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in response to blue girl: You're right that arranged marriages have a significantly lower divorce rate. However, the reason that these marriages don't end in divorce is that in cultures in which arranged marriages are the norm, divorce is completely taboo. If you are a man and you divorce in one of these cultures, you're an outcast. If you're a woman, you're an outcast with no way to support yourself.

Many arranged marriages work, and many do not. I know some arranged couples who are madly in love after 40 years and others who can't stand each other. I personally would not do it. My fiance is from a culture in which arranged marriages are the norm, and he decided long ago that he should be able to choose his own partner.

actually ... in cultures where arranged marriages are practices, the divorce rate is almost zero! Apparently.. parents know you better than you think!

In many cultures, now a days, the bride and groom are allowed to meet and then decide if they should move on with the marriage. In most cases they do. Based on personality assessments and financial stability, these arranged marriages actually work.

There is much emotion involved! And many MANY couples are in love afterwards. I think many people have attached a stigma to arranged marriages because of small instances that havnt worked and the negative portrayal of media around it. However, these children in these cultures see how it worked for their own parents and prefer it if their parents arrange it for them as well..

You seem to be confusing a forced marriage with an arranged marriage though!

I personally could not imagine entering in an arranged marriage. But I know a girl whose parents' marriage was arranged. She was 15, he in his 30 when her brothers arranged that marriage because her father beat her (it was in Turkey). They said it was difficult in the beginning but they learned to love each other and the marriage worked out. They raised their kids Western and the girl married a man she chose.

Unfortunately, arranged marriages are often economic or business arrangement to secure certain relations or contracts. Probably it depends on how you grow up (culture). I personally do not agree with it, but in the example above it was th best and only solution for this girl not to get beaten to death.

I think there are many marriages that were arranged that worked out and if done properly I'm sure they are perfectly fine. My family isn't very big so I don't think I would have ever been truly for it but for someone who is willing to have an arranged marriage I see no problem with it.

A blind date is merely an altered arranged marriage, the hope is this random person you've never seen before and you will hit it off and develop a lasting relationship.

I pretty much agree with you because I want to at least get to know the person before I come close to think about marrying him and because I want to make sure that he's right for me. Sometimes, your parents don't always know best and making decisions on your own I think, is a way of growing up.

I don't agree or disagree with them. I mean, I wouldn't want to marry someone I don't know either, but it is apart of some cultures and that's what they're used to. To us it may seem weird and unfair (or whatever else) but to them its a way of life. I don't think a parent would knowingly have their child marry someone that they didn't think would be good for them though (even if it is business).

Well these marriages usually work, dont end in divorce.

But I dont really think they should continue to do this once they move away from their home countries. If they move to the US or Australia and still expect to be able to marry off their daughters, that is wrong.

And it is expecially wrong when they are marrying a 16 year old to some dirty old 48 year old. Yuk.

It is a grey area tho really......

Sure, the divorce rate is alot lower for arranged marriages- but i believe its only due to the society these people live in.

I bet most women in arranged marriages are absolutely miserable and will never know what true love is.

I would rather risk having my heart broken and find myself the man of my dreams.

I wouldn't agree to it myself, but if I grew up in a culture where it's the norm, then I imagine I wouldn't see anything wrong with it. It's a relative thing, it has to be looked at in the context of a particular culture.

I'm not for them or against them. I think just like love marriages they have their pros and cons. Really what is important is not HOW you get married but what you DO after you are married.