Marriage further shows your commitment to your partner

The argument

Marriage is voluntary and offers a new level of commitment to your partner, and the argument's case rests on what that voluntariness makes possible rather than on the institution's age. Because nobody is obliged to marry, the act of doing so carries information that a continuing relationship does not: it is a commitment entered into deliberately, at a moment that can afterwards be pointed to. The ceremony is a time to declare your love for your partner in front of friends and family, along with religious traditions depending on the couple's beliefs, and that audience is part of the point. A promise made publicly is answerable to the people who heard it in a way that a private understanding is not. Rings then allow people to symbolize their commitment to the world, indicating that they are no longer available, and the symbol travels with the couple, continuing to speak on the days when nothing is being declared. Rather than just declaring love verbally, marriage allows for the next step of monogamy on a lawful level, so the commitment is registered by an institution as well as by the people present. Marriage symbolizes unity and love, and proponents are careful to add that it is up to the couple to decide whether or not marriage is something they want to commit to, which keeps the argument consistent with its own emphasis on choice. Marriage is not only to legally prove love, but also to make promises, and a simple relationship may not indicate the amount of love and commitment a particular couple possesses. The final answer to the charge of obsolescence is adaptation rather than mere survival. While the tradition began a very long time ago, the institution of marriage has changed with the times and is still alive today, which is why, on this view, it is not an outdated custom.

Premises

Counter-arguments

There are plenty of ways to show commitment besides getting married. For example, living together. Deciding to move into a place with one another offers a new level of commitment for a couple. This incorporates new responsibilities such as financial duties, contributing to household chores, and being with one another constantly. There are plenty of times where a married individual will step out of their marriage and commit adultery. It is much easier to step out of a living situation than it is to file for a divorce. While marriage is the ultimate act of monogamy, it is not always the most sensible choice for some. Living with one another is an added layer of the relationship which tests the strength of the partners.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] There are other opportunities to show commitment to a partner besides marriage.