Divorce Proposal
Jake Roth
ENG 106
Way
12/05/14
A proposal to combat divorce in America
Since the reform of the “no fault” divorce law in 1972, the rate of failed marriages resulting in divorce has skyrocketed. The outcome of this is one of catastrophic proportions, as it affects the culture we live in as American’s. Divorce is just a reflection of the society we live in today, and has transformed from a last resort to a common household action, as well as become a social norm that we have learned to accept. However, there is hope, and there needs to be, for if we want to continue progressing as a nation we must first learn how to appropriately deal with our problems at home. The reason divorce became such a commonly accepted result of marriage was due to an attitude or perspective shift that happened across the nation, and therefore we must begin to counteract that shift with a new perspective. This should be one of a desire and willingness for reform in marriage, rather than giving up at the first sign of conflict. There are multiple ways to renew the outlook on divorce, but only a direct approach that will cut straight to the heart of the problem is what will eventually cause an adjustment in our way of thinking. This approach involves a few steps, including making both pre-marital and marital counseling mandatory. The first is to ensure that the couple is ready prior to the marriage, as well as to hopefully work through and deal with problems the spouses may have in order to prevent a potential divorce. The latter is to prevent a divorce that is unnecessary, and that through counseling and therapy the couple will be able to resolve their differences. Next, education of the effects of divorce is extremely vital, as often times people do not consider the consequences of their actions before going through with them. The legalization of mandatory pre-marital and marital counseling is the first and quite possibly most important step in the combat against
ENG 106
Way
12/05/14
A proposal to combat divorce in America
Since the reform of the “no fault” divorce law in 1972, the rate of failed marriages resulting in divorce has skyrocketed. The outcome of this is one of catastrophic proportions, as it affects the culture we live in as American’s. Divorce is just a reflection of the society we live in today, and has transformed from a last resort to a common household action, as well as become a social norm that we have learned to accept. However, there is hope, and there needs to be, for if we want to continue progressing as a nation we must first learn how to appropriately deal with our problems at home. The reason divorce became such a commonly accepted result of marriage was due to an attitude or perspective shift that happened across the nation, and therefore we must begin to counteract that shift with a new perspective. This should be one of a desire and willingness for reform in marriage, rather than giving up at the first sign of conflict. There are multiple ways to renew the outlook on divorce, but only a direct approach that will cut straight to the heart of the problem is what will eventually cause an adjustment in our way of thinking. This approach involves a few steps, including making both pre-marital and marital counseling mandatory. The first is to ensure that the couple is ready prior to the marriage, as well as to hopefully work through and deal with problems the spouses may have in order to prevent a potential divorce. The latter is to prevent a divorce that is unnecessary, and that through counseling and therapy the couple will be able to resolve their differences. Next, education of the effects of divorce is extremely vital, as often times people do not consider the consequences of their actions before going through with them. The legalization of mandatory pre-marital and marital counseling is the first and quite possibly most important step in the combat against
References: Avery-Stoss, J. (2013, December 18). What Is the Success Rate of Marriage Counseling? Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/279898-what-is-the-success-rate-of-marriage-counseling/ Spohn, W. (n.d.). The American Myth of Divorce. Retrieved from: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v9n2/divorce.html Meyer, C. (2014, September 1). The Many Benefits of Marriage Counseling. Retrieved from http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/canorshoulditbesaved/qt/marriagecounsel.htm