As somebody from that culture, I think that's way too simplistic. Like all other things, there are good sides and bad sides. Good things: - Pre-vetted as you

As somebody from that culture, I think that's way too simplistic. Like all other things, there are good sides and bad sides. Good things: - Pre-vetted as you say, so there's some due diligence done. - It's easier(in some aspects) if your partner belongs to the same community(religion, sect, whatever) - Longevity. In such cultures, marriage is held sacred, and people put up with lots of strain to keep the thread going. This is good for kids, if not for the individuals. Bad things: - Parental pressure: Though there's no compulsion, there's immense psychological pressure from relatives/peers/friends. In my culture, the girls bear the brunt, although the tide is slowly changing. It gets worse when your parents are financially or socially backwards. - It's very difficult to find somebody aligned to your interests/tastes - essentially a lottery. - You get very little time to socialize and understand each other. This is changing a bit, but still the socializing starts after you're engaged, which is basically pointless IMHO. The go/no-go decision is usually a snap decision. That sucks. I'd write more, but hey this is hacker news..