Replies to '12/19 The Honeymoon's Over!'

I appreciate your interest, and it's not sanctimonious at all. I do believe that the whole American lifestyle is so fast-paced with such instant gratification that it is difficult to "wait" for anything! How do I know? Because I am in a new marriage and there are several times I've already thought, "well, I could just get a divorce and it would be easier." This is coming from a girl who never believed in divorce ever! I can't give you a straight answer, but I do think it is a generational/lifestyle thing in which when people are dissatisfied, they just "switch" - if that makes any sense. Looking forward to the show to see what he says....

Saying " 

"IS MATURITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICS, INTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT NOW BEYOND YOUR REACH IN YOUR NEW MTV SOCIETY? "   

to me says you feel somehow superior & yes snobby.  This is usually from people who are jealous & yes to live in American a womanis the luckiest in the world!   

  

I'm not sure how did this become "Americans"?  I wouldn't begin to know nor would I pretend to know the first thing about the Australian way of life and I'm curious to know what makes you think from a television show you've a clear picture of the "American way of life" or anything about being an American?  It's true we're on a fast pace here but that isn't just the US & there's Fast food, fast cars & there's certainly instant messaging every where.  And where are you getting this impression that we're all spoiled & neive?  You'd said " 

"YOU GIVE THE REST OF THE WORLD THE IMPRESSION, THAT YOU HAVE NO PATIENCE AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CHOICES. "   

  

Where are you getting your statistics from & what are you basing these statements on?  I mean how can you speak for the "rest of the world"?  Have you done any research on this or are you watching Dr. Phil, Oprah, Sex in the City & Desperate Houswives and drawing conclusions from that?  I heard that there were several countries that actually believe that the average woman was just like the women on "Sex and the City" & I can tell you right now that while there are many women like them I'm not sure I'd call them "average" in America.  This is television & you're not going to see the people that are happily married with no problems & there is no marriage that is problem free.   But I am someone in a long term marriage that's happy & we come from a long long line of long term marriages.   

  

  

  

  

  

I completely agree that a lot of us give up on relationships too quickly, but when you start off with lies your marriage is doomed.  It is extremely hard to make a strong comeback when you find out that you don't know the person that you married.  Once someone had lied to you it is very hard to trust them again.  So I think that in some cases divorce is the best thing.   

  

And if you are so disgusted with Americans why don't you stop watching American TV.  It might be a little hard for you to get a clear view of the "American Lifestyle"  from that throne you are sitting on.  For you to generalize a whole nation based on statisticts is naive.  There are still those who work hard to make things work.  We are not all looking for a way out.  But in defense of those who make up the divorce rate, like Dr. Phil says, "Whats worse than being in a bad relationship for 1 year is being a bad relationship for 1 year and 1 day."  If you want to get an idea of how Americans really live maybe you should that a look from a commoners point of view and not from high a top your castle wall. 

As an American I am DISGUSTED with our society. It is not just America....it is the whole world. People everywhere are giving up on marriage because they have lost sight of marriage being sacred. We are no longer a God fearing nation. I and many other people I know view marriage as a gift from God and work hard and put our marriages FIRST in our lives. Yes Americans as a whole tend to be selfish, impatient, greedy people... but please don't label ALL of us Americans of being that way. You don't know what it it is like to be raised and live here. We tend to be bred to want things FAST! It is no way to live..very stressful. NO wonder there is a high rate of heart disease as well. I swear I am gonna have a heart attack driving on a Southern Califonia freeway one of these days! I was born in Las Vegas and raised in Southern California. I still live here (near DISNEYLAND of ALL places!!) and I am so ready to live out in the the countryside of Wales and be a sheep farmer and have tea time every day!!!! It's chaotic here and I HATE IT.  If I wasnt a Christian and I didnt rely on God for strength I would be an alcoholic for sure! This world is so depressing!  

  

 I love America...but I don't love what our society has turned into...lack of morals and little regard for fellow man or God. I don't know how it is in Australia concerning saying "Merry Christmas" Heck...saying MERRY CHRISTMAS in California is politically incorrect! DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE TRUE MANING>>>JESUS!! HELLLOOOO. We wouldnt have Christmas if it werent for Jesus being born!!! Makes me sick..all this Political correctness BS!! Quit calling Christians hypocrites! I DON'Tcelebrate holidays that don't have menaing to me! Whole seprate issue sorry! :O soooo 

  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!! 

  

:} 

As an American I am DISGUSTED with our society. It is not just America....it is the whole world. People everywhere are giving up on marriage because they have lost sight of marriage being sacred. We are no longer a God fearing nation. I and many other people I know view marriage as a gift from God and work hard and put our marriages FIRST in our lives. Yes Americans as a whole tend to be selfish, impatient, greedy people... but please don't label ALL of us Americans of being that way. You don't know what it it is like to be raised and live here. We tend to be bred to want things FAST! It is no way to live..very stressful. NO wonder there is a high rate of heart disease as well. I swear I am gonna have a heart attack driving on a Southern Califonia freeway one of these days! I was born in Las Vegas and raised in Southern California. I still live here (near DISNEYLAND of ALL places!!) and I am so ready to live out in the the countryside of Wales and be a sheep farmer and have tea time every day!!!! It's chaotic here and I HATE IT.  If I wasnt a Christian and I didnt rely on God for strength I would be an alcoholic for sure! This world is so depressing!  

  

 I love America...but I don't love what our society has turned into...lack of morals and little regard for fellow man or God. I don't know how it is in Australia concerning saying "Merry Christmas" Heck...saying MERRY CHRISTMAS in California is politically incorrect! DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE TRUE MANING>>>JESUS!! HELLLOOOO. We wouldnt have Christmas if it werent for Jesus being born!!! Makes me sick..all this Political correctness BS!! Quit calling Christians hypocrites! I DON'Tcelebrate holidays that don't have menaing to me! Whole seprate issue sorry! :O soooo 

  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!! 

  

:} 

 I think I can help answer this for you.

At least with my generation (I'm in my mid twenties) a lot of  kids grew up with divorced parents.  At least six of the 15 kids in my  elemmentary and middle school class had divorced parents.  So that's part of the reason people my age don't stick with it.

Another part is that I think you're exactly right that our culture of instant gratification plays a HUGE role people's expectations about everything. 

Also I think a lot of people have people have faulty expectations of marriage.  Do you NEED a honeymoon to have a good marriage? I don't think so.  Do you NEED a large wedding? I don''t think so either.  The list goes on from there.

But what people do need in marriage is a sincere desire to put the other person 's needs ahead of your own.  you need mutual things like: honesty, respect, and commitment.  You get these things by working together and learning about each other BEFORE you get married.   You don't have to agree in everything, but you have to learn to disagree with RESPECT. 

However, no one should stay in a dangerous marriage, that's my opinion.  Your personal safety and the safety  and security of your children comes first.   But I think a lot of people find it hard to tell the difference between a hard marriage and a dangerous one.

I hope this has helped. Thanks for the outside persepective on life in America. :)