In our idealistic moments, we may find ourselves thinking about how to “save the world” from all its ills or drawing up a list of its problems along with ways to fix them, one by one. Some of the problems facing us are more technological in nature (we need energy), while others are sociologically oriented (crime rates are rising). Regarding the latter, what if some of those problems have a common root cause? In that case, addressing one or more root causes would be more productive than attacking the problems individually.
Sociologists have long decried the breakup of the family as a root cause of much of what is wrong with our society. When a family breaks up, the children are at greater risk of poverty, neglect, criminal activity, educational challenges, unwanted pregnancies, and so on. Significantly, those children are in turn at greater risk of going through a divorce themselves (https://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/research-suggests-children-of-divorce-more-likely-to-end-their-own-marriages/). One can imagine a sort of generational domino effect, in which each subsequent generation finds itself in a more difficult situation than the previous one. If it were possible to wave a magic wand and eliminate family break-ups, many of society’s problems would be mitigated as a result.
What can be done to turn the tide? A fair bit of energy is being expended to keep families together, at least within religious communities. There is marital counseling, and before that, pre-marital counseling designed to give would-be couples a sense of what they will face when married. In my experience, however, by the time people are engaged, it is difficult to persuade them to step back from making an unwise choice. Their strong inclination is to plow ahead and get married regardless, even if they have doubts.
Wouldn’t it be good for people to think seriously about serious relationships before they get serious, rather than after? Our time would be well spent educating people, especially young people, about the perils and pitfalls of relationships—and how to think rationally about them—before they find themselves caught up in one. When people think soberly and rationally about romance, sex, and relationships, we see better choices in a life partner, fewer divorces, fewer unwanted pregnancies, and better results all around.