As someone going through a divorce after an 11 year marriage, I think I can offer some perspective on this.
During the marriage I spent years supporting my wife while she got her career established as a high school teacher. When she wanted a house, I bought one for us to live in, one closer to her job than our rental was.
As her position became more and more secure, she stopped doing things that one associates with a housewife — because she never considered herself one. I found myself cooking for myself, doing most of the housework (not half, most), and paying the entire mortgage (because men do that, I suppose).
One day she decided that this marriage thing was just too much work, and that she wanted a divorce.
Today I am in the process of selling the house I bought because she wanted it — and that I paid for and did all the work on — so that I can hand her half of everything I’ve earned while we were together.
The money she earned? Spent it as fast as it came in.
I’m not sure men are the irresponsible ones, but we are certainly getting a raw deal these days. It will take a lot to convince me to marry again.
