Want to Be Happy? Get Married and Stay Married

By The Ruth Institute Published on April 11, 2024

Studies show that marriage is an excellent predictor of happiness.

What’s the status of marriage in America today? The good news is that since 2012 there has been an increase in the number of children being raised in intact families, says Dr. Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia and the author of Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization.

The bad news, he says, is that marriage is losing ground as an anchoring institution for adults.

β€œThese two trends go together. What’s happening is both marriage and childbearing are becoming more selective. In other words, fewer and fewer adults are doing them.

β€œThe number one factor for why we’re seeing happiness drop in America is that fewer and fewer Americans are putting a ring on it. More Americans, compared to decades ago, are divorced.”

Dr. Wilcox explains how factions on both the right and left side of the political spectrum are β€œtelling people the path to prosperity and happiness runs away from family, [but] for most Americans, the path to prosperity is stable marriage. The path to happiness is marriage and parenthood.”

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Learn from Dr. Wilcox:

  • The types of people getting married today.
  • The markers of an individual who is oriented toward self vs. the good of the marriage.
  • Whether conservatives, moderates, or liberals are more likely to be happily married, and why.
  • How different groups feel about infidelity.
  • What makes women really happy in marriage.
  • The three-part Success Sequence that dramatically decreases your odds of being poor.
  • The four demographic groups that are the Masters of Marriage.

Watch the full episode on Locals, or find only the first half on YouTube, Bitchute, or Odysee.

Unmasking Sexual Abuse: Understanding, Healing, & Prevention

Tentmakers, an organization for supporting survivors of sexual abuse, is hosting an event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on April 25.

From its website: β€œThis forum aims to shed light on critical aspects of child sexual abuse, offering education, awareness, and support to individuals and communities. Our diverse lineup of speakers will share invaluable insights on this critical topic.”

Find more information and register here.

 

The Ruth Institute is a global nonprofit organization, leading an international interfaith coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love.  Founder and President Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse is the author of The Sexual State: How Elite Ideologies Are Destroying Lives and Love and Economics: It Takes a Family to Raise a Village. Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to get all our latest news.

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