I don't think marriage is a social trap. Its an emotional, psychological, mental need. For as long as mankind has existed, man has always felt a need for having a woman in his life, children, and to create and raise a family. The same goes for a woman. I have known a lot of women who are very much independent, single, no kids, living in their own home with their own car, etc. Etc. But when you talk to these women, you find out that really they do want someone in their lives whom they can share their ups and downs with, somebody to call their very own. So I don't think marriage is neccessarily a social trap. Of course one does not need to lose his/her identity when entering a relationship. It should be about working together, being together, yet at the same time having independent minds. It is important not to get too caught up within that relationship. There should be a difference between "attachment" and "love". The former emcompasses totally giving yourself in and losing all sense of independence, which I think is wrong. Rather, one should attempt to work as a team yet still remaining independent internally in respect to ones goals and spiritual progress.
