Changing marriages — bedrooms

Social patterns emerge as socio-economic status of a society changes.  With increasing financial independence of women came higher divorce rate almost in all societies.  Yes, we Indians think that marriages are stable because they are arranged and we are somehow good in maintaining marital relations.  But the real reason is the social stigma and socio-economic situation.  With changes coming in society, the trend is obvious – the stability had more to do with women’s financial independence than being Indian. 

NYT has a very interesting story today.

 Not since the Victorian age of starched sheets and starchy manners, builders and architects say, have there been so many orders for separate bedrooms. Or separate sleeping nooks. Or his-and-her wings.

In interviews, couples and sociologists say that often it has nothing to do with sex. More likely, it has to do with snoring. Or with children crying. Or with getting up and heading for the gym at 5:30 in the morning. Or with sending e-mail messages until well after midnight.

…

The move to separate sleeping spaces is yet another manifestation of changing marital patterns.

Not too surprising that this ‘home-sleeping-alone’ syndrome is starting in the well-to-do couples and is then moving to others.  This is more important than appears — it is a step in the direction of redfining marriages as we have known them.