[OnyxCougar]

Hmm... that's a pretty deep question.

I tend to follow HP's line of thinking, I see where the word "successful" and it's usage is the point of the question.

I think longevity has changed into the word successful, because for the older (and by older, I mean older than me, the 45 and up year olds) folks, many of their parents were together for 20, 30, and 40 years, while the younger folks go through marriages like bad presidents. (And I'm on #4 in 16 years, so I can say that.)

We defined the people who were tenacious and understanding and/or stubborn enough to stick out the lifetime commitment that marriage USED to be, by saying the relationship was "successful".

Partially, I think it has to with the sputtering demise of religion (ANY religion) and the politics of the 80's. Everything is about me, me, me and what I can take and grab, and if you aren't helping me, you're hindering me and I need to get rid of you. Disagreement = different philosophy, and I don't have time or PATIENCE to argue with you about it.

Meantime, "back in the day", more people were more religious, and took marriage more seriously. It really was a commitment before God, and not a "simple legal contract" that is relatively easy to get out of now.

I'm babbling. Probably because I'm at work, and can't pay a whole lot of attention to what I'm doing. Does any of this make sense to you?