Arranged marriages and stories behind !

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/culture/features/11621/index.html

Nice article. Subtly hilarious, but thought provoking. Although, I am not the same sex as the author, I do have my share of complaints about the system when it comes to the subject of arranged marriages, especially in the nu age. The indian way of arranged marriages was fine until we came to know of the western way of marriages. But its a big problem when people want a mix of the arranged marriage system and the western system.

My personal opinion - I am not mature enough to understand the intricacies involved in the western system, having my roots in an age old system which has its own pluses and minuses. Under the garb of modernism, I find it amusing when I say that I want to know the person well enough before I get to marry her and go out on a dating spree only to find that I end up opining about people by putting their actions in perspective of a conservative Indian system because that is where I come from.

Hard to believe but its a fact. The mere knowledge of the Indian system makes me biased. Towards it or against it is dependent on one's belief system. And I am in a fix trying to balance my act. Accepting a foreign system because it seems ok to me because it holds an individual's freedom at the highest level (Lions), at the same time staying indifferent to the idiosyncracies of of the Indian system which believes in society (Wolves). I respect both the systems.

I come from a conservative hindu family, but I have been educated about the other side of the spectrum through people, books and movies. How do I make the transition to a better system? Which system am I comfortable with? What happens if I am caught in between - half baked?

Should I ask this question to my 51st date - "Ok! When we get married, who's gonna do the dishes?". Funny, but true.

More explanations on this later. Until then, let me go check my mails. A girl's family would have responded asking if I can do away with the mole in my nostril. Do I get paid for that?