What’s the real threat to marriage? Why focus energy on trying to prevent two same-sex people who are in love from getting married, and none to prevent faux formoney marriages?
M
The Marriage Threat
arrying for the sake of money has found its way onto reality television. TV stars can, and do, make millions out of televised weddings. Then when things become difficult or unpleasant for them later, they file for divorce and simply move on with their glamorous lives. Just 72 days after saying “I do” to basketball star Kris Humphries in a fairytale-like wedding, reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian filed for divorce. The Kim Kardashian wedding was no ordinary affair. Sponsors and other associated commercial deals aside, Kim Kardashian reportedly made around $18 million for selling the rights to her wedding. Kim has apologized to her fans for the supposed failed marriage, and her Kardashian family is standing behind her all the way. After all, Kim is human too. She can actually choose to end her marriage when she’s not happy or growing in the relationship anymore. But critics won’t let her get off easily. They figure - and I agree - that 72 days is just too early to call it quits. Considering all the laborious preparations made to give the perfect princess-themed wedding, including the Vera Wang gowns, $500,000 bachelorette party, and $2 million ring – it really does seem to be far too early to throw in the towel in less than three months. Dr. Drew is just one of the many television personalities who just had to comment on Kim Kardashian’s actions: “I really think this is disheartening and maybe infuriating to gay people that are fighting desperately
By HILARY ROWLAND
for this right, and here, somebody is profiteering… Was this a casting call? That to me is disgusting.” I don’t have faith in reality TV. The situations and people portrayed are never “real”. They are but a surreal form of entertainment where the so-called reality is fabricated to attract more viewers and eventually increase advertising revenue profits. So when someone on reality TV decides to marry, it is more likely just part of the show.
While gay people are fighting for their right to have legal love-based same-sex marriage, some heterosexuals treat their social union like a fleeting rendezvous on television. Despite all the young women marrying older tycoons and the faux marriages we see on TV, I still have some respect for the ‘institution of marriage’. Society has put so much value on it that no matter what, it inevitably becomes a serious affair. Most people don’t just enter marriage to have divorce later. Divorce is usually only an option for those who, after trying to make marriage work, still find the union disparaging to both parties. My question is: why do some people focus so much energy on trying to prevent two same-sex people who are in love from getting married, and no time trying to prevent all the faux for-money marriages that happen? Someone who’s making a sham out of something that should be taken seriously – like marriage – I consider to be worse than reality TV itself (and that’s a hard feat!) www.urbanette.com
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