The modern conception of "love" is actually a nightmare. Love is a continual choice. Or a description of an established state of being (see Fiddler on the Roof). It is a component in marriage, but probably doesn't even crack top 5 in importance.
The concept of marriage was created because ancient humans understood that children do much better when raised by two parents rather than one, and they wanted to coerce couples into staying together. If everyone just goes whoring around, randomly producing children who have no idea who their father is, the society quickly crumbles. We're watching it happen right now.
It's manipulation, sure, but it's a necessary one. You can't just say "you have to stay together because it's the right thing to do", because ultimately very few people actually care about morality. The only way to get most people to behave is to threaten them with some dire consequence.
The modern conception of "love" is actually a nightmare. Love is a continual choice. Or a description of an established state of being (see Fiddler on the Roof). It is a component in marriage, but probably doesn't even crack top 5 in importance.
It basically boils down to "being able to put up with each others' bullshit while also being able to work together to run a functioning household."
Which, barring mental illness, is a choice, rather than a magic field.
Love is literally Disney propaganda.
Marriages have always been a bad business agreement sold to you by religious figures through glorified Mafia tactics.
The concept of marriage was created because ancient humans understood that children do much better when raised by two parents rather than one, and they wanted to coerce couples into staying together. If everyone just goes whoring around, randomly producing children who have no idea who their father is, the society quickly crumbles. We're watching it happen right now.
It's manipulation, sure, but it's a necessary one. You can't just say "you have to stay together because it's the right thing to do", because ultimately very few people actually care about morality. The only way to get most people to behave is to threaten them with some dire consequence.