The institution of marriage has existed longer than recorded history. It is present in every known human society. However, there is no single, universally accepted definition of what marriage is. It is an ever-evolving institution with many different facets. It varies with each group and culture. In almost all societies, marriage is a socially accepted union between a man and a woman. However, this definition is changing in modern times. Same-sex marriage, while not yet universally socially accepted, is becoming more and more widespread, not only in the United States, but also in other cultures around the world. To question whether or not marriage is a worthwhile pursuit, one needs to examine different cultures and look back at how marriage has changed throughout history. Most people think it's not even worth discussing; marriage is what a person does when they become an adult. A person grows up, falls in love, gets married and starts a family. Of course, this is how most people in this country believe. It is taught to children from the moment they begin to form memories and opinions. Television, movies, books, and every other form of media portray the ideal American family as a married couple with children. Who doesn't remember sitting down as a child to watch sitcoms about the trials and tribulations of a family? There have been countless shows like this and there will be countless more. This article will examine different aspects of marriage in various cultures to determine whether marriage is still a meaningful and valuable institution or whether it has become an antiquated and useless waste of time. Marriage has been an important institution throughout the ages. In the Un...... middle of paper ......art of life that should remain an option for those who feel they want to participate. Works Cited Cohen, Allison. “The No. 1 reason why marriage seems so damn hard.” Your Tango. Np, January 1, 2013. Web. December 15, 2013. Hi, Jack. The Oriental, the Ancient, and the Primitive: Marriage and Family Systems in the Preindustrial Societies of Eurasia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Print.Mintz, Howard. “Gay marriage remains legal in California.” MercuryNews.com. Np, Aug. 14, 2013. Web. Dec. 15, 2013.Singleton, B. “Modern Marriage: Looking for Love.” The economist. Np, June 9, 2012. Web. December 15, 2013. Sugden, Joanna. "How to deal with arranged marriage". India in real time. Np, 23 August 2013. Web. 15 December 2013.Tracz, Orysia. “Vesillia: Ukrainian Weddings in Manitoba in the Last Century.” Weekly UKR. Np, 27 October 2002. Web. 15 December. 2013.