Since traditional marriage seems to be on its way out, stereotypical relationships are hard to define.
People no longer want the “white picket fence” ideology lifestyle anymore. The issue isn’t that people don’t want to build a life together. As of Nov. 14, the world population hit an all-time high of 8 billion people, with nearly 50% of adults being single according to census.gov.
Nick Cannon who is a celebrity, music mogul, and owner of a multi-million dollar company, has adopted polyamorous relationships and lifestyle changes. He was married to Mariah Carey for eight years, and they had two children. After divorcing in 2016, now Cannon is choosing to partake in a different family ideology. The 42-year-old now has eleven kids with five different women and a twelfth one on the way.
People on social media are outraged and appalled by the way he is practically re-populating the earth one seed at a time. His absence in his children’s lives is not going unnoticed, especially after controversial interviews. When news broke that one of his children passed away, he said that he was not there for his child and the mother in their final moments. He failed to “protect and respect the privacy of the mother of my children” according to CNN.
Cannon was outraged when the media questioned how active he is in his kids’ lives. In an interview with Billboard, he said “Contrary to popular belief, I’m probably engaged throughout my children’s day, more often than the average adult can be,” Cannon said. “If I’m not physically in the same city with my kids, I’m talking to them before they go to school via FaceTime and stuff.”
Cannon said that his goal was to be the best father to as many children as he was going to be blessed with.
Marriage is the legal or formal recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship. According to recent surveys, people no longer want to be attached to a single person legally. For Your Marriage explains, the reduction in marriage among adults has decreased exponentially over the past six decades. In the 1960s, 72% of adults were married by 25, but as of 2021, only 51% of adults are married in the United States.
Alyssa Carr has been in a long-time committed relationship with her partner for 16 years now. She said, “I love my boyfriend, but I don’t see why we need to get married to solidify our relationship with the government. He has a large amount of debt that I don’t want to be attached to if something happens to him just because we’re married.”
Marriage is becoming more difficult to justify. Katie Lee, a former UNG student, said, “I mean, look at all the one-bedroom apartments and the single-serve meals available at the grocery store. It’s a tall sign that this generation is over traditional marriage factors.”
The act of marriage is celebrated and performed everywhere in the world. As the saying goes, first comes love, then comes marriage, then there is a baby in the baby carriage. Due to the stigma arising around marriage, the saying has changed to fit society’s new standards. “Casual” and “Committed” relationships are becoming the new normal.
“We all crave intimacy and companionship, but at what cost anymore?” – Courtney Stanley, Revolution World Church Family Pastor
The percentage of divorce has increased tremendously compared to the 1960s. Stanley said, “As soon as the hard part of marriages occurs, people are so quick to give up. Marriage is hard when both parties don’t actually put in the work needed to keep a healthy, functioning relationship.”
Technology and social media have played a prominent role in the decline of marriage and overall commitment in relationships. Lee said, “The difference now compared to the 60s is that It is so easy for people to betray their partners’ thanks to social media. Back then you had to go out of your way to cheat on your significant other now all you have to do is press a couple of buttons.”
