[syracusa]

Lava,

I completely agree.

The more the economic and social system emphasizes finances as being the most important thing period, the more "money games" unions you will see.

I had touched on this on an old thread I had started months ago, called something like the "Female gold-digger and the laissez-faire" state.

In a capitalist society like the US, family's self-reliance is huge; therefore money is huge, therefore, the provider role is huge. And the more he provides, the more rights and privileges in the relationship he claims.
Try to beat THAT with "other things that matter" ...such as "me being hot"; or "nice"; or "a good mom"; or whatever.

You're right, a lot of money-men will get a major ego kick for the moment for having acquired a hot, young wife.
But hot young wives become "not-so-hot-anymore, old" wives.
So then here you make the transition from Ivana Trump ...to Marla Trump... to the new-exotic-model-of-the-day Trump.

This has less to do with respect, true love, humanity blah blah and more with a negociation for a sought-after lifestyle for both parties.