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If some Indian tells you that they are progressive and caste is not followed these days, ask them which caste their spouse belongs to. And that will answer how

If some Indian tells you that they are progressive and caste is not followed these days, ask them which caste their spouse belongs to. And that will answer how progressive they are.

sokoloff 4y ago
I wonder if there are similar strength effects across progressive Indians when compared to asking Americans the highest level of education they and their spouse completed.
srean 4y ago
Funny you mention that because I really dont know, but I fervently agree with you. My spouse belongs to a different state, speaks a different language. It never occurred to us to find out. We did have a religious ceremony and at that time it turned out that me and my spouse belong to the same 'gotra'. In conservative circles that's a big 'no no' because 'gotra' translates loosely to lineage, although in practice its just another label carried forward along patrilineal lines. Some would consider intra gotra marriage equivalent to incest. Anyhow, this unexpected reveal was a surprise but no one batted an eyelid.
thunkshift1 4y ago
Thats a dumb take.. people are not going to marry outside of their social group only to ‘prove’ a point about how progressive they are.
naruvimama 4y ago
So anyone married to someone from the same race is racist?
lotsofpulp 4y ago
Caste is another word for tribe. All across the world, the vast majority of people marry in their own tribe, for a variety of reasons. I married within my own tribe because I like my tribe’s food and customs, and I wanted a spouse who likes the same. It all comes down to socioeconomic class at the end anyway, whether it be called “caste”, or “doctor/lawyer/engineer”, or MIT/cal tech/Stanford grad, etc. If you have a friend who is a doctor or engineer earning $400k per year, would you try to set them up with a janitor earning $40k per year? Maybe, but I suspect probably not. Progressive or not progressive, humans are still animals, and they are going to play the mating game.
- pkphilip 4y ago
  This is an oversimplification of the caste issue in India. Caste oppression is socially enforced in India with violence. A person can get killed for marrying into the wrong caste and it happens often enough in India. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/dalit-youth-beaten-to-death-over-relationship-with-girl-from-upper-caste-community-6450042/ https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/dalit-youth-be... A low caste person can get killed if they "trespass" even by having mustache which is only allowed for the upper caste in parts of India or if they are seen eating before the so-called upper castes. Or for just making eye contact! https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/rajasthan-dalit-man-jitendrapal-meghwal-killed-for-his-stylish-moustache/ https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/rajasthan-dalit-man-jitendra... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48265387 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48265387 Or you can get killed for something as simple as riding a horse! https://thewire.in/caste/family-alleges-dalit-boy-was-killed-for-riding-horse-police-doesnt-buy-it https://thewire.in/caste/family-alleges-dalit-boy-was-killed... Or being seated in front of the upper caste.. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-youth-thrashed-for-sitting-on-a-chair-eating-at-wedding-dies/story-dsBcMtTb5R5JqzZruI8UCM.html https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-youth-thrash... In almost all of these cases the cops and the law enforcement will put pressure on the victim's family to withdraw cases. Any Indian who argues that caste oppression doesn't happen in India now is not misinformed - they are just lying.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - riddleronroof 4y ago
    Sorry. Random things happens in the US too. It means racism exists. Not enforced. Same for simplifying stereotypes of India from 50 years ago.
    - pkphilip 4y ago
      Can you please point out equivalent things happening in the US?
- 4y ago

If some Indian tells you that they are progressive and caste is not followed these days, ask them which caste their spouse belongs to. And that will answer how progressive they are.

sokoloff 4y ago

I wonder if there are similar strength effects across progressive Indians when compared to asking Americans the highest level of education they and their spouse completed.

srean 4y ago

Funny you mention that because I really dont know, but I fervently agree with you. My spouse belongs to a different state, speaks a different language. It never occurred to us to find out. We did have a religious ceremony and at that time it turned out that me and my spouse belong to the same 'gotra'. In conservative circles that's a big 'no no' because 'gotra' translates loosely to lineage, although in practice its just another label carried forward along patrilineal lines. Some would consider intra gotra marriage equivalent to incest. Anyhow, this unexpected reveal was a surprise but no one batted an eyelid.

thunkshift1 4y ago

Thats a dumb take.. people are not going to marry outside of their social group only to ‘prove’ a point about how progressive they are.

naruvimama 4y ago

So anyone married to someone from the same race is racist?

lotsofpulp 4y ago

Caste is another word for tribe. All across the world, the vast majority of people marry in their own tribe, for a variety of reasons. I married within my own tribe because I like my tribe’s food and customs, and I wanted a spouse who likes the same. It all comes down to socioeconomic class at the end anyway, whether it be called “caste”, or “doctor/lawyer/engineer”, or MIT/cal tech/Stanford grad, etc. If you have a friend who is a doctor or engineer earning $400k per year, would you try to set them up with a janitor earning $40k per year? Maybe, but I suspect probably not. Progressive or not progressive, humans are still animals, and they are going to play the mating game.

pkphilip 4y ago
This is an oversimplification of the caste issue in India. Caste oppression is socially enforced in India with violence. A person can get killed for marrying into the wrong caste and it happens often enough in India. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/dalit-youth-beaten-to-death-over-relationship-with-girl-from-upper-caste-community-6450042/ https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/dalit-youth-be... A low caste person can get killed if they "trespass" even by having mustache which is only allowed for the upper caste in parts of India or if they are seen eating before the so-called upper castes. Or for just making eye contact! https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/rajasthan-dalit-man-jitendrapal-meghwal-killed-for-his-stylish-moustache/ https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/rajasthan-dalit-man-jitendra... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48265387 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48265387 Or you can get killed for something as simple as riding a horse! https://thewire.in/caste/family-alleges-dalit-boy-was-killed-for-riding-horse-police-doesnt-buy-it https://thewire.in/caste/family-alleges-dalit-boy-was-killed... Or being seated in front of the upper caste.. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-youth-thrashed-for-sitting-on-a-chair-eating-at-wedding-dies/story-dsBcMtTb5R5JqzZruI8UCM.html https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-youth-thrash... In almost all of these cases the cops and the law enforcement will put pressure on the victim's family to withdraw cases. Any Indian who argues that caste oppression doesn't happen in India now is not misinformed - they are just lying.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- riddleronroof 4y ago
  Sorry. Random things happens in the US too. It means racism exists. Not enforced. Same for simplifying stereotypes of India from 50 years ago.
  - pkphilip 4y ago
    Can you please point out equivalent things happening in the US?
4y ago