The Search for Domestic Bliss

The book examines the decline of marriage in America, attributing the high divorce rate to the influence of the therapeutic industry, which shifted focus from commitment to personal fulfillment. Ian Dowbiggin critiques the roles of social reformers, including figures like Betty Friedan and sex researchers Alfred Kinsey and Masters and Johnson, in promoting a "me marriage" mentality. He argues that this transformation redefined personal issues as public mental health concerns, revealing the historical and social dynamics that have shaped modern relationships.