Melody_1_DQ1&2

I think that the divorce rate in India is so much lower compared to that of the United States because Indians have a high degree of respect for the constitution of marriage. They appear to view marriage as a commitment between two people that is to be honored and valued, not simply broken whenever the couple wishes to. I think that Indians also have a high degree of respect for their parents who arrange the marriage. To get a divorce is to go against the authority of the parents, which is highly disrespectful, especially in that culture. Getting a divorce would also reflect very negatively not only on the couple but on both of the individuals' families. It is likely that getting a divorce would jeopardize the reputation of both families. On the other hand, because marriages in the United States are not arranged, there is no concern about being disrespectful to parents. The higher divorce rate in the United States may also be an issue of values. Commitment may be of less importance to Americans compared to Indians, which means that vows and promises that are made in the marriage are much easier broken. In addition, it is also possible that due to the already high divorce rate in the United States, couples believe that it is simply normal to get a divorce if they do not wish to be together anymore. There is no pressure to maintain the marriage because there are so many other people who do not do so.

I do not think that marriages should be arranged by parents; however, I do believe that it is important that marriage is approved by parents. I think that parents know what is best for their children; if they raised their own children, they are probably the ones who know their children best, which gives them wisdom on who would be suitable for their children. I also believe that the approval of parents is important to maintain harmony within a family. If parents dislike or disapprove of the partner that their child has chosen, it is highly likely that there would be a high degree of tension in the family, which I believe is to be avoided. I have definitely been given the freedom of choice by my parents in my romantic choices. My parents allow me to choose who I want to date. This does not mean that they do not voice out their opinions, as I always seek their approval in this matter, but they trust me to make my own choices as they realize that I am old enough to do so. I am currently single, but my previous partner was Caucasian in contrast to my Asian ethnicity. We were of the same religion, but we differed in our socioeconomic standing, education, and locale of origin. Before meeting, which was before I came to the United States to further my education, we were approximately 10,000 miles apart, as I lived in Malaysia, and he lived in the United States.