"The way taxes are, you might as well marry for love"
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This quote by American comedian and vocalist Joe E. Lewis humorously assesses the perceived burdens of taxation, juxtaposed with the principle of marital relationship. To unload its significance, it helps to consider the context of taxes and marital relationship throughout Lewis's life time, in addition to the timelessness of the styles.
First of all, the quote suggests that taxes are so high or complicated that the monetary advantages traditionally associated with marriage-- such as pooling resources, sharing living expenses, and joint tax filings-- may no longer offer significant relief. Historically, marriage has actually been viewed not only as a romantic union but also as a pragmatic economic plan. The quote suggests that the monetary benefits of marital relationship are decreasing due to rising or complicated taxes, making simply monetary factors for marrying less engaging.
Lewis humorously concludes that considering that marrying for monetary reasons is not as useful as it when might have been, one might also wed for love. This shows a social shift toward valuing romantic love as the main factor for marriage, instead of economic security or social pressure. Throughout the mid-20th century, when Lewis would have made such a remark, the idea of marrying mostly for love was gaining broader acceptance, diverging from earlier standards where useful considerations often took precedence.
Moreover, the quote cleverly highlights the unavoidable nature of taxes as an aspect of life that individuals need to navigate, comparable to the method they browse individual relationships. It stimulates a sense of resignation relating to one's monetary obligations-- because taxes are unavoidable and potentially troublesome, we might as well discover personal fulfillment in other locations of life, such as love and marital relationship.
In essence, Joe E. Lewis is using humor to communicate a more comprehensive fact about life options and priorities, suggesting that in the face of life's unavoidable difficulties-- like taxes-- pursuing joy and love might eventually be the more gratifying course.
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