A Nonsense Institution

I have never been married. I can’t possibly pretend to know the intricacies of being involved in such an institution. But that’s not going to stop me having an opinion about it.

This week Scarlett Johansson announced her split from husband of two years, Ryan Reynolds. Dexter star Michael C. Hall and his spouse, co-star Jennifer Carpenter, also split after a whooping 2 whole years or marriage. Marriage must be tough. However did they make it a whole 730 days?

I know marriages fall apart – infidelity, abuse and 50 years of personal growth can all push marriages past the point of reconciliation. But 2 years? C’mon people. Back when marriage was done right, you wouldn’t consider a divorce after 2 years. Married couples have had fights that last longer. But these days people fall in and out of marriage so quickly that the institution has been reduced to the equivalent of asking a boy out on the playground.

I’ll be honest. This out and out fucks me off. I want to get married someday but I want to get married. I don’t want a boyfriend that comes with a ring. I want a life partner - someone to buy a home with, make big decisions with - a father for my future children. Not just someone I’ll continue to shag as long as it’s convenient.

But now I’m thinking I might not bother. It doesn’t mean anything anymore. We’ve all become so determined that we can have everything – the perfect house, the perfect job, the perfect marriage. If one small thing falls out of place – and we have to actually start working at our relationships - then suddenly it’s not right, cause the movies say it’ll be easy. It’s a whole generation of emotionally retarded people running around with their heads in the clouds.

Well fuck-you-very-much generation before me. You’ve trashed it. Congratulations.

In America anti gay-marriage campaigners claim that gay marriage makes a mockery of the institution. Are they kidding? The institution is a mockery. If gay men want to get involved in this farce – good luck to them. They deserve their chance to act like spoilt brats like the rest of us.