MGRP PODCAST 1

Keira Stephens discusses her reasons for wanting to get married, which include having a future and a family. She believes that focusing on a romantic relationship and building a family is better for her, but acknowledges that it may not be the same for everyone. She also expresses fears about being alone and emphasizes the importance of companionship in a marriage. Keira believes that people should marry out of love rather than just for companionship. She also acknowledges that friendships can provide intimacy and companionship, especially if one lives together with close friends. Hi, I'm Samantha Barr and I'm here with Keira Stephens and we're going to be talking about marriage and societal reason that people want to get married. So, why do you want to get married? So I can have a future and a life after college and high school. So, what do you mean by having a future with children? What are you looking forward to after you settle down and have kids? I am looking forward to having a home, taking care of it, taking care of my family and just preparing them for their lives. And what do you plan on doing after they're grown? That would be like an early retirement and I could maybe pick up some odd jobs like cleaning or like helping other people. Maybe some non-profit organizations and just trying to make the world a better place. Instead of going to work every day just to go to work and make money. Okay. Do you think marriage is required for one's happiness? No. Do you think people would be happier focusing on career-based goals instead of like romantic-based times? Like instead of looking for like a partner and instead trying to become more successful in their career? Do you think people would be more successful in that aspect or what are your thoughts on that? I feel like for some, focusing on their careers would be better for themselves. But for me, I don't really know what I want to do for a career after school. So, focusing on my romantic relationship and building a family and building for the future would be better for me. Okay. But it's not for everyone. Right. Say that you did have a career that you were really focused on. If you were in a situation in which like you would have to drop your career to settle down. Like say like you got pregnant and your partner was only wanting to like settle down. Would you, like do you think there would be regrets behind that also? There could be. But me personally, I could see myself dropping my career to settle down and have a family. But if you are one that loves your career and that's what you want to do for your whole life, there could be a regret behind that. Yeah. Do you have any fears about maybe potentially like not getting married? Yes, I do actually. Why? What are your fears? I don't want to have to go out into the world by myself with no one behind me supporting me. So, you're saying that like, I guess like loneliness, like no support. What about like platonic like relationships, like friendships? Like you don't think that people, you can use those kinds of people the same way that you would use like a romantic partner? Yeah, friends are also good to have, but you don't always have them because they have lives outside of you. And they have careers, they have different homes. But when in a romantic relationship, when you live together, you're always together, that is the person you go to for everything. Okay. Studies have shown that people marry for companionship instead of love. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think that, based on what you just said, that people like need to marry in order for companionship? Or do you think that people should start marrying out of love more? I feel like people should start marrying out of love more because when you love that person, you aren't going to want to leave them. And there's never going to be a situation where you're like, oh, I can leave them now. So, yeah, I think they should marry out of love over companionship. Because if you marry out of companionship, really you just could have stayed friends instead of ruining or potentially ruining something. Yeah. Going off of that, do you think again that like relationships do have to be romantic in order to fulfill the feeling of intimacy with another person? Do you think friendships can fill that really personal, intimate, always being around? Say you share an apartment with friends who live together. Do you think that that could instead be the source of companionship that is thought out throughout your lifetime? Yes, if you continue to live with them and you are that close with them, I do feel that way. Okay. Thank you so much for joining me. You're welcome. Thank you for having me. Of course.