Researchers Blame Marriage Rate Decline On A “Lack Of Economically-Attractive Men”

You can’t make this stuff up.  The marriage rate in the United States began steadily falling in the 1980s and has been hovering near record lows in recent years, and much has been written about why this is happening.  But now researchers from Cornell University are promoting a shocking new theory that could fundamentally change the nature of the entire debate.  According to their new study which was just published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, the primary reason why the U.S. marriage rate has been declining is because there is a “lack of economically-attractive men”.  In other words, these researchers are saying that a large number of single men out there are simply not “marriage material” because they are not making enough money.  It seems very strange that researchers at an Ivy League university would make such a claim in this day and age, but apparently they are quite serious. (Read More...)

The Number One Thing That Women Are Looking For In A Husband

Bride And Groom - Public DomainIs it looks?  Is it a charming personality?  Is it compatibility?  No, it isn’t any of those things.  According to a Pew Research Center study that was just released on Wednesday, “a steady job” is the number one thing that women are looking for in a husband.  And considering the fact that the labor force participation rate for men has been falling for decades, it should be no surprise that the marriage rate has been declining as well.  In fact, as I wrote about the other day, the marriage rate in the U.S. is at a 93 year low and single Americans make up more than half the population for the first time ever.  This is a very disturbing trend, but it is not likely to change any time soon.  In fact, our economic problems are probably only going to get worse from here.  So as the pool of “eligible bachelors” continues to shrink, what are women going to do? (Read More...)