Of course, I respect every response and encourage you all to find your true happiness no matter the stakes. Here's what the 11 respondents had to say:
1. "I'd hate to think my life was preset for me..." - Curtis, 27 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"I mean I wouldn't have a choice if I were younger and that's what my family's beliefs were, then yeah. But no, I'd hate to think my life was preset for me and that's the ultimate sign of control that your parents have over you and now once you're 'old enough to make your own decisions' they strip you of that as well. So I am against."
2. "I don't believe in marrying..." - Sota, 32 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"I don't believe in marrying at all."
3. "I'd rather hire an assistant..." - Marc, 28 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"I'd rather hire an assistant. Saves the headache, without closing the door on things. A partner and an assistant are completely different to me. To be a romantic partner is to be part of a pair engaged in the same activity. In a romantic setting such as here, that means to die having had a fulfilling life. To be an assistant is simply to assist and be an underling. Nothing else. One commands, the other follows the command. In a romantic setting, each partner assists one another to live a life worth living (referring here to virtue). As long as both partners are in agreement with how things should be between them and each of them agrees to follow the terms of the contract, all that is left to do is to work toward that eudaemonic goal while being aware and act accordingly."
4. "Can you separate what is real and what isn't?" - Jassi, 27 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? Yes
"I'm an incurable romantic. However, I would not mind entertaining an arranged marriage proposal for a number of reasons. I've always liked the sentiment, "Don't let romantic love be the only kind of love you crave." There are so many aspects of a life partner that we tend to forget. Most and foremost, they should be your best friend. A best friend to whom one can share their unfiltered conscious stream without being judged or having to hear an answer. A best friend that you can vent to but also a person who isn't tied to your current persona/lifestyle. They see through the veil and follow the idiosyncrasies to your soul. To find a best friend like that, you don't need to be spontaneous and adventurous. Going on adventures, we usually find people broken or discovering themselves. Sometimes, our parents or friends can show us a person directly in 1 or 2 degrees of separation from us who is maybe a bit more resolved. Once a bond like that is established, one can flourish freely. I mean, after all, we just want to be understood. Furthermore, sometimes we tend to believe we are in love but in reality, we are the furthest thing from it. Can you separate what is real and what isn't? Their actions vs. their words? The actual person vs. the idea of them? The relationship vs. the love? Your fear vs the imagined outcome? It's hard to see these things when you meet someone and have so many shared experiences. However, if you were to meet a candidate for an arranged marriage, maybe you can be a bit more impartial to your feelings and see more logically, helping you to build a more sustainable and longer-lasting organic relationship."
5. "There should be an expectation for all parties." - Alan, 24 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? Yes
"As with many decisions in my life, I have always considered my parents' opinions and appreciated their input. Likewise, with marriage, I would also consider their opinions. However, my own personal feelings are equally important. If in the arranged marriage I do not feel I would be compatible with my partner, or vice-versa, I would expect to be able to decline the marriage. There should be an expectation for all parties to have their own opinion, and the final decision should consider all these factors. Given this, I would have no qualms about my parents trying to find someone who they believe would be a suitable partner for me, as long as I have the final say."
6. "Divorce is expensive." - Alex, 24 (Male)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"Divorce is expensive"
7. "Why play Russian Roulette with your life?" - Miraleen, 32 (Female)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"Because why play Russian Roulette with your life? It's more valuable than that."
8. "I'm taking my life into my own hands..." - Anonymous, 27 (Female)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"No. Did it already. He just wanted a green card and used me, now my family blames themselves. Just to clarify, I wouldn't be against the Padres introducing me to someone the second time around but I'm not going to let anyone pressure me into a decision. Like this ended up being a bad thing and I hate seeing my parents feeling like they gotta take the blame. It's no one's fault except for the person that decided to be selfish and deceived everyone. I'm taking my life into my own hands from now on."
9. "The freedom of choice is extremely powerful." - Jessie, 19 (Female)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"If I enter an arranged marriage with someone that I realize that I am not compatible with, I would feel really stressed out and feel like I'm stepping into a lifelong prison. It would feel like I am dealing with and tolerating my significant other instead of enjoying their presence and feeling understood. The freedom of choice is extremely powerful because if I choose someone that ends up being not compatible with me, I would take accountability for a decision I made. However, an arranged marriage would give too much power to the parents and I would feel I have no say in anything."
10. "I trust my parents but I also love the chase." - Jenni, 21 (Female)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"I would be so worried about who my parents would choose and if I fall in love with them. I trust my parents but I also love the chase and having the independence to find my own love."
11. "I personally wouldn't because I don't share most of the same values as my parents." - Ellie, 21 (Female)
Would you get an arranged marriage? No
"I personally wouldn't because I don't share most of the same values as my parents. Although I feel that they would try to find a good match, I don't think I would end up being very compatible with that person. I have a few friends whose parents had an arranged marriage and it worked out super great though. I kinda wish I thought it would work so there wouldn't be so much pressure in dating."
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