Thoughts to think

For ages together, people seem to fail to notice difference between “wedding” and a “marriage”. One is a ceremony other an institution. I agree with the opinion that many of the weddings these days are about showing off, and is a place for gossip mongers, however I do not agree that marriage is such a thing, I do not think when it comes to “marriage” there is any place for showing off, gossip, and finding fault with each other. I know one or more of the above mistakes are pretty common in many marriages, but this can happen in any relationship between a man and a woman, you don’t need to be married to face such issues. It depends on the individuals involved to keep them out of the marriage, just like in any relationship

When two people decide to spend their lives together without having to go through a marriage, it’s their choice. I do not think, there is anything wrong with it. Just like living together is a way of life, marriage too is an institution which has its own set of meanings, advantages, concerns, cons etc. One cannot dismiss marriage as a useless thing, just because they do not want to be part of it. Marriage might be one of the relationship, which has been widely accepted by society, but that does not mean that society is the only reason one needs to get married. Marriage is way of stating one’s commitment to each other, establishing a stable environment for each other to co-depend, co-exist, and grow both individually and as a couple. The important thing here is “co”. If a couple choose to do this without actually getting ‘married’, it’s absolutely fine, I would be happy for them. But one cannot make a common statement that, all people who get married are for the sake of society, or that all marriages are like having a heavy chain worn across your neck. If you have this opinion, then either you have no clue what the marriage is, or your idea of a marriage is based mainly on the mindless episodes shown on TV.

Another major argument against marriage for years has been that of the loss of freedom. People go hours together how one looses freedom in a marriage. Firstly I would like to know how would one define freedom?. Is it ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want?. I strongly disagree, if that were to be the definition of freedom.
When a child is born, parents take care of their children; teachers make sure the kids learn the right values; relatives, friends and family guide them in matters of importance. In doing so, because of care, concern and shear experience, there are many a cases when a child is not allowed to do what it wants, does it mean it has no freedom?.

Freedom should not be defined as ability to do whatever we want to do, it should be defined as privilege of doing what we want to do, considering both the short and long term consequences of the act both on the self, and people around. Here is where the experience and society comes in. Not every individual has the capacity or ability to think of all possible consequences of their act on themselves, let alone on others around them. Here is where the experience matters, age, society, variety, etc can help in contributing to one’s choice of action. In doing so indirectly making sure freedom is being used appropriately.

I agree not everything, society/elders say is valid, but I do not agree that all the things they say is invalid. At a point of time, I might not be in a position to comprehend the reasons or the logic behind a particular rule [I would prefer to say ideology], but each of us have been given education, experience and ability to analyze and accept and reject things which come our way. It is the society collectively which provides us with this ability.

Coming back to marriage resulting into loss of freedom. What makes us believe such a thing wouldn’t happen in companionship without marriage. How many boy/girls are guilty of being possessive of their girlfriends/boyfriends and restricting their activities, how many people can be found guilty of tracking each and every movement of their partners.

So what if you are answerable to your spouse after marriage? What’s wrong with it? Why is it considered to be a loss of freedom?
Wouldn’t you feel great, when your spouse takes care of your things, helps you out in many a things and you return by helping him/her out when a need arises?
Isn’t concern a valid emotion? I do agree that there are possibilities of everything going overboard resulting in lack of peace. But how is that exclusive to marriage? Finally it all boils down to individuals, both inside or outside a marriage.

I guess just because one does not find a need for marriage, doesn’t mean that marriage can be dismissed.
If one can attain the sanctity of a marriage outside it, or chooses not to attain the same, there is nothing wrong with it. But by doing so, I do not think they get to dismiss the institution of marriage.