If pure economics is any judge, marriage is just not rational, an MIT economist argues.
The benefits of marriage, according to this new video posted by Dan Ariely (h/t to Planet Money), a behaviorial economist and author of "The Upside Of Irrationality," are not distributed equally between the sexes. Ariely's video was posted in response to a book called "Spousonomics."
For one, women take more of the the thankless tasks in marriage, Ariely notes. But, in general, there's just not much by way of rational explanations for marriage, he notes. Ariely adds that the field of economics has taught him "very little" about marriage.
"In standard economics marriage is a production faciliity," he says, noting that things like economies of scale, tax returns and shared labor just can't explain the vagaries of our matrimonial choices.
"The fact is that marriage is really not rational. Having kids, being married are examples of the fact that rational economics are not what's ruling our lives."
If marriage were truly rational, we'd chose mates simply on potential for security and comfort, he suggests. "Most people, of course, make decisions about getting married by short-term infatuations," he cautioned.
None of which should suggest that courtship couldn't be made more efficient. "I actually love speed dating," Ariely adds.
WATCH Ariely's video below: