This idea comes from all those annoying marriage/divorces that are so overpublicized. Every month or 2 weeks (depending on your budget)after the wedding, your married life is assessed on several charts by well-paid professionals. If you like what you see, you continue and your seperate assets are combined. In 2 years, they will be totally combined. In 10 years, the assessments stop, and the couple's assets are almost permenently combined. If "irreconcilable differences" come up before the 10 yr deadline, a clean divorce can be accomplished by gauging the income and changes accoplished by both parties and splitting the assets accordingly: (A makes $790 000, B makes $10, A gets $790 000, B gets $10. Plus, A keeps the house, if she/he paid for it.) This also works with bank accounts: (A has $270 000 000, B has $179, well, you do the math.) Other variables (emotional attachment, children, etc.) will be accessed accordingly and distributed accordingly (emotions and non-physical variables will be converted into physical items, like money.)I will probably fine-tune this idea later, as I am tired.
-- Shadow Phoenix, Sep 22 2007

The MarriageLease(TM) http://www.TheMarriageLease.blogspot.com
A place dedicated to the Evolution of Marriage: The MarriageLease(tm) [EOMTML, Nov 20 2007]

[sp: irreconcilable]

Using finances alone to gauge worth would mean that you'd have to start paying homemakers a salary. Kind of like carbon offsets.

I like that this correctly models a process as a process, but the involvement of well-paid professionals sounds a little like you're starting the divorce early.

Certainly, fluctuations in those relationship stocks would be reported with the same relish now reserved for divorce proceedings. "Brangelina reports only 2.3% decrease in burnt toast; disappoints analysts."
-- jutta, Sep 22 2007


I wonder if the emphasis on assets would cause people to spend a lot less on the wedding. Perhaps abolish the party altogether until the 2 year assessment is in.
-- dentworth, Sep 22 2007


If your courtship doesn't tell you what it will be like to be married to your fiance(e), you're not doing it right.
-- DrCurry, Sep 22 2007


I am pondering a shadow phoenix. I have to think that when the phoenix immolates itself it is pretty bright. I suppose that means there would be a lot of shadows.
-- bungston, Sep 23 2007


nothing prohibits this notion. US culture, for one, is currently based on the lease to buy mentality. try out your prospective person before marriage is starting to be the de rigeur advice given to young couples. stay unmarried as long as you like and then write yourself a fancy pre-nup ala [bigsleep]. gotta agree with [AnathemaDevice] on his/her assessment. doesn't clearly aid in dissecting the emotional damage to each party.
-- k_sra, Sep 24 2007


[21 Quest], A shadow phoenix would be, by basic definition, a phoenix supposedly composed of shadow (obviously). As shadow is simply the absence of light, this would be a creature that reflects nearly no light, possibly storing said solar/light energy in it's body, becoming stronger without strenous effort. Phoenixes being supposedly reborn after a fairly long amount of time, would never grow too old or weak, always reviving itself when necessary. Therefore, a shadow phoenix would always be in peak physical condition, strong in light, swift in darkness, wiser with age and yet without physical signs of aging. Interesting, huh?
-- Shadow Phoenix, Sep 27 2007


Isn't this what "engagement" is for?
-- ed, Sep 27 2007


"Engagement" won't bring out the master goldiggers. Once you marry said money funnel, you can divorce. This plan would, taking into account all her purchases using your money, then deduct an equivelant amount of money from her. If you were truly in love with her, even more money/items are forcibly removed from her. She would end up much worse off, sending a signal to other g-diggers to stop their stupid ways.
-- Shadow Phoenix, Sep 29 2007


Interesting idea. In fact, we've got a similar idea regarding the MarriageLease(tm). Go to www.TheMarriageLease.com and see our thoughts by viewing the blog though I must admit we haven't focused on the finances as much as you have here.

Perhaps it could be even simpler than your proposal. Most of those 'overpublicized' and 'annoying' divorces started out with quite pleasent (in most cases) marriages which included prenuptial agreements. So while this pleasent negotiation takes place at the begning, just add a pre-defined date for the dissolution of the marriage - or the execution of the prenuptial agreement and then get on with life... or make it work to stay together 'forever' and go against the current divorce trend.
-- EOMTML, Nov 20 2007


Quite true. Your site intrigues me. The financial bit came out of a constant bombardment of monetary figures involving divorces. Leasing a marriage would probably be more like your site's idea. If implemented, this could be the dawn of a new kind of marriage!

By the way, I am a bit curious about one point. Did you create your account for the sole purpose of writing these anno's, or will there be a few MarriageLease(tm) ideas appearing here? Either way, it has been a pleasure to visit your site. [sp: pleasant]
-- Shadow Phoenix, Nov 21 2007


Thanks for visiting the site! While I'm, of course, interested in getting our new EOM site(s) well linked to the web, my interest is in stimulating further conversation on this subject and gaining a better understanding of different people's points of view toward the evolution of marriage. You'll be seeing original posts here on halfbakery.com as we come up with some... and hopefully we'll (i have a partner, Mark) finish baking them on our site and leverage the comments from this community.

We've posted links to other posts in the blogosphere on this subject and you'll see one highlighting your post here in the next couple of days.
-- EOMTML, Nov 22 2007



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