There is more to a man\u2019s fear of marriage than simple commitment phobia. Fu Jinming explains.<\/i><\/p>
T<\/b>he ring around your finger is a noose around your neck. Or so they like to say. For how many times have you heard your female friends lament about having found The One, only to realise that he\u2019s a commitment-phobe?<\/p>
First, a quick lesson on commitment phobia. It\u2019s serious enough to have a scientific name: Gamophobia, an affliction that turns men into frightened children who\u2019ll run at the slightest sight, sound and smell of the C word.<\/p>
Ask if you could move in with him, and he\u2019ll hem and haw like a lousy debater.<\/p>
Ask if he\u2019d like to meet your parents, and his face turns into a rabbit\u2019s in a headlight.<\/p>
Ask if he\u2019d like to get married, and be prepared for a long, uncomfortable pause.<\/p>
Which is frustrating to say the least for the ladies. Women deem marriage to be the final piece of the puzzle; the start of a new life with the man she loves.<\/p>
Men see it as the end of life as they know it. No more freedom, no more “me time”, no more fun.<\/p>
Yet there was a time when marriage was considered a major milestone in a man\u2019s life. It\u2019s when a boy truly becomes a man, one who was expected to carry real-world responsibilities with real-world consequences. It was a stage of life that demanded maturity and carried a considerable weight of respect.<\/p>
In fact, bachelors in ancient Sparta were seen as neglecting their duties as men, and were often publicly mocked and humiliated at religious festivals.<\/p>
These days, the same marital status carries just the weight of burden. Commitment is seen as a way to bind us to a lifetime of bills and fidelity. It is evil and should be avoided by any means necessary.<\/p>
Or is it?<\/p>
Just how rational are these fears? Are they a primordial attitude towards monogamy, or just gross misconceptions about marriage?<\/p>
Let\u2019s examine some reasons your Mr Right may think marriage is wrong. And what you can do about them.<\/p>