I agree, but with caveats. Why do people make marriages into a public show?
Discussion
Money. Greed. Humans have been programmed to believe that you need a big extravagant wedding so the wedding industry can enrich itself.
Its a recent phenomenon of American yearning to return to Monarchy fueled by Fiat and vanity.
Interesting take. I'd like to hear more - I like psychology.
What I was aiming at is just the function of community in accountability. If a thing is private, you can easily reneg on it ; if public, the fear of disappointing your fellows helps to keep you on the path you've committed to.
Baptising an infant is a public commitment to raising them a certain way. But from the standpoint of the infant being "saved," its retarded. As with almost anything concocted by Augustine, just utter retardation. But if it gets people to stop physically harming children, then it's good. IMO.