Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 24
Today we began watching "Fiddler on the Roof." I am sure that you agree that while it is cheesy there is value in the understanding of culture. I want you to think about the whole idea of matchmaking. Could you even imagine being told who you are going to marry and when? Yet, in many societies this was the system for centuries and in a few it still is. What do you think may be the advantages of this system and why do you think culture has shifted away from such a practice?
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14 comments:
I think to have an arranged marriage is compleatly ridiculous! love to me cant be arranged and if anyone told me to marry someone i wasent interested in i would think life would be worth living because loving someone is a big chunk of your happiness in life. i understand that if that is your culture then you might just be use to being told who to marry and your compleatly respect the fact that thats whats goin to happen wheather you like it or not.
for the most part, im my own person and i like to pick the person im goin to spend the rest of my life with.
<3
Lynsey
I most definitely could not imagine being told who I'm to marry and when, and under what circumstances. Firstly, a marriage should always be centered around love, trust, happiness, and respect for your partner - something an arranged marriage most definitely lacks, at least in its earlier stages. One should go into a marriage with these things as prerequisites, not post-requisites. Secondly, a marriage should not be based upon religion (I am agnostic, God strike me dead), and if I were to be involved in an arranged marriage in a majorly Christian society, chances are I'd be forced to marry with a religious stipulation, and I refuse to do that. I will marry who I want to marry, regardless of religion, ethnicity, and other biased factors; love is love, not religion or ethnics or anything of that sort.
The only real advantages of this scenario are virtually non-existent anymore, at least to those being wed. In times such as the Medieval Era and the Renaissance, marriage was hardly based around love. It was a thing of unity, but of power, land, money, and kingship. For example, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille wed in the 16th century (I believe), and in doing so they received a large territorial gain, combining said city-states of Aragon and Castille. This marriage was hardly formed around love. In modern times, there exist no advantages to arranged marriages, which is most likely why cultures have shifted from such practice, along with the fact that it's immoral.
I too, cannot imagine too many advantages of this system, except one, which harkens from deep within the annals of AP European History. The largest advantage of arranged marriages, was the fact that it was the best way to boost one's social and economic status. Basically, marry the right guy and become amazingly rich. People did this quite quite often, much like the Medici family who married their way into power. (The Habsburgs did it as well.)
The largest, single disadvantage to this, is the fact that the people may not be happy with each other. I would absolutely hate being stuck with some woman who I had nothing in common with and was butt-ugly. Granted, my parents may want to approve of who I choose to marry, if I do so choose, but that's different that absolute control.
I believe that the system of arranged marriages has become mostly disused in our culture, because you don't need to marry to increase social and economical status. Instead, you do it through cheating, lying and maneuvering your way through society into a position of power either by becoming a politician, bureaucrat, or the CEO of a multi-billion dollar industry that basically monopolizes and entire market (read oil companies and Micro$hit.)
Damn you Ryan, BTW... you basically took my answer... Grrrr.....
I believe that matchmaking wouldn't work in most of today's society. In America, marriage is based on the fundamentals it should be. However, arranged marriages work for some cultures. Some people may be happier with arranged marriage. It may give them a sense of security. Although it wouldn't necessarily be based on love and happiness, they would be assured to a husband/wife. Matchmaking wouldn't work for every society, but if it works in other cultures, more power to them.
I thingk arange marriage is not right. Its a freedom, you should be able to choose who you want to marry. When marriage is arange it would probally lead to a unhappy life. It wouldnt work in todays world because of all the freedoms that we have. We kind of do have matchmaking going on today with the websites like eharmony and others. I dont know how they were but I think it is kind of like that. I wouldn't like to be matchmade because its just like saying your not good enough to marry who you want.
The system of being told who you are going to marry and when is pretty sad. Though there are advantages, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. The advantages are that you don't have to spend time and money on dates with a person that you are not going to end up marrying. Also, the fact that if, in America, you are about to marry somebody, you parents can disagree with you. In these countries, they picked him/her out! They can't disagee! The disadvantages are that you might not like the person that you married and you are stuck with him/her. There probably isn't much actual "love" in these marriages.
Stephanie Zach
to having an arranged marriage is ludicris. i feel that in order to have a proper mariagge you have to find someone that you love and are truly compatiable with. although arranged marriages could have some adavantages i dont feel that it is the right thing to do. some of these advantages can include marrying into wealther famlies or into a better country. but there are many disadvantages as well. you dont know the person that your marying so for all you know they could be murderers, criminals and other bad things like that. i would never let anyone arrange my marriage i want to pick who i marry not anyone else.
Tom Hall
I think haveing arranged marriages is dumb. It would be hard to believe if someones says who you were going to marry and you had no say in it. One advantage in arrganed marriages is that your econmic status can go up. But other than that there are not many other advantages to this system. Arrganed marriages I guess work in so cultures but I don't think they would work now of days. I just don't get the whole point of the arrganed marriages they really don't make much seen. I guess there just not for people now of days.
well, for some people, matchmaking might be a plus. but i disagree with the topic. because it could cause unknown tensions between the two matched people. i think people should be able to choose who they want. then it will create a better atmosphere, with people knowing eachother and being willing to fight through problems together. arranged marriges are worthless.
Sorry this is so late =]]]
I honestly do not think I could ever have an arranged marriage. I don't really see any advantage to the whole concept, other than a punishment, or just because you want power over someone. I think that is why it doesn't happen in many cultures anymore, because its seen way too much as a power thing to poeple. Dating and getting married, that is the fun of growing up and that is what life is all about. I think taking that away from someone is taking away a huge chapter in your life that they will really be missing out on. I could never fall in love with someone that I am told I have to fall in love with and spend the rest of my life with, that is just not the way it works in my eyes.
What do you think may be the advantages of this system and why do you think culture has shifted away from such a practice?
There are not many advantages to having your marriage picked out for you. One advantage is that you don't have to worry about finding someone. Another advantage is that your parents figure everything out for you, so you have more time to yourself. I don't think that I could live like that. Culture has shifted away from this becuase everybody now is more free and more independent. You should be able to choose the one that you want to be with. I think overall the places that do matchmaking is pretty dumb.
I disagree with arranged marriages. I think you have the freedom to choose who you would like. I think cultures have gone away from this because it is not fair to the women. If you are mature enough to get married i think you should also be mature enough to choose who you would like to marry. That is my opinion on this subject.
sorrrry this is late mr.kay but you told me that I had to have all my blogs in by Tuesday and i'm hoping this counts as one of them?! :D
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I could never imagine being told who I am going to marry and when. I honestly value the fact that I am free to choose who I love becuase I think choosing who you are going to spend your life with it extremly important, and and decision everyone should be able to make on their own. Some advantages of a system in countries where this still exists I think would be a sense of sercurity. Some of the many disadvantages of having a match made marriage would be unhappiness, and unfair burdons. Plus, you may end up completely clashing personalities and hate spending time with eachother. Our culture has shifted away from such a practice because it is rediculas, and people are big on freedom. I am extremly happy I get to choose who I will marrry in the future.
-rachel duelo. =]<3
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