isabellsjew :
I previously left a comment on another one of her videos, explaining how human history and development progressed. Now, I want to explain a very important social relationship in the course of human development: marriage.
Regarding modern marriage—what she calls love-based marriage—when marriage first appeared, specifically in the inland regions of ancient China, it only came into existence with the rise of a patriarchal society. In matrilineal clan societies, there was no marriage. Men served merely to reproduce offspring and increase biological diversity; they lived in their own tribes with their mothers and sisters, and tribes would periodically exchange men to enhance biodiversity.
Consequently, people back then lived with their mothers and sisters, and children grew up living with their uncles. Back then, there was no need for the institution of marriage. Why did marriage become necessary later on? A primary reason is that when society transitioned into a patriarchy, a man could only have children, secure reproductive rights, and be certain that a child was his through marriage. In a matrilineal society, people knew who their mothers were, but not who their fathers were.
From that point on, a man had to offer a bride price to the woman's family in order to secure her exclusive reproductive rights. That was how marriage began. Its foundation was not love, but rather a man's appropriation of reproductive rights—that is the most primitive reason for it.
Later, when China developed into a feudal society, it remained patriarchal. However, the West did not experience as long a continuous cultural and civilizational accumulation as China; its marriage system arose more abruptly due to religious influences, so it didn't follow as clear a trajectory. In feudal society, the primary purpose of marriage later on was the integration of resources between two families, much like forming a joint venture. Its foundation was entirely devoid of love; love is something that has only emerged over the past century.
Ultimately, marriage as an institution only guarantees property; it has absolutely nothing to do with emotion or love.
2026-08-16 22:38:18