[토론주제] [TOPIC 1 / 6월 18일] Married couples in less than half of US households

[Ernesto Agustin Lee]

Married couples in less than half of US households

Data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows married couples have found themselves in a new position: They're no longer the majority. It's a trend that's been creeping along for decades, but in the 2010 Census, married couples represent 48 percent of all households. That's down from 52 percent in the last Census and, for the first time in U.S. history, puts households led by married couples as a plurality.

The reason, said Portland State University demographer Charles Rynerson, is twofold: The fast-growing older population is more likely to be divorced or widowed later in life, and 20-somethings are putting off their nuptials for longer stretches.

"People in their 20s are postponing marriage for many reasons, including money," Rynerson said. "We also have an aging population, so there's more people living alone."

Fears of not being able to hang onto a job, a widening labor market for women and a shift away from having kids at a young age have all proved to be a disincentive for people in their 20s and early 30s to join the ranks of the married.

The median age for first marriages has climbed steadily since the 1960s, when men got married at about 23 years old, and women at 20. Now, men are waiting until they're 28 and women are holding off until 26. "Some of that is people coupling but not being married," Rynerson said. "There are not nearly as many people in their 20s who are married as in previous generations." The data supports that, as the Census Bureau reported last year that opposite-sex unmarried couples living together jumped 13 percent from 2009 to 7.5 million.

We're also living longer, with an average life expectancy of 78 years, nearly a decade longer than in the 1960s. And attitudes on marriage are changing, too. About 39 percent of Americans say marriage is becoming obsolete, according to a Pew Research Center study published in November, up from 28 percent in 1978.

Oregon is about average when it comes to the declining number of households led by married couples, and reflects the larger nationwide trend.

[Question]

1. Do you think what is the reason that marriages couples are going to decline and marriages age have been older?

2. When is usually considered a good ages for married(reason)?

3. What is your view on the couples but not being married and the same sexual couple?

4. What is your definition of family. Do you think It is reasonable to include unmarried couples, same-sex partners as a family?

5. Do you also think marriage is obslete? If it is/is not, why?

If there are time to discuss bit more, Let's talk about other social problems with long life expectancy.

[Ernesto Agustin Lee]

금 주 토픽 츄저인 Amanda가 아직 등업이 안 된 관계로, 제가 이메일로 토픽 받아 대신 올립니다.
Amanda 수고하셨습니다. 감사합니다. ^^

[Iriskorean]

Amanda~^^ 토픽 감사해요~*^^* 잼나게 토론할께요 !! ~*^.~*