The sudden socio-economic transformation of the last century has significantly affected the tradition of marriage in modern society. Therefore, several alternatives to marriage have become available and have become more popular than marriage for today's couples due to their suitability for today's conditions. Some of these alternative statuses to marriage are cohabitation, divorce or simply remaining single and this assertion is supported by the findings of a recent study. The percentage of married adults declined significantly by twenty percent between 1960 and 2008 (Pew Research Center). These statistics won't improve any time soon since "the average age at which men and women marry for the first time is now the highest on record" (Pew Research Center). These statistics can give the impression that society has lost a valuable part of life and the importance of the merger of two partners. However, from another point of view, it is a positive change in society where one or both partners do not lose their individuality, are equal and more accepting of other relationship choices. Women's rights were revolutionized in the last century and influenced their role in the household, which resulted in balanced power in marriage and relationships, a favorable attribute. The stay-at-home mother is no longer the typical situation in modern families as women can now be financially independent. What was once a conventional motivation to marry has diminished because modern women are no longer limited in terms of salary. Women gained rights and so there was “more education among women…leading to better career prospects” (Harris). Therefore, it can be concluded that these careers allow them to...... middle of paper ...... marriage will not fix a relationship and will most likely end quite quickly. Society is constantly evolving to accept and support other life choices outside of the obligatory marriage of one man and one woman seen in the 20th century. There are several underlying causes for this and they may make it seem like the modern world is going down the wrong path, but in reality this is not the case. The decline of religion, the change in the role of women and the conditions in which a family transforms are societal improvements in disguise. Even though fewer people are getting married or marrying late, the hidden cause of this trend is a positive change in humanity. In today's world, marriage is not a stage of life but one option among many other choices, which has allowed the general public to embrace the diversity and range of differences in marriage as well as the course of action others choose to take..