Imagination vs Marriage: Internet Quietly Breaks Oldest Institution
Akhilesh Yadav at function of marriage of daughter of BSP leader Afsal Ansari
As Gen Z redefines love, imagination now feels safer than marriage—raising uncomfortable questions about commitment, romance, and modern loneliness.
By NIRENDRA DEV
New Delhi, January 19, 2026 — Imagination has become one of the most powerful—and dangerous—forces of the Internet-driven age. It often makes life feel happier, safer, richer, even prettier than reality itself. But this comfort comes at a cost. Increasingly, it is undermining the institution of marriage.
In the age of endless choices, curated perfection, and emotional simulations, love thrives best in imagination. Reality, by contrast, feels demanding, messy, and risky. The result is a generational shift: marriage is no longer viewed as an institution—only as a ritual, if at all.
For Gen Z, the wedding often matters more than the marriage. The song plays, photos are uploaded, reels go viral—but what follows is uncertain. Commitment now competes with autonomy.
I was reminded of this not long ago on a late evening Delhi Metro ride. A college-going youth sat angrily, cursing someone under his breath. When I gently asked what was wrong, his response was startlingly honest: “Love and marriage are great when you’re imagining them. But imagination keeps raising standards. Reality forces you to lower them—and that’s where disappointment begins.”
That sentence explained more about modern relationships than any sociological paper.
The new generation is redefining everything—love, partnership, responsibility, even loneliness. A failed relationship today does not signal the end of life. Healing, self-discovery, and solitude are no longer stigmas. But this also means that necessity—the glue that once held marriages together—has vanished.
Traditionally in India, marriage was a partnership of survival. One earned, the other managed the home. Families merged. Responsibilities were shared. Today, individuals are capable of managing almost everything alone—housing, travel, finances, even emotional support through screens.
So the question naturally arises: who really needs marriage anymore?
Live-in relationships, delayed commitments, and emotional detachment have replaced permanence. Romance itself has grown lazy, transactional, and expectation-heavy—diamond rings, foreign trips, zero interference, perfect compatibility across food habits, language, careers, and ambitions.
Chaos, anxiety, and unspoken resentment become permanent companions.
Living with someone 24/7 exposes realities imagination never prepares us for—the towel on the bed, the toothpaste cap open, the silent ego battles. Responsibility changes people. Sometimes it hardens them.
Society has changed. Development, career mobility, and financial independence have redefined intimacy. Equality is necessary—but equality does not automatically create equilibrium.
Marriage today is no longer about survival. It is about choice. And choice, when infinite, often paralyses commitment.
Yet one truth remains unchanged: a failed marriage or relationship does not end one’s ability to love. It only demands honesty, responsibility, and the courage to move forward without self-pity.
Stay busy. Stay honest. Admit mistakes without becoming a victim. Healing is not passive—it is work.
Imagination may feel safer than reality. But it cannot replace human connection forever.
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