I have to say, what I found a bit sad about this article, as per the paragraph mentioned in my post #1, is that today, the average couple feels that until they have enough money to make, they have to keep postphoning marriage. I also think this is a big result of the Women's Movement in the 1970's, when many girls were taught: DO NOT MARRY UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD TO SUPPORT YOURSELF AFTER DIVORCE. Girls were not taught to look for the guy wtiih $20 million in that era. And, so, being unable to then make it financially, a lot of women never married. I think I have read there are more unmarried, single, never married women today in the US than at any time in history. And, it's not because they are all unattractive. It's because they took to heart this advice of the Women's Movement and waited, and waited, and then realized too late: they couldn't make it financially. It's very sad. I think this is why white women have the lowest reproduction rate, something like 1.2 kids in this country.
In other words, it was the commitment of marriage that made them successful. Waiting for success before marriage was the exact wrong way to reach the goal line.