Would you *ever* give up your ideal dreams/future/career for your perfect partner?

I think it really does depend on the person, if you do not have a career aim before the perfect partner comes along then you would know no different. I found a job I liked early on and progressed so far but the relationship I was in was restricting me and holding me back, I always resented not being able to do things because I felt it would break the loyalty of the relationship. On hindsight I realise the perfect partner accepts me and my ambitions regardless of when they occur.

Because I want a wife and kids.
Honestly, I dont care what my job is, where we live or any of that stuff.
So long as they are waiting for me when I get home.

Agree totally. Interesting to hear the replies but I think a lot of people here are a little immature as is pointed out above. I did well at school, used to think I'd grow up, be really successful etc. I did got into my chosen career and I work hard but you realise as you get older you're just a face and success is quite shallow: no one really cares about 'your career' because guess what ... they're too busy caring about their own and themselves just like you (ironic that people would probably see that were they not so me me me all the time).

The only people that will want to hear about it will, largely, be machiavellian scum bags in an office trying to kiss your arse to ride on your success just like you did to get where you got and as such they will have no real care, respect or even like for you. You'll still get told to **** off by random chavs, you'll still go home every night and moreover you'll wonder why you're throwing every hour god sends after money you'll have no time to spend.

Also agree with a previous post from NeonSkies: being alone all the time sounds like my idea of hell too. I'm single and have never been in love but give me a loving wife any day! People today are every bit as guilty of falsely romanticising careers as the people they criticise for falsely romanticising marriage/kids/love. Love and family are cornerstones of our society and when you give up on love, human fraternity and that unique warm affection in the name of a career, well, it all seems a shame to me.

True but generally a career is a means to survive as opposed to a reason to survive.

It may not matter to some people but to me, I could have a great successful career but if I was celebrating those successes on my own and going home every night to an empty flat and having loads of money in the bank with no one but myself to spend it on I would continue to be a very unhappy person.

I'm not saying success won't happen if you don't have someone to share it with, as you said it will happen, but at least in my case and I can't be alone in this, success alone can't make you happy. If I have success at work or anywhere I like to come home and tell my bf all about it and have him give me kiss and tell me well done. In my opinion there would be little point in having success if I didn't have someone waiting at home to tell my success too.

You must have seen the films where a woman has an amazingly successful career, and seems really happy then you see her go home to a dark empty flat, draining a bottle of wine and watching **** tv on her own, and you realise she is not very happy at all.

The same that happens when your kids have done all the "milestones" - you are just happy in the fairly constant state that you are. Things aren't the same every day, there are new challenges in both from day to day.

Just to mention that I selected partner too, but I can see the appeal of career.

True but generally a career is a means to survive as opposed to a reason to survive.

Love makes you do stupid things, so perfect partner I guess.

Perfect partner because I'd rather have a rubbish job but still have someone to share my life with. I don't want to be lonely forever

So in order words, you're freely admitting that you're stupid?

Well it would be a stupid thing to do, throwing your future away for a guy, but I still think I'd do it if I loved them- its a strong emotion that sometimes doesn't let you see things clearly.

Who's to say you'd be lonely if you had a husband?

Surely you'd be lonely if you were a housewife, your husband is at work and your kids are at school...

The single life: the freedom to do what you want, meet new people each day, travel all over - so how on earth would you not get lonely if you were single?

There are different kinds of lonely.

Platonic love with friends will never be enough for me; I can't imagine never making that connection that will lead to marriage.

I imagine the single life would wear very thin after a while.

Yes, you get to have wonderful experiences and travel, but surely it would be better to travel somewhere a little less exotic with the person you love?

Why do that?

I thought humans were getting more intelligent and more rational.

Evidently not.

It's even worse as you KNOW people do stupid things when blinded by emotions - yet still do it anyway. Where's the logic in that?

Or is it acceptable because everyone else is doing it?

Erm... because people live their lives to maximise their happiness in some way in the future. For a lot of people, having a loving partner gives you more happiness and satisfaction than having a good future. I don't see why that's so difficult to understand?

I know you're not saying for whatever reason, but I find it hard to see what "normal" job can be so great and satisfying to be better than a loving partner for the rest of your life.

I could understand if it was something people were genuinely passionate about and would do for fun e.g. music, acting, sport, but because you're not saying it's impossible to judge.

I'm not sure why you're so incredulous at people picking a perfect partner.