Is Marriage Still A Goal?

Is marriage still seen as an essential step in a successful life? According to the Pew Research Center only about half of Americans over age 18 are married. This is down from 72% then we had 40 years ago, while divorce rates have been significantly raising especially among older Americans. So, is Marriage still a goal? Why are men and women shying away from commitment? Is it a natural fear of rejection or being controlled? Could we see it as a positive trend? What if a delay in marriage allows young people to avoid mistakes, first learn about themselves before being responsible for another person’s life? Could it be that marriage in its traditional way is no longer the answer to the human desire for connection and belonging? Or is it still a social contract? We are not trying to find the right answers. We are just talking it over in our Big Ole Bed and we have perfect guests, who happened to be marriage supporters... Now let's pull back the sheets... Producer: KI from Bedstuy Podcast host and co-producer: Olin - ‘Big O - keeping you in the know’; Podcast co-host: Tricia Grannum; Special guests: Rhea Parks, founder Mind, Body, & Spirit MFT, Marriage & Family Therapist, www.mindbodyspiritmft.com; Alexandra Khan, the author of a new book "What's not to date", a dating manual through the personal account of a woman who realizes that hospitality and dating scenes are not so different-ultimately, they reflect how we welcome people into our lives. Hassan Booker, the author of "Success Inspirations 365. Success Inspirations and Meditations For Everyday Of The Year". Engineer & co-producer: Bumpy's Amin Entertainment LLC  Co-producer: Anna Treyer-Simakova