Unfortunately I can't access links on this tablet, (or is it fortunately?), but as far as your comments goes, not many would have the "stickability" my mother possessed. However I accept too the wisdom of a mate of mine's parents, who told him "both sides have to be trying to make it work for there to be success in a marriage for either of them"!
Yes, in a perfect world both people try to make it work. This is traditional thinking. However, in my opinion, it helps to have common ground in religion, raising children, and personal morality off the top of my head. I have noticed often times that common ground is overlooked when two people first meet and "fall in love" and gets pushed aside later and later until it is forgotten and by then it is "too late".
Per the link: Under the heading "What Women Want" by Chris King is this" Google Chris King (Auckland University retired) for the bigger picture and more papers on the following and further neuroscientific info.
"The answer is reproductive sovereignty – a sovereignty that exists from two billion years ago, with the endosymbiosis that made complex life possible and endowed women with the role of carrying the energy bearing mitochondria and maternal ovum, which forms the continuity of cellular life and the matrix for multicellular embryogenesis. This is the holy grail answer to our organismic mortality."
This is deeply significant in the drive of women to find a mate. It appears, in my mind, that this carries on over time even if child bearing years are over. It seems that there is still that drive in some women which overrides common sense, loyalty or anything that keeps them "sticking".
"This means that men have greater variance in intelligence because some significant brain development genes are X-linked and female reproductive choice can weed out the best X linked intelligence genes with their daughters benefitting as well. So women astutely judging men's performance is not just about gender roles, it's a fundamental part of how sexual selection works in mammals."
I hope this makes clear that humans are hardwired in some ways that we are not aware of and the consequences are real.
This has little to do with the male's role in the relationship in so far as "sticking" is concerned. Once the female separates or divorces from the male, he is often left bewildered as to what has happened leaving his head spinning unless there are overt acts that tell the story.
This is why I commented on the fact that common ground in many areas is so important in order for a relationship to stick. This can overcome hardwired issues, in my opinion. I, also, believe that commonality in religion is so important but is not always a sure way to have a cohesive union.
