# What Does It Mean When People Say Marriage Takes a Lot of "Work"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-people-say-marriage-takes-a-lot-of-work/501036 "2009-06-26T03:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 5
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-people-say-marriage-takes-a-lot-of-work/501036/5 "2009-06-26T04:23:56Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > My wife and I obviously failed at it because we got a divorce not so long ago yet people that are in supposedly happy marriages keep saying that marriage takes a lot of work. I have no idea whatsoever what that means. We both had our roles and we did them. > > I am not interested in hearing wishy-washy answers like “communicate”. Everyone should do that with coworkers and most family members. That isn’t work, that is simply opening your mouth and spouting off the truth just like you would do with anyone as a common courtesy as well as being a good listener. Splitting chores isn’t special work either. If you lived alone, you would have to do them all yourself anyway. > > What is the “work” that people are keep talking about? No, marital communication is not just opening your mouth and spouting off the truth. Almost directly the opposite, in fact. For me, that is work. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-people-say-marriage-takes-a-lot-of-work/501036)._