Question

Do you believe that social norms were followed completely as far as getting married first then having babies and hidden back then? Are social norms and beliefs always about family or are people more worried about what others think?

Answer 1

Marriage is an institution which the civilized people invented with the help of the religion and any physical relationship beyond the wedlock both pre and extra marital relationships were considered as sinful and out of the social norms whereas a marriage was considered to be one of the most holy and important event in one’s life which was witnessed by everyone one knew. As days passed, when religion was kept aside from the mainstream politics and when women started gaining more freedom, marriages started losing their significance. The live in concept came in and people started begetting children before marriage. There was no compulsion that people who beget children should get married and it’s only partners now.

In my opinion, people most of the time live for others’ expectations which set the social norms but in terms of individualistic societies, people can choose with whom they should live but in collective societies there is a compulsion or force to live together and strictly follow the norms of marrying and begetting children. Anyone who has physical relationship before marriage or after marriage with anyone other than their spouse is considered as an immoral act and illegal. Thus social conformity plays an important role in deciding how one behaves and lives in the society, especially in terms of marriage.

Thank you for your question. Please rate if you like the answer.