It cracks me up because the show was popular nation wide at a time homosexuals couldn’t marry and the primary defense of the fact was that letting two, loving, committed people of the same sex marry would “destroy the sanctity of marriage.” I suppose there is a certain traditional and sacred beauty to two drunk strangers who barely know each other getting married for fame and money before trying for annulment... as long as they aren’t the same sex though- then it’s just an affront to decency. That’s the part that always made me laugh.
Not really. That’s what cracked me up about the show when it came out. It was a little dark in its humor- but I still think it’s funny. Even now that same sex marriage is legal one hears cries of “the sanctity of marriage” which in a very public and obvious way seems only to hold whatever sanctity it does to an individual- and often more to one than the other where self reported surveys show infidelity in marriage at around 25%. So I mean.... it’s funny to me. Sure if we think on it it might upset me- but on the surface it’s comical in its lack of self awareness or seeming connection to reality.
I suppose when you say “arranged marriage” people conflate it with “forced marriage,” which isn’t always the same thing but can be. What’s more- even in marriages that aren’t TECHNICALLY forced but arranged- they are oftentimes still coerced- that is there is a social or personal obligation which imposes severe consequences on the involved parties if they fail to carry out the marriage. Putting that asides though- there is the simple fact that most “arranged” marriages forced or otherwise are traditionally arranged by a third party and not the actual participants in the marriage.
So while these shows do put people together with the specific goal of marriage- the participants are the ones who chose to enter the contract as adults, without any sort of predisposition at an early age to do so. As opposed to parents or someone else entering the people on their behalves, often either from a young age- or where they are prepared at a young age to accept that marriage be made for them by others.
As far as similarity between the two- if we look at such a show in depth: a majority of people seeking a “long term relationship” do so with the eventual goal of marriage. They are dating to find a future spouse. These shows are not much different asides the fact they manipulate participants for the sake of entertainment. That said, and to be clear, I don’t like these shows and I don’t think they are a positive culture element. I also do not condemn arranged marriage even if I do not personally support it or wish to engage in it.
Arranged marriage is an aspect of tradition and culture for many people now or historically. It has many benefits and often arranged marriages are happy ones or a practical matter. People can and should be able to be married as suits them, for whatever reasons they desire. This includes arranged marriages and marriages of “convenience” or for practical gains. The corner stone of my culture is individual freedom- so I will view any issue from that perspective- and that is why I don’t personally support arranged marriage but do not condemn it either because not all cultures share the same values and another value of my culture is that so long as another doesn’t interfere in my freedoms I will not interfere in theirs.
I agree 1000% with you, but maybe the OP is just ahead of us and is making a subtle social critique at the fact that reality shows are nothing more than "arranged" and therefore the overall population's reality show addiction (on these shows in particular) is really an endorsement on arranged marriages, yet we always have time to criticize the non-"white people" societies on their culture and traditions.
Or not. It's just really fucking stupid to compare "arranged marriages" to a reality show where adults are doing something for their individual personal gain, and not their underage child bride.
lol. I enjoy your analysis. Perhaps so in some way though. I guess that in many ways we could say society and media and even life are arranged. The world tends to be very dynastic when we look towards the top, so either eugenics is right and some gene pools just stand head and shoulders above the rest (doubtful...) or like a casino things tend to work out in the houses favor because the odds are stacked just enough to introduce an element of surprise and a notion that anyone can win. Surely there is some element of bias at play culturally when we compare ourselves to others. But yeah... gotta draw the line at child brides.
90 day fiance is the worst out of all of these. Two people who love to fuck each other so much decide to get engaged but as they progressively love together in the same place for on average "90 days" they all of a sudden can't stand each other. They try so dam hard to convince themselves that they can "love" that person. On one account I can remember watching (I saw this at the clinic) one lady from South America was engaged with an American who was roughly 25 and she became enraged with him every single minute they spent in their new home together. What made her go mad? They guy didn't clean up after himself he didn't know how to do laundry, put the dishes away, it even throw trash in the trash can in his own home. His reason his mother did everything for him and his dad told him it is the women's responsibility to do all for him. Her Latina spice was very annoying to him she was sightly abusive as she began to hit him. He stayed with her for as long as he can still have sex with her
"sanctity" LOL
Or not. It's just really fucking stupid to compare "arranged marriages" to a reality show where adults are doing something for their individual personal gain, and not their underage child bride.