Take a moment to consider the first response that popped into your head when you read that question. Was it an emphatic no it’s not right to marry for money? Was it a casual “eh, I wouldn’t, but it’s okay for some people”? Was it a ‘sure’ as long as both parties agreed to it? The reason I ask the question is simple, a lot of people would insist that it is wrong to marry for money, because they think you should only marry for love and that anything else is just a bad idea.
But is it a bad idea? Is it wrong? If a man and a woman enjoy each other, respect each other, care about each other and are interested in uniting their assets – is that any less of a reason to get married than falling madly, passionately in love after a torrid affair?
Indignation
The trouble is, this topic brings a lot of indignation out in people, yet the idea of marrying for love is a relatively new idea and it’s very much a construct of the western world. We are in love with the idea of being in love. Romance is wonderful and many of us can build on a foundation of romance and passion and that’s fantastic. But there are cultures that pride stability and security over passion.
Passion, they argue, can wane. Love, they state, is fleeting. When a man and woman commit to a relationship for better or for worse, they usually don’t want to stay for the worse if the love they felt in the beginning has evaporated. Marriages built on a premise of financial security and stability, however, need not be loveless – these couples can grow to love one another, to appreciate one another and to form similar bonds that those who married for passion did.
Would I Marry Someone For Money?
Here’s an honest truth because like many other people, my initial reaction is a resounding nope, because I want to be loved and I want to love in return. On the other hand, I also know that money isn’t everything – if there isn’t friendship, respect, trust and laughter – all the money in the world won’t provide the security or stability that makes up my life.
So I can honestly say, no I wouldn’t marry for money – on the other hand, the money doesn’t hurt. What do you think?