Busting the Myths of Marriage — Why Getting Hitched Still Matters

The marriage rate has come down 65% since 1970. There are multiple factors behind this decrease, but one of them is what we might call the poor branding that surrounds marriage in the modern day. From all corners of our culture and from both ends of the ideological spectrum come messages that marriage is an outdated institution, that it hinders financial success and personal fulfillment, and that it's even unimportant when it comes to raising kids.

My guest would say that these ideas about marriage are very wrong, and he doesn't come at it from an emotionally-driven perspective, but from what's born out by the data. Dr. Brad Wilcox is a sociologist who heads the nonpartisan National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, which studies marriage and family life. He's also the author of Get Married. Today on the show, Brad discusses the latest research on marriage and how it belies the common narratives around the institution. We dig into the popular myths around marriage, and how it not only boosts your finances, but predicts happiness in life better than any other factor. Brad also shares the five pillars of marriage that happy couples embrace.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• Brad's previous appearance on the AoM Podcast: Episode #278 — The Surprising Benefits of Marriage for Men
• The National Marriage Project at UVA
• AoM Article: The Case for Marriage
• Piece in the NYT by Brad: "To Be Happy, Marriage Matters More Than Career"
• Piece in the Atlantic co-authored by Brad: "Now Political Polarization Comes for Marriage Prospects"
• Brad's articles at the Institute for Family Studies 

AoM Podcast #946: Counterintuitive Ideas About Marriage, Family, and Kids

Connect With Brad Wilcox

• Brad's faculty page
• Brad on X
• Brad on LinkedIn