I have friends who are Afghan who have had arranged marriages so this led me to be curious to ask, why does this practice still persist into the 21st century?

  • @MrsDoyle@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    251 year ago

    I know a young man who headed back to India for an arranged marriage. I expressed my extreme surprise that he would agree to marry someone he’d never met, and he said he trusted his parents to choose someone compatible. “After all, they know me better than anyone else.” I remain baffled, honestly. He seems an otherwise savvy, modern person. But there you go, happy to commit to a stranger.

    I dread to think what kind of bloke my parents would have picked for me…

    • Devi
      link
      fedilink
      111 year ago

      You don’t commit to a stranger really. Normally you’ve met them and spoke multiple times and the families have spoken throughout both kids lives. I had a friend when I was young who knew her intended spouse from 7 years old and there was no plan to marry until she was finished with uni. She used to carry a picture of him in her wallet like we all had boyband members.

      Even once you get to the marriage bit there’s chances to say no then.

      • @Kiosade@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        31 year ago

        That’s an interesting concept: holding a pic of someone (presumably it gets updated every few years?) for like 15 years, imagining all these possibilities the whole time, and then finally meeting them and realizing, “nope not for me”.

        • Devi
          link
          fedilink
          11 year ago

          I’ve tried to find out if they ever did marry but I can’t find her online. I like to think she did though and it went well because she did really like the picture.

    • @istanbullu@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      31 year ago

      People make all sorts of wrong mistakes when they are high on hormones. Your parents will likely make a much more rational and efficient choice.