Reply #3: Aside from procreation, why should people get married?

[MercutioATC]

I'll give you that it's probably better for a child to have a stable family environment, at least when they're young...but is the whole "everybody grows up and gets married" thing anything more than antiquated social tradition?

I've been married...and divorced. I have an 18-year-old son who's lived with me for 4 1/2 years (off to college in the fall). I don't regret any of the experience (either the marriage or the divorce) but, in retrospect, I think marriage is kind of a silly goal.

I'm a serial monogamist too...this isn't about playing the field. I fought to have my son come live with me when he was 14...this isn't about commitment issues. I just don't think that a permanent monogamous institution like marriage has nearly the necessity in today's society that many seem to attach to it.