Marriage Quote by Michelle Richmond
““Marriage is inefficient!” she proclaims. “The whole construct is a model of wasted resources. The wife often stays home to care for the children, or even a single child, abandoning the career she worked so hard for, losing years of creative output. Beyond the wasting of talent, think of the physical waste. For every home, there are so many redundancies. How many toasters do you think there are in the world?” “I have no idea.” “Seriously, just guess.” “Ten million?” I say impatiently. “More than two hundred million! And how often do you think the average household uses its toaster?” Once again, she doesn’t wait for my answer. “Just 2.6 hours per year. Two hundred million toasters are sitting unused, statistically speaking, more than 99.97 percent of their active lives.””
About This Quote
Source Podcast: The Unconventional Economist, Episode 12, 2023
She argues marriage wastes resources, citing underused household items like toasters, highlighting inefficiency in traditional family structures.
In simple terms: Marriage is seen as a wasteful system with many unused resources.
Key Takeaway
Question societal norms and seek efficient alternatives.
Themes
efficiency
gender roles
resource allocation
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
social
economic
When to use this quote
- policy debate
- personal budgeting
- urban planning
Key Concepts
economics
social critique
family dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- Is efficiency the only measure of value?
- What non‑material benefits are missed?
A Different Perspective
Her view may overlook emotional and social benefits of partnership.
![“I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to [when I started my career], because so many things are on the road. I just don't want to be away from my husband, my dogs and my home. I don't sing that much any more because that also takes you on the road.” quote by Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07c/jane-powell-36243_away_i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s_278.jpg)
