The divorce rate is more than 50% and there are an untold number of couples in unhappy marriages. Having said this, it can be concluded that marriage does not work in today's society. Sure, it might work for a small percentage of the population, but they could easily be in a lifelong monogamous relationship without needing a piece of paper to validate it. As a society we have a tendency to see the order of a relationship as date, get married, and then have children. A large number of couples get married and have children because they see it as "the next step." This tends to push couples into something they aren't ready for and often regret. If we removed marriage from the equation, people would start thinking about what's right for them and not what's expected of them, with prenups, which essentially amount to pre-planning for divorce, rising sharply, and divorces that become easier to obtain, it is clear that our society is no longer. respect marriage as