My conversation with Andrew Cherlin:
"To discover to the world something which deeply concerns it, and of which it was previously ignorant; to prove to it that it had been mistaken on some vital point of temporal or spiritual interest, is as important a service as a human being can render to his fellow creatures..." John Stuart Mill, "On Liberty"
Friday, April 24, 2009
Marriage Go Round
Andrew Cherlin argues that marriage in America is totally unique, as compared to the rest of the world. We value marriage and commitment, yet the American strain of independence and freedom is equally powerful. This dichotomy has helped to define marriage in America and may even help explain some of the debate our same sex marriage. In his new book, The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the Family in America Today, Cherlin deconstructs marriage in a way that even Woody Allen would have found helpful.
Labels:
Cherlin,
marriage,
schechtman