The Marriage Problem

In case you haven't already heard, the famous-for-no-discernible-reason Kim Kardashian is divorcing her husband after just 72 days of marital unbliss.  I, for one, am absolutely shocked.  Usually weddings involving vapid celebrities, whirlwind courtships and millions of dollars in extravagant flower arrangements and gold napkin rings last forever.  Especially when one of the parties involved is so egocentric she actually had her butt x-rayed to prove its authenticity.  (I have to say, doing such a thing would never would have occurred to me, but then, maybe that's because it wouldn't take much to prove that my behind is authentic.  All you'd have to do is look at the pile of candy wrappers left behind after this morning's Halloween candy breakfast and you'd figure it out on your own).

I'm not sure how it is that Ms. Kardashian ended up hopping out of the honeymoon getaway car with divorce papers in her hands, but it seems to me that this whole saga could have easily been prevented, and not just by avoiding a premature walk down the aisle.  That is not to say I have something against whirlwind courtships in general -- my husband and I dated for only four months and were engaged for four months before we married, and ten years later we love each other more than ever -- but I do have something against selfishness. 

Forgive me for saying so, but most people could make it work with their mortal enemy for more than 72 days.  There is virtually no excuse for throwing in the towel that quickly.   How can anyone say they gave it their best shot when they called it quits before the ink was even dry on the marriage license?  No one goes from "Forever" to divorce papers in two months without having taken an extended swim in Lake Selfish.

But, the allure of a "fairytale wedding" is strong, as is the temptation of sponsored nuptials and untold amounts of media coverage that resulted in as much as a $17 million profit for the bride and groom.  I would say Ms. Kardashian is an anomaly in her quest for fame and attention, but judging by the amount of self-centered people who also want to share their most intimate secrets on national television, she's merely a number in a long line wannabes who have used sex (and sex tapes) to propel themselves to the front cover of a magazine.

The problem with Ms. Kardashian, and with marriage in general, is this: weddings have assumed importance disproportionate to that of the actual marriage.  Why else do you suppose there are whole television channels devoted to Bridezilla and her dress, her cake, and her day?  In a culture which promotes dating as having all the privileges of marriage (including having sex and having babies) the wedding must automatically become more important than the actual living of vows, otherwise there is nothing special or different about marriage itself.  Without a huge party to start things off, it's nothing more than living life as you have already been living it.   In Ms. Kardashian's case, marriage must be quite a letdown after a $10 million, nationally televised wedding that was all about her.  Without any foundation of friendship or faith to fall back on, it's no wonder she filed for divorce.

My only question is who gets to keep the butt x-rays?