The Bad Example: How Western Culture is Promoting Divorce
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According to Brown and Lin (2012), divorce rates in Western cultures are soaring higher than the rest of the world with an estimated 45 percent of marriages projected to fail (p. 731). No matter what stance is taken on marriage or its value, it is safe to say we all have identified that a problem exists. The question is, how are we going to correct this divorce epidemic before it consumes or affects all of our lives? With numerous other social issues in the American spotlight, the shocking high divorce rate has been placed on the back burner and allowed to simmer too long. In the past, a marriage typically lasted for a lifetime. However, changes in societal norms and views as of late have created a generation of early marriage and even earlier divorce. Some will protest and insist that the times are changing, and Western cultures are no different. As Western citizens, we hold a shared interest in the direction our country is headed, just as much as every other nation. However, compared to other cultures, Western cultures are wrongly promoting the shift of family and marriage values because the United States is currently leading the world in divorce rates.