more interesting.
See also this fascinating article on the diamond engagement ring as a credible commitment:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jstor.org/stable/764797