I guess the immediate question I’d have in response to that hypothesis is: if seeking a mate is what’s leading people to grind, why doesn’t that behavior taper off after marriage?
Wouldn’t you think that’s not enough? (Also note the other two plausible theories in this sub-thread.) Divorce rates aren’t 100%, and marriages typically last many years before a divorce. This means marriage should statistically be a significant drag on the hypothesis that seeing a make is what drives working long hours. (Not to mention the inherent conflict between working long hours and dating / spending time with someone.) Do you find it probable or plausible that mate-seeking is the primary and/or only reason people work hard? Is that why you do it, do you think? Of course I can’t tell why I’ve worked hard over the years, but it doesn’t really feel linked or even related to mate seeking at all. I only started working long hours after starting a long term relationship that eventually turned into a happy stable marriage. It’s highly unlikely divorce is in my future, but I feel many years of hard work left in me.
