The Dr. John Delony Show Is Marriage Still Worth It? (With Dr. Arthur Brooks)
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Aug 22, 2025 
Join happiness expert Dr. Arthur Brooks, a Harvard professor and author, as he dives into the complexities of modern marriage and the shift from passionate to companionate love. They discuss the science behind monogamy and the challenges of dating culture today. Dr. Brooks shares invaluable parenting insights, emphasizing values over conventional success and the importance of unconditional love. The conversation also touches on navigating personal desires, societal pressures, and the necessity of self-management for long-term happiness.
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Humans Are Naturally Pair-Bonded
- Humans are a pair-bonded species wired to seek faithful, lasting one-to-one unions.
- Marriage memorializes that natural proclivity and serves metaphysical as well as social functions.
Marriage Feels Sacred For Many
- People experience marriage as an 'antenna to the divine' even when they lack theological language.
- That sense of sacred completion makes marriage more than just a social contract.
Love Evolves From Passion To Friendship
- Romantic love follows a biochemical cascade from sex hormones to dopamine, serotonin dips, then oxytocin/vasopressin bonding.
- Successful relationships should evolve from passionate love into companionate best-friend love over years.
