Japanese

"History of Marriage"

It is said that in the metropolitan areas 40 percent of those who are in their thirties are staying single and unmarried. Called often an "Aristocratic bachelor", they are relatively well-off financially and have the luxury of spending the free time toward their interests, compared to those who are already married. However, it seems that the definition of marriage itself is getting more ambiguous these days. Single mothers are increasing and there are numerous accounts where partners are not married legally because they want separate family names.

The notion of marriage itself, being invented by the people, has effectively become an exercise in an attempt to reason the legal obligation of partners staying together to increase population. In the world of wild animals, obviously there are no obligations to report the marriage to the government. Imperial Penguins are the perfect example of male that dedicates their lives to babies' raisings. On the contrary, male gorillas show us a disastrous example. They have neither intention nor time for bringing up their babies together with partners. On the other hand, female gorillas try their best in order to attract the stronger males.

In the modern world, 87% of marriages are based on some sort of affection. Marriage is one of the goals for the love we believe in. Moreover we are made to feel like we should dedicate our loves to one and only spouse. It seems that having an affair with someone else has been the biggest immorality in our society for long time. However surprisingly in the Japanese old farmer societies, night visit to beloved one's bedroom is frequently seen and generously admitted by the public. Even in the noble classes, they really enjoyed loving another without any inhibition, as written in the Tale of Genji. Besides, among the medieval nobles, it was also admitted to some degree that knights seduced noble wives at will.

Then, should the present marriage system be changed? What will you do if someone suddenly visits to your bedroom? Your heart will begin pounding rapidly if he/she is someone you adore but if he/she is a thief? Security alarm would blare rapidly instead. Similar heartbeat, but a life-threatening situation.

After all, marriage system is probably an important factor to realize the safe and stable society in modern times.