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by badmarriage 1604 days ago
What you haven't said is why you regret marriage, or why you prefer to be single. What's the problem?

I was in a dishonest marriage for about 6 months, to allow my partner to finish their studies. But, my partner was abusive and I'd withdrawn from the relationship to protect myself and nobody thought we had a perfect relationship. By the time I ended it, there was no surprise, because of how I'd withdrawn. Ultimately, I think I did the right thing by making it a gradual retreat.

We tried counseling. We each did individual counseling, and we did couples counseling together. All of our counselors, except their individual counselor, told us that their behavior was abusive. The relationship didn't improve, and my partner didn't want to put the work in. But I learned a lot about communication, and that has made relationships easier (also, I learned a ton of red flags that I had previously overlooked, and grew a spine to quickly reject/dump people who display those flags).

So, I don't think that it automatically makes you a bad person if you keep pretending. But it's an awful solution, and from where I stand, a couple of years is a really long time. You should really try counseling, at least individual counseling. Figure out what you actually need. It might just be more space, and she might be willing to give you that. Try couples counseling, and check the assumptions that are built into your relationship. It might just be that you need to tweak some stuff, and she'll probably want to play along.

> I am sure I want to break up and be single again - and very likely remain single forever, I can't understand how many men can marry twice.

I don't buy that, unless you're asexual and aromantic. People tend to find love, if they're looking for it or not. And, not just men re-marry. If my experience is at all typical, a second marriage works better than the first because the first was foolish.

> Main problem is that she still depends on me financially.

This sounds quite insensitive, and I wonder if you're considering the emotional aspect of this. I strongly recommend counseling. Many of us here are on the spectrum, and have difficulty processing the emotions of ourselves and others without deliberate study.

1 comments

> I don't buy that, unless you're asexual and aromantic. People tend to find love, if they're looking for it or not. And, not just men re-marry. If my experience is at all typical, a second marriage works better than the first because the first was foolish.

I didn't say I'd give up sex. Only long term committed relationships. I don't want to hurt another person the same way I will surely hurt my current partner

> This sounds quite insensitive, and I wonder if you're considering the emotional aspect of this. I strongly recommend counseling. Many of us here are on the spectrum, and have difficulty processing the emotions of ourselves and others without deliberate study.

You are right, the financial part is not actually the main problem, the main problem is how heart broken she will be. But I think the sooner the better, at least she has enough time to find someone else, if that's what she wants

Real talk, sorry.

> I didn't say I'd give up sex. Only long term committed relationships.

You should try talking to other guys who have attempted this. If porn is distracting you, you're probably not going to go for women your age*. Past 40 or so, unless you're outstandingly rich or a 10, you're just not what young women are looking for.

My guess is, you're going to end up paying a lot for sex, you're going to fall into another relationship without intent, or you're going to die lonely. Probably an undesirable combination of the three. And single guys die early.

* and, you mentioned that lust & passion have fallen off. Stop watching the porn, man, you're spoiling your dinner with pork rinds and complaining that you aren't hungry.

> You should try talking to other guys who have attempted this. If porn is distracting you, you're probably not going to go for women your age*. Past 40 or so, unless you're outstandingly rich or a 10, you're just not what young women are looking for.

I know no one that has attempted this tbh. Most guys stick and live miserable all the time, or don't even stop to think

> My guess is, you're going to end up paying a lot for sex, you're going to fall into another relationship without intent, or you're going to die lonely. Probably an undesirable combination of the three. And single guys die early.

I've never understood the worry of how you die. Yes if I divorce and never marry again I'll die lonely, for sure. But should I be miserable for 40 years of my adult life just to not die lonely? I prefer to try to be happy for the good years that I have left instead of worrying and acting now in preparation for my death.

> you're going to fall into another relationship without intent

I really hope I'm smart enough to remember this experience and be aware to not hurt another woman like this again.