I don't think that marriages are necessarily doomed to failure. My parents remain married, both sets of my grandparents were married - though only one of the four is still with us. I have seen marriages work and they have worked very well within my family.

I'm not sure the male sex drive IS higher than the female sex drive, I think that has been a historical necessity and socially conditioned - though I suspect these drives are experienced differently.

It is also optimistic to suggest that a woman gives her consent to one man and in return he agrees not to have sex with other women - this has not been the case for a long time. Infidelity has long been tolerated and tacitly endorsed. Marriage has rarely constrained the lustfulness of a wealthy man whether that's Henry VIII or Bill Clinton. Marriage is therefore a social tool bonding men to their offspring via their mother.... if not marriage then acknowledgment of paternity - and this was the entire point of the Fitz name. Mistresses have long been an open secret that British society is fine with - we should know, one of them is currently the Queen.

I do think you're onto something here though, marriage has evolved over the centuries for the welfare of children. The divorce rates, the acrimony of a failing marriage, the couple forced to stay together, not to mention forced marriages, under age marriages and getting early into a marriage you cannot leave (if you want to) suggest this isn't working for the children any more.

Instead we should push towards the idea that parenting children is an entire society thing. All children. Children need primary carers, that has been facilitated through married couples allowances and child benefit arrangement, it is perhaps time to reconsider the entire model - to throw out the paradigm of marriage and begin again. Perhaps parenting contracts between multiple adults. Unhappy children become adults who often end up as people I have to deal with - and we should be doing better to stop that happening. :o)

You've made some damn good points - and I suspect there are many readers who agree with you. Congratulations to you and your wife on your sixty years together - you perhaps are in the sweet spot for Diamond club. Marrying young, and living long happy leaves. The generations before you may not have done the latter, the generations after you may not do the former.

And... awesome painting! :o)