The power of a lifetime guaranteed with ‘happiness’ and companionship has fueled most individuals to decide and go against the odds. The little girl playing with her Ken and Barbie marriage set doesn’t act out an unsightly custody battle or child support payment fights with her dolls. The idea of marriage lasting till the end of time is not seen as idealistic in America. If you were to take the plunge in any endeavor knowing that there was a fifty percent chance that it would fail people would warn you, you would think twice, be considered and optimist, even crazy. As a society knowing that the divorce rate in the U.S is around fifty percent, we throw you parties, buy you presents, and marvel at you.
Do we as a society choose to ignore the fact that marriages end? Do individuals think they can transcend the statistics that many of them eventually become? Easy to say that one can’t go a week without spotting the carbon copy, picture perfect bride on that wedding magazine that smiles at you while making your purchases or be channel surfing only to find yourself an hour later weeping at the final scene of The Notebook. The ideals of love and marriage are always around us making us go for it weather in the media or Aunt Sally pressuring you to ‘get married already’.
We are also shown the other end. From reading about the ugly divorces of celebrities, listening to the complaints of our single parent friends, and watching T.V shows like Desperate Housewives where divorces are what the main characters deal with. We are as much exposed to the matching bride dresses we see to the realities of friends’ divorces.
We see what we want to see and close our eyes to the rest making ourselves blissfully unaware.
Do we as a society choose to ignore the fact that marriages end? Do individuals think they can transcend the statistics that many of them eventually become? Easy to say that one can’t go a week without spotting the carbon copy, picture perfect bride on that wedding magazine that smiles at you while making your purchases or be channel surfing only to find yourself an hour later weeping at the final scene of The Notebook. The ideals of love and marriage are always around us making us go for it weather in the media or Aunt Sally pressuring you to ‘get married already’.
We are also shown the other end. From reading about the ugly divorces of celebrities, listening to the complaints of our single parent friends, and watching T.V shows like Desperate Housewives where divorces are what the main characters deal with. We are as much exposed to the matching bride dresses we see to the realities of friends’ divorces.
We see what we want to see and close our eyes to the rest making ourselves blissfully unaware.
The people at Barbie will go on selling their Ken and Barbie marriage sets for generations to come, insinuating the stance that an everlasting marriage is inevitable. While the girls will continue to play and cling to the idea that a faultless matrimony is obtainable for all, while temporarily shutting their ears to the yells they hear in the background.
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