Is Marriage Becoming Obsolete?

TIME and the Pew Research Center partnered up to see what role marriage has in America's future. According to the study, "In 1960, two-thirds (68%) of all twenty-somethings were married. In 2008, just 26% were," and four in ten people surveyed said marriage was becoming obsolete. Not surprisingly, younger women and men are more accepting of this trend than older generations. The study links marriage to socio-economic and racial factors, pointing out college graduates are now more likely to get hitched than their high school-educated counterparts, and 32% of African Americans are likely to tie the knot, compared to 56% of whites.

Another aspect of the study worth examining is the public's views on demographic trends. 69% of the public believe single women having children is bad for society, and 43% think cohabitation before marriage is a no-no.

These trends give rise to questions about how valuable marriage and family will be in America's future. To what do you think we can attribute the current hesitation toward holy matrimony? Comment below.