Is it Right to Marry for Money?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

Take a moment to consider the first response that popped into your head when you read that question. Was it an emphatic no it's not right to marry for money? Was it a casual "eh, I wouldn't, but it's okay for some people"? Was it a 'sure' as long as both parties agreed to it? The reason I ask the question is simple, a lot of people would insist that it is wrong to marry for money, because they think you should only marry for love and that anything else is just a bad idea.

But is it a bad idea? Is it wrong? If a man and a woman enjoy each other, respect each other, care about each other and are interested in uniting their assets - is that any less of a reason to get married than falling madly, passionately in love after a torrid affair?

Indignation

The trouble is, this topic brings a lot of indignation out in people, yet the idea of marrying for love is a relatively new idea and it's very much a construct of the western world. We are in love with the idea of being in love. Romance is wonderful and many of us can build on a foundation of romance and passion and that's fantastic. But there are cultures that pride stability and security over passion.

Passion, they argue, can wane. Love, they state, is fleeting. When a man and woman commit to a relationship for better or for worse, they usually don't want to stay for the worse if the love they felt in the beginning has evaporated. Marriages built on a premise of financial security and stability, however, need not be loveless - these couples can grow to love one another, to appreciate one another and to form similar bonds that those who married for passion did.

Would I Marry Someone For Money?

Here's an honest truth because like many other people, my initial reaction is a resounding nope, because I want to be loved and I want to love in return. On the other hand, I also know that money isn't everything - if there isn't friendship, respect, trust and laughter - all the money in the world won't provide the security or stability that makes up my life.

So I can honestly say, no I wouldn't marry for money - on the other hand, the money doesn't hurt. What do you think?

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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