MARRIAGE AS NORM: Maggie replies to Mark Barton

[Reply to this post from a while ago. --Eve]

OK, one last stab:

1. Marriage, in my view, is a key social institution.
By this I mean (to put it more strongly)
2. It is necessary for the survival of any society: if a society doesn't manage procreation successfully it doesn't survive.
3. In addition, children and communities suffer various harms when marriage norms erode;

in that sense

4. Everyone ought to support the norm of marriage, as it is in their interest and the common good to do so.

However

5. Not everyone "has to" get married or have children. The necessity is social not individual.

In this sense marriage is not a norm to be "imposed" on anyone. It requires consent.

Moreover

6. Supporting marriage as a norm does not necessarily requires hating, disliking, or punishing people whose lives do not conform to this norm.

Does that help?
posted by Eve at 4:23 PM VOTE

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