What an interesting question! Marriage is an element of culture. It is regarded to be an important milestone in our lives, and as part of a society, you are expected to cross it. So it is important to get married in this sense alone, to avoid the snares and endless egging. When you say its "real meaning", I suppose you have in mind the romantic union, to which I would say, marriage is more social than personal. It is a cultural practice for couples to declare their commitment, ideally sure, but it is more a way society gives birth, and guarantees its survival. It is a bleak point of view, but I doubt that history would disagree that marriages were more to the benefit of society than romance, or even that most of them were consensual. So marriage is not necessary to, live with your romantic partner, grow children, or ensure fidelity. On the contrary, they serve as shackles that impose societal rules and philosophies in your private life. Two people no longer committed to one other find it much more difficult to pursue their happiness if married than not, taboos tend to be a long list in marriages, and these restrictions trap people with even the slightest difference with society. Marriages is also a recognition tool a society uses to decide which couple get to join the club. This said, I don't consider it a strong enough reason to stop a relationship, although I'd prefer the freedom, the everyday choice to renew my commitment to my partner and be free to forge our own rules and customs to practice privately.
Feb 04, 2026