Autonomy of Marriage
Growing up in an affluent and conservative family, my parents have always instructed me to find a mate with a matching social status. However, my family never restricted my brother and sister to marry who they love, which unfortunately either of them has done, provided they find their mates to be fitting their personalities and family status. During the classroom discussion on this issue, although I had some frictions with my original views, my central claim—parents should not control children’s marriage, but children themselves should exercise discretion.
My parents’ view has also shaped my view on this issue. I believe parents should not control over whom their children marry, but the children themselves need to exercise discretion on whom they want to mate. Prior to the discussion, I believed my view is slightly conservative in liberal Canada, especially among my millennial classmates. Yet, the discussion proved me false. Although most members of the class endorse the
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Love carries an insurmountable energy that could diffuse through racial, sexual, and economic lines. Parents blocking marriage would only appear effective on the surface, or if the couple’s bond is not strong enough. Love, unlike other things, does not fade away by the passage of time. Therefore, it would be impractical to institute blockades on children’s marriage.
Not only did the discussion not move my position on this issue, it indeed reinforced it. The debate on same-sex marriage made me apply the same-sex couple marriage reasoning on opposite-sex couples made me realize even further that marriage is a personal decision that should be based solely on personal desires. Children should still exercise discretion as marriage is a serious decision that should not be taken lightly. However, parental approval or guidance on marriage is not something I can