@Begin
@Participants:	NS006
@Age:	28
@Sex:	M
@L1:	AmE
@FatherL1:	AmE
@MotherL1:	AmE
@AcademicBakground:	PhD
@OtherLanguage:	French=8;Japanese=3
@Topic:	divorce
@Comments:	NoTitle
@Coder:	2006-10-19 DataInputBy MURAO Remi;
@Version:	2.0
*NS006:	The increasing frequency of divorce has been a social issue in the U.S.A. for at least 30 years, and recently it has become a problem in Japan as well.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Although the relatively newfound freedom to leave an unhappy marriage is hailed by some as a boon, it is unquestionable that divorce places a great strain on all parties involved, especially children.
%COM:	
*NS006:	The ideal situation, of course, is for a marriage to be happy and divorce unnecessary.
%COM:	
*NS006:	In this essay I will discuss one reason why divorce is on the rise, and focus on two areas people need to improve if they are to avoid divorce.
%COM:	
%par:
*NS006:	Unhappy marriages are certainly not just a modern phenomenon.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Although it is difficult to compare, I see no reason to believe that a higher proportion of marriages are unhappy today than they were 100 years ago.
%COM:	
*NS006:	So why are such a higher percentage of them resulting in divorce today?
%COM:	
*NS006:	A commonly heard explanation for the spiraling increase is that because divorce has become more commonplace, the long-standing taboo against it is disappearing.
%COM:	
*NS006:	In the past, the benefits of divorce had to be weighed carefully against the threat of being ostracized by the community, and this made divorce a much less attractive option in many cases.
%COM:	
*NS006:	In the present day, however, the lack of stigma can make divorce feel like an easier choice.
%COM:	
*NS006:	While this is certainly not the only reason for the increase in divorce, it can be seen as a significant contributor.
%COM:	
%par:
*NS006:	I believe that the first step in avoiding divorce is for people to do a better job of choosing their partner.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Some people are simply not honest with themselves when thinking about marriage and their compatibility with their partner.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Many relationships today begin physically, with emotional attachment developing more as a result of physical intimacy than because of a true compatibility of personalities.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Relationships which begin in this way and continue for a long time sometimes end in marriage due to social pressure or mere convenience.
%COM:	
%par:
*NS006:	Another important step is for people to learn how to properly foster a relationship with another person.
%COM:	
*NS006:	Many people have difficulty with compromise and are unwilling to make sacrifices.
%COM:	
*NS006:	At times it is important to put one's partner's needs above one's own.
%COM:	
*NS006:	One needs to make the special effort to give, emotionally, that which their partner needs; ideally the partner should aim for the same thing.
%COM:	
%par:
*NS006:	Although a happy and harmonious relationship for everyone would be ideal, there are certainly cases in which divorce is a preferred option.
%COM:	
*NS006:	These include but are not limited to relationships involving domestic violence, or households in which embittered fights and a negative atmosphere are harming the children psychologically.
%COM:	
*NS006:	People change over time, so it is not always possible to predict our long-term compatibility with our partner.
%COM:	
*NS006:	However, taking greater care to be honest with ourselves about whether we can provide what our partner needs, and vice-versa, will be a valuable step in cementing a happy marriage.
%COM:	
@End