Throughout the years, the concept of marriage has been transformed. Until the late 1800's, it was normal that a man and a woman's marriage be arranged. The majority of the family either lived together or very close. Everybody in the family pulled together to survive financially. Entering the 1900's cultural norms began to shift. The "nuclear family" consisted of two important parts-Husband and wife. This time period began to set a precedence where people made their own choices about partners; this meant no more arranged marriages. People now had the choice and they would marry for love, but they would only do it once! Divorce was extremely uncommon at this time. Norms and ideals began to change around the 1950's and 1960's. The "post-nuclear family" emerged after 1965 and transformed our American cultural norms regarding marriage. Contrary to the "nuclear family", the "post-nuclear family" was now defined by love. It surrounds the idea that love makes the family; a warm affectionate climate was the importance. Cultural norms like marriage permanence were thrown out the window. Today's cultural norms and ideals are very different than ever before.
The book Divorce Culture, written by Barbara Whitehead, discusses how different our American families are today than fifty years ago. Love Family ideology is term that Whitehead uses to describe the "post-nuclear family". Love Family ideology is about being happy and having the freedom to choose loving partners. Love Family ideology is very different than the "nuclear family": A family is no longer defined by blood, marriage, or adoption but by bonds of voluntary affection. Whitehead says, "Love alone dictates the arrangements and content of family life" (Whitehead, 144). Love family ideology has transformed into a cultural norm that throws out the important of marital permanence, and the institutional basis of marriage. No longer is biology what determines a family: our modern day family membership is based on choice.
