[throwntoday]

> It's a numbers game

I think to enter into a relationship knowing there will be an expiration date speaks more to your character. Almost sounds like "I'm with them unless something better comes along or their shortcomings become more than I want to deal with".

If you genuinely love someone, you will stand by them, work on any problems, and remember that you chose to build a future together. Given that the divorce rate in my community is less than 1% we're probably doing something right.

[3m]

You've completely misunderstood my original comment. The process of meeting new people to establish compatibility is absolutely a numbers game. To expect to meet someone with whom you are compatible enough to spend many many years with just by meeting 3 new people is ridiculous. It's not impossible, but given the number of permutations of personalities it's extremely unlikely.

In order to find a suitable life partner, you need to be exposed to a large number of potential partners. Some people get lucky and hit the jackpot after meeting 5 people, others after 50, others still not after 200.

Also, divorce rate is not at all an indicator of healthy relationships. Religious or cultural taboos massively influence divorce rate, and there is plenty of evidence to show that the result can be people trapped in dreadfully unhappy marriages without any escape.

[selcuka]

> Given that the divorce rate in my community is less than 1% we're probably doing something right.

FYI the divorce rate worldwide is less than 1% (it's actually much lower, around 0.4%).

[throwntoday]

We live in the US, where the success of a marriage is closer to a coin toss. It's pretty abaurd to try to take the average from across the world in this case.

[dublinben]

The simple average hides a lot of differences between demographic groups. If you’re college educated, earn a higher income, white or Asian, and get married later, then your chances of success are much higher than 50/50.

[selcuka]

US average is even lower (0.3%). I believe you, but your metric must be wrong.

[phito]

Where do you get that from...? Everything I find online says it's between 40% and 50%. 0.3% makes no sense.

[selcuka]

Divorce rate means the percentage of people getting a divorce every year. Your 40-50% figure must be the total percentage of marriages that end in divorce.

Now the GP said "divorce rate", so I take it they meant the former. If it's the latter, then 1% is abnormally low (and can't be simply explained with happy marriages).

[throwway120385]

It's more that things change, and that one of the things that changes is the "new relationship smell." Also people change with the seasons. Someone who is outgoing and upbeat in the summer may be hell on wheels in the winter simply because of the effect the seasons have on them. You learn more about someone the longer you spend with them.

My spouse wanted to get married after 3 months of dating and I pushed back because we hadn't even been through a whole season together, let alone a year. If you want to spend a lifetime with someone you have to recognize when it's time to be practical and when it's time to throw caution to the wind and commit at any cost.

[scrollaway]

> Given that the divorce rate in my community is less than 1% we're probably doing something right.

Or something wrong. Low divorce rate doesn't mean low unhappiness rate. I know several men and women in utterly trash relationships, who'd be better off alone, but who stay married because "this is the way".

It's a mix of "must have kids at all costs" (even if that cost is the parents and kids having awful lives because they weren't a good match), and "must be and stay married at all costs if we have a kid".

Hey, I can't know what your community is like. But my guess, it's part of the many communities that have this problem. But that's not to disagree with your first paragraph; when you're with a partner, you do stand by them, you don't just treat them like a phone and upgrade to a newer and shinier model every few months/years. But also, you don't have to put up with them if you find out they're a terrible person.

[AussieWog93]

The flip side, of course, is couples throwing completely repairable relationships in the garbage can and creating lifelong issues for their kids.

I think a lot of pro-divorce people would be surprised at what couples can recover from if they're prepared to work at it.

[icepat]

> to enter into a relationship knowing there will be an expiration date speaks more to your character

The comment you are replying to never said, or insinuated this.

[throwntoday]

Yes it did. The assertion was that the more people you date the higher your odds of success, when the reality is totally the opposite. People who date less have a higher success rate in marriage.

[icepat]

> The assertion was that the more people you date the higher your odds of success

Again, no, it is not. It very clearly is talking about being a numbers game in terms of meeting people, rather than dating people. You do not date everyone you meet.

[EFreethought]

Your comment would be more helpful if you state which community is your community and give some details on what you are doing right.