Posted on 03/20/2006 8:29:35 AM PST by dson7_ck1249
You know the old saying about having a hammer and everything looking like nails? I was reading an article in the Journal of Law and Economics about why housing prices in Manhattan are so high, and I thought, "Omigosh! The answer to the demographic implosion." Since my hammer happens to be sex and marriage, even an economics article reminds me of sex. So bear with me. I’ll explain what the article had to say about housing prices. Then I’ll tell you what it has to do with sex...
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
Seriously...this is an excellent article.
There's nop rush to get married - play the field at least a decade more or so, then get serious about it. You get to date lots of cute girls with few strings this way, and then at the end you can get the life you want. No sense in clipping your wings too soon.
Most men are not worth marrying until after they hit their 30's.
1) Men don't mature fast enough emotionally and don't generally put it all together til later in life. That is true far more often than not.
2) A man should have achieved some level of success in his chosen field so as to have proved something to himself about his character and foundation. He will have far less to prove and less need to act out. He will also be able to make his own choices rather than being a slave to his need to make money.
3) A man should have amassed some money to finance his family which involves having developed some discipline around finance. Kids and wives are expensive. Plan accordingly.
4) A man should have dated enough women to know what the workd is like and be able to see that all that shines and glitters is not always real. Hot chicks lose their looks over time and if they have no personality then you are screwed.
Yes, but I thought it was just an explanation for male behavior in general.
1) People are living longer
2) People are retiring from their careers earlier
3) Young people are taking longer to settle down into a career
4) Stay-at-home moms or dads are making a comeback
The result is that federal income tax and payroll tax burdens are falling on a declining percentage of our nation's population.
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
Don't listen to those people on this thread trying to tell you are too young to marry. It is so ridiculous that 24 is considered too young by many in our society. Go for it. Just make sure before you get married that you and she are on the same page about your values and family plans.
Good luck and God bless.
Housing prices in the suburban South are reasonable, as long as your housing expectations are reasonable. I'm rather puzzled to find newlyweds living in the same model house as my family of 10, but maybe they had lots of money saved up ...
I hope you find a suitable young woman soon. Unfortunately, my daughters are too young for you!
People at the age of 24 simply do not have the life experiences that older folks do. That's not to say that this person needs to be a playboy and shack up everywhere he can. But, to be married successfully you have to have a sense of yourself in terms of who you are and who and what you are not. You generally don't figure that out till later on down the road.
Well, whether you're married or single, you're going to have to pay for food, shelter, clothing, insurance, etc. Some things become more expensive when you're married, and some less. Having children certainly increases your expenses, but your income should also be going up, if you are working steadily at a trade or profession.
The "scary" costs associated with marriage - an expensive wedding, a great big new house, lots of jewelry - are all avoidable if you choose a woman with good sense. My husband and I got married when he was 26 and I was 22. Then I put him through college, while working two jobs and having two children.
We rented apartments or houses for the first 8 years. This gives you the flexibility to move, for job opportunities or financial savings, that you might not have if you own a house.
When the Lord is ready for you to meet her (or conversely when she is ready to meet you), then everything will fall into place according to His plan. Until then, be patient and let Him prepare you. I didn't find the love of my life until I was 33 and had basically given up. Besides, to be blessed by God, one must do all that one may to position himself/herself to receive it. That philosophy has never let me down. :o)
I don't think I've ever managed to so thoroughly hijack a thread, completely accidentally to boot, in all my FReeper days.
Postponing a lifelong commitment for a decade as you mature and develop as a person isn't a bad thing at all, and it doesn't mean you aren't romantic.
It's ok to be selective, but don't be prohibitively selective. Be realistic in your expectations. Hold attainable standards.
Dating more will help you from falling too quickly and too deeply for a woman. It' not a good place to be and messes with your clarity of thought.
I'm a romantic, sentimental guy, and that has nothing to do with marrying young.
Food for thought for you.
It is not he cost of housing that is delaying marriage, but the cost of divorce.
Hell, you can still shack up in shack and have sex.
No sir ree, it is not housing costs but lawyer expenses.
Watch for housing prices to come down over the next 50 years. The developed world just isn't having kids and even in the developing world the birthrates are falling. Give it another generation or two and there will be a surplus of housing.
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