Cultural Relativism

Different cultures have different norms and rules. Even the most tolerant countries have some issues with things and beliefs that are alien to them simply because these beliefs go against social expectations. Liberal Canada is a good example of that. Society in Canada is rather open-minded and tolerant, especially in comparison to other, more conservative societies. Nevertheless, there are still some things which are not accepted in Canada due to cultural and social beliefs. One of them is arranged marriages. It is considered that arranged marriage is a remnant of the past which will soon fade away even in the most conservative religious societies, and it should not take place in a country like Canada which values person’s freedom in choosing one’s life partner.

Arranged marriages restrict the freedom of a person. After all, if a person is forced to get married to whoever his or her family picks for him/her, then such actions violate human rights (Black). One has to be able to decide for themselves without being pressured by somebody else. It does not matter what the subject of decision is, whether it is a job, education, or private matter because a person still has to be able to make one’s own choice. Nevertheless, with arranged marriages, the option of free choice is invalid. A person has to live with whatever was chosen for him or her and deal with the consequences of other people’s decisions for the rest of his/her life. This degrades the person and lowers the importance of person’s conscience. After all, it makes one feel like they are important since everything is planned for them in advance. Furthermore, arranged marriages often lead to unhappiness in family life because people do not love each other and cannot communicate and live well with each other. Also, for a liberal country such as Canada, it is unacceptable to allow such form of abuse over a person when a certain individual cannot speak up for himself/herself and defend his/her decision (Black). Canada stands upon democratic and liberal principles which recognize a person as the most important resource and a goal the country has to cherish and protect at the same time. A person is the one who has to make decisions for oneself because without giving a person such an ability, he or she will never be responsible for his/her life. In Canada, where citizens influence the state directly, they have to be responsible and know their importance being sure that the country will protect their rights. Hence, people have to be given a choice to decide, especially when it comes to their wives and husbands, in order to lead responsible lives.

Nevertheless, the issue of the arranged marriages is not as simple as it may seem, and there may be a different perspective on it. There are people who believe arranged marriages have to take place in Canada. Even more, they practice this thing themselves within their families. The main argument of arranged marriages’ supporters is that it is a cultural thing that connects people to their cultural heritage and background. People state that arranged marriages is something they have had for generations, and it should not be viewed as a limitation for a person, but as a part of his or her cultural code (Treleaven). Also, supporters add that many arranged marriages turned out to be very happy with people falling in love, having children, and leading good lives (Bell). They state that arranged marriages make people learn about each other and adapt to changes, which makes this process educating and good psychologically. Supporters also state that arranged marriages help young people to find their role in life. For instance, there are many young people trying many different things in their sex life. They may experiment, and the experiments can lead to negative consequences. By arranging marriages, the family prevents a person from such an outcome because this individual gets a secure partner and realizes that he or she has to start living for a family. This way, parents help a young adult to transit from childhood into adult life. Also, arranged marriages provide one with a status and help them find a secure place in life with family relations and position. Supporters also add that Canada as a liberal country has to value cultural characteristics of various minorities.

Hence, there are different views on arranged marriages. The argument against them is more reasonable because arranging a marriage prevents a person from experiencing the most beautiful parts of a relationship such as dating and falling in love which eventually leads to marriage. A person has to do what he or she has been told, and that is not right. Therefore, the argument against arranged marriages is more convincing because it appeals to human rights and the person’s dignity. A person should always be able to choose, and the family should be there to help, not to pressure or force. That is why it is so important to eliminate arranged marriages at all leaving people with multiple options. The youth may make mistakes while choosing partners, but it is important that they are given this opportunity to make their own mistakes instead of being voiceless followers of their relatives who have everything planned in advance.

About the author

Dakota Leest is a freelance writer at https://writer-elite.com. She holds an MBA in Philology from the University of Texas. Dakota specializes in writing academic papers for university students and conducts researches on a wide variety of topics. Moreover, she always broadens her outlook by reading the scientific journals and by attending conferences devoted to academic writing.